Iowa is up for the Challenge, Defeats Clemson, 74-60

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By DARREN MILLER
hawkeyesports.com

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa sophomore center Monika Czinano scored a career-high 24 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field and two other Hawkeyes were near double-doubles during a 74-60 victory in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge over Clemson on Wednesday in front of 5,884 on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
 
Iowa improved to 6-2 overall, with senior Kathleen Doyle scoring 14 points with nine assists, and senior Amanda Ollinger adding 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
“Monika had a tremendous game, a career high (in points), six rebounds,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. “I also thought Amanda played well. Our inside game was outstanding, but I thought it was a great team win. Doyle has nine assists; we shot the ball pretty well from all areas.”
 
The Hawkeyes made 48.4 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range, and 83.3 percent from the line.
 
Senior Makenzie Meyer had nine assists and four steals; Doyle and redshirt junior Alexis Sevillian both had three steals.
 
Ollinger was 5 of 6 form the field in 23 minutes before leaving the game with an injury in her jaw area.
 
Clemson (3-6) was led by Kobi Thornton with 17 points.
 
QUOTING COACH BLUDER
“We’re thrilled to get this win. We wanted to represent the Big Ten, we wanted to get this win in the (ACC/Big Ten) Challenge. We thought we had a good opportunity, we played against some zone against Washington (Nov. 30 in Puerto Rico). I think we learned a lot.”
 
STATISTIC OF THE GAME
One game after setting a season-high with 12 steals against Washington, the Hawkeyes swiped 14 against Clemson.
 
“We had a lot of steals that led to offense and that doesn’t always happen for us,” Bluder said. “That was nice to see.”
 
Iowa scored 19 points off turnovers and 40 points in the paint.
 
WORTH NOTING
The first three made field goals by the Hawkeyes were from 3-point range. Iowa led, 22-18, at the end of the first quarter and was 5 of 7 from 3-point range. The five field goals were made by five different players: Meyer, Sevillian, McKenna Warnock, Doyle, and Gabbie Marshall.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Dec. 11 for an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series matchup against Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. The Cyclones (5-1 overall) play at Alabama on Dec. 5.