Iowa endured all it could handle in the form of West Virginia, a formidable foe that blotted the Hawkeyes’ star shine for much of Monday’s contest.
Ultimately, the Caitlin Clark-led side did just enough to pull through, but it was far from a convincing performance. As Clark and Co. disappeared into the locker room, it left a great many wondering just what had gone wrong.
Here’s a look at the factors that almost cost the Hawkeyes on Monday night.
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Why did Iowa struggle vs. West Virginia?
Clark and the Hawkeyes looked worse for the wear over the course of the day, struggling to find a rhythm against the Mountaineers’ frenzied defense.
West Virginia entered the game giving up 57.6 points per contest, the 36th-best mark in the nation. It was a successful deterrent for Clark and Co., the most effective offense in the country during the regular season.
Iowa hit just 36.2 percent of its shots, struggling to find a rhythm amid a steady pour of West Virginia defenders.
MORE: Clark’s final home send-off | Reactions to Iowa’s free-throw advantage
It was the second-worst scoring performance of the season for the Hawkeyes, who hit just 17 field goals on Monday, four fewer than West Virginia. If not for a…
