Payback has rarely been on the mind of Caitlin Clark in her four wildly successful seasons at Ohio State, but after losing to the Buckeyes in January and ultimately falling behind OSU in the Big Ten title race, her Hawkeyes will look to serve their revenge… unseasonably warm on a near 80-degree day in Iowa City Sunday.
Iowa is hardly alone in its struggles against the Buckeyes, who are perfect in the new calendar year and have ramped up their dominance in the past month, enjoying an average margin of victory of nearly 20 points per game while rising to second in the AP poll. The Buckeyes thrive on incredible balance, partnering their famously handsy backcourt — starting guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor combine for nearly 2.5 steals a game — with one of America’s best two-point offense to ensure OSU ranks inside the top-12 for adjusted offense and defensive efficiency.
The Hawkeyes, instead, take on the identity of Clark, crafting the single most efficient offense in America with a rapid pace to match. Iowa showcased this identity last time out in a 108-60 battering of Minnesota, where Clark & Co. set the record for the most 3-pointers made in a Big Ten game with 22, but this style can cause some defensive drawbacks — the Hawkeyes rank outside top-100 in…
