After enduring a heartbreaking defeat at No. 12 Ohio State last weekend, No. 5 Iowa returned home and came away with a hard-fought and convincing victory over Nebraska, 92-73. The game showcased the Hawkeyes’ two contrasting tempos, which made it a closer game than expected, despite the final margin.
In the first half, Iowa played conservatively and couldn’t generate a run after they jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Nebraska stayed in contact and even led by as many as four points as the Hawkeyes were struggling to make shots, handle the ball, and, especially, crash the boards. The Cornhuskers were able to rely on the prowess in the paint of Alexis Markowski and the sharp shooting on the perimeter by Jaz Shelley. But as the first half wound down, the Hawkeyes got on the run that they needed, scoring nine unanswered points.
From there, Iowa was not to be stopped, as they would outscore Nebraska a combined 56-42 en route to victory. And they did so by unleashing an offensive onslaught, led by none other than Caitlin Clark. She would go on to hit eight 3-pointers and finish with 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Clark is now four points shy of eclipsing Jackie Stiles for third place on the all-time scoring list in NCAA women’s college basketball history.
Kate…
