IOWA CITY, Iowa – A buzzer-beater 3-point shot from National Player of the Year Candidate Caitlin Clark gave the No. 6 Iowa women’s basketball a 86-85, win over No. 2 Indiana on Sunday afternoon inside a sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Clark finished just shy of a triple-double, with 34 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Kate Martin netting 19 points, and Monika Czinano had 13 points, and nine rebounds.
A 13-0, scoring run in the first three minutes of the game put Iowa up 11. The Hawkeyes shot 64 percent from the field, and 57 percent from behind the arc. Clark and Martin had a combined 16 of the team’s 23 points to head into the second quarter with a 23-18, lead.
Four Hawkeyes scored in the second, with Clark having a quarter-high eight points and three assists. The Hoosiers went on a 6-0, scoring run to get within one, but two free throws from Martin put Iowa back up by three. Clark made a last-second jumper to go into half up by one.
Iowa came out of half with Martin and Clark scoring the first six points. Indiana responded going on its own 7-0, scoring run to come within one, but Clark made two free throws to gain a three-point lead and head into the final 10 minutes with a 61-58, lead.
A three from the Hoosiers game them their first lead since the first. Gabbie Marshall responded, hitting her second three of the quarter to regain the lead. An opponent turnover gave Czinano a three-point play to take a 74-70, lead. Free throws put Indiana up by two with 1.5 second remaining in the game, but Clark knocked down a 3-pointer to give Iowa a 86-85, win over the No. 2 Hoosiers.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- It was Iowa’s fourth AP Top 10 win which is the most in program history.
- It was the 12thtime in Clark’s career she has netted 30 or more points versus a ranked opponent.
- It was Iowa’s fifth women’s basketball sellout in program history.
- It was the first time in Bluder’s tenure at Iowa she has won 15 Big Ten regular season games.
- Clark extended her streak of scoring in double figures an astounding 81 games, which is a NCAA Division I best.
- Clark has netted a 3-point basket in 48 straight games. She has hit at least one 3-pointer in 89 career games.
- Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 750 points, 210 rebounds, 220 assists, and 40 steals this season.
QUOTING P. SUE BECKWITH, MD, HEAD COACH LISA BLUDER
“I’m just grateful. I know that sounds boring, but I’m blessed to be around these wonderful young ladies. What a way to go out for our seniors too. This is exactly what we need heading into the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament.”
FOLLOW US
Make sure to follow Iowa women’s basketball on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@IowaWBB) for news and updates all season long.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes are set travel to the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament this week inside the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Iowa clinched the No. 2 seed in tournament with the victory over the Hoosiers.