BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 22 University of Iowa women’s basketball handed No. 5 Indiana their fifth loss of the season, defeating the Hoosiers, 96-91, on Saturday afternoon inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hawkeyes shot 56.7 percent from the field with all five starters scoring in double digits.
The victory marks Iowa’s first road win over an AP-Top-5 opponent since defeating No. 4 Maryland on December 6, 1992.
Sophomore Caitlin Clark recorded her 13th season and 22nd career double-double, with 18 points and 12 assists. Senior Monika Czinano scored 22 points and pulled down six rebounds, while junior McKenna Warnock returned to the lineup after an injury, scoring 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Redshirt junior Kate Martin recorded a season-high 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, and junior Gabbie Marshall scored 10 points.
“We did such a good job rebounding wise,” said P. Sue Beckwith, MD, Head Coach Lisa Bluder.” The first half I was so pleased with our defense and rebounding margin, and man, it was nice to have McKenna back. What she brings to this basketball team, and she shot the ball well, but she also defended and rebounded. We had five people in double figures, I love that. This is a tough place to play, and we haven’t won here in a long time. To come in here and beat the No. 5 team on their home court, that’s a signature win.”
It was clear from the first three minutes of the game that Iowa was locked in. The Hawkeyes scored the first five points of the game. Warnock pulled down two offensive rebounds resulting in a second-chance layup and a Martin three. Czinano had 10 of Iowa’s 25 points in the first to take a 14-point lead going to the second.
A bucket from senior Tomi Taiwo put the Hawkeyes up by 12 in the second. Indiana got within nine, but sophomore Kylie Feuerbach finished two free throws to quiet the crowd. Six players contributed in the frame, and Iowa scored 10 of their 21 points from the paint to take a 46-29 lead into the break.
Iowa continued to shoot lights out in the third, going 9-13 from the field. The nation’s leading scorer, Clark, went on her own seven-point run to put Iowa up by 23. Indiana made a three, but Feuerbach responded with a 3-pointer of her own. The Hawkeyes went into the fourth with a, 71-49, lead.
Indiana scored 42 points in the fourth quarter, coming within four in the last 30 seconds. Marshall swished a 3-pointer to hush the crowd and put Iowa back up by 14 with three minutes left. The Hoosiers would slowly chip away Iowa’s lead, scoring nine points in 20 seconds, but Iowa came away with the upset victory, 96-91. Warnock led Iowa with eight points, and Clark recorded three of her 12 assists in the fourth.
“We just needed to stay composed,” said Warnock. “We were on someone else’s home court and when it’s close, it’s pretty hard to come out with that win. I’m really glad that we did, and we stayed together as a team.”
NOTES
•No. 22/25 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated No. 5/6 Indiana Hoosiers, 96-91, inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, — the first win in Assembly Hall for the Hawkeyes since 2011-12. Iowa’s 96 points are the most that any opponent has scored against Indiana this season.
•Sophomore Caitlin Clarks notched her 13th season and 22nd career double-double, tallying 18 points and 12 assists.
•All eight Hawkeyes that played and all five starters scored in double figures, including senior Monika Czinano (22), junior McKenna Warnock (21), Clark (18), redshirt junior Kate Martin (13) and junior Gabbie Marshall (10). Martin’s 13 points are a season high.
•In Warnock’s first game back from injury, the junior shot 6-for-8 from the field, 3-for-4 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, adding six rebounds, five assists and a steal.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes have a quick turnaround, hosting Indiana again on Monday, Feb. 21. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be streamed live on B1G Network, and fans can buy tickets at Hawkeyesports.com/tickets.