LINCOLN, Neb. – The nationally ranked University of Iowa women’s basketball team keep their win streak alive after defeating Nebraska, 80-60, on Saturday afternoon in front of 14,000 fans inside Pinnacle Bank Arena. It was the largest crowd in Nebraska women’s basketball history.
Iowa held Nebraska, who is ranked second in the conference for three-point percentage, to only seven threes, and 21%, from behind the arc. The Law Firm duo of Clark and Czinano led the Hawkeyes for the second game in a row, with National Player of the Year candidate Caitlin Clark recording her eighth 30-point game this season. Clark finished with 30 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Monika Czinano scored 20 points on 13 field goals and added five rebounds.
Clark got hot early, sinking her first three in the first 15 seconds of the game. Czinano followed with back-to-back layups to give Iowa an early, 7-0, lead. The Huskers got within two, but Clark buried her second three of the quarter to give Iowa breathing room. Gabbie Marshall made a final-second three to take a, 21-14, lead after one.
The Huskers did not back down, going on a, 5-0, run at the start of the second. Kate Martin sunk a three to give Iowa a five-point lead, but a three from Nebraska tied it at 31 heading into the media timeout. Clark capitalized off a Husker turnover and scored the next six points for Iowa to head into half up by seven.
The Hawkeyes came out of half with a vengeance, shooting 67 percent from the field in the third. Clark and Czinano had 15 of Iowa’s 21 points in the third to hold Nebraska to 14 points. A pass from Hannah Stuelke gave Sydney Affolter an easy bucket to finish out the third and head into the fourth with a, 61-46, lead.
Nebraska native, Taylor McCabe, sunk a three to give Iowa a 17-0, scoring run in the fourth to seal the deal for the Hawkeyes and give them their 14th conference win.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- NPOY candidate Caitlin Clark recorded her 14th game with +25 points, +5 rebounds, and +5 assists which leads the country.
- Iowa has won eight straight against Nebraska.
- Lisa Bluder has led the Hawkeyes to seven straight 20-win seasons.
- Bluder has at least 14 Big Ten wins in four out of the last five seasons.
- Clark has seven or more assists in 11 straight games.
- 11th Big Ten win by more than 10 points.
- Clark extended her streak of scoring in double figures an astounding 79 games, which is a NCAA Division I best.
- 12 Hawkeyes saw action.
- Clark has netted a 3-point basket in 46 straight games. She has hit at least one 3-pointer in 87 career games.
- Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 720 points, 200 rebounds, 210 assists, and 40 steals this season.
- The Hawkeyes have won 17 out of their last 19 games dating back to Dec. 4, 2022.
QUOTING P. SUE BECHWITH, MD, HEAD COACH LISA BLUDER
“This is a tough league, and we just keep getting it done. I’m proud of this group for digging deep and playing well together on the road. You can’t say enough about how well Clark and Czinano played today. I was happy to see McCabe get in there and hit a three. We’ll be ready for an important final week of the regular season with a Big Ten Title in reach. Our focus is on Maryland now.”
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UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes are set to travel to No. 8 Maryland on Feb. 21. Tip-off in College Park is set for 7 p.m. (CT) inside the Xfinity Center. The game will broadcast on BTN and the Hawkeye Radio Network.