There was no stopping Iowa senior big Addison O’Grady.
She finished with a career-high 27 points, along with 10 rebounds, as the Hawkeyes fought tooth and nail to defeat Drake, 86-73, and earn a 4-0 start to the season. O’Grady’s coming out moment played out before an overwhelmingly pro-Hawkeye crowd at the visiting Knapp Center in Des Moines. In attendance were a couple of familiar faces: Des Moines native Caitlin Clark and former head coach Lisa Bluder.
O’Grady scored 16 of the team’s first 18 points as the Hawkeyes were in a back-and-forth battle with the Bulldogs, trailing 25-21 at the end of the first quarter. It was a contest between inside and outside dominance, with the Hawkeyes winning inside the paint and the Bulldogs beyond the arc. Iowa outscored Drake 46-10 on points in the paint, while Drake shot 13-for-40 from 3 compared to the Hawkeyes’ 7-for-20.
The turning point for the Hawkeyes came in the waning minutes of the second quarter. They went on a 10-0 run to lead 45-35 at the half. By this time, other players began to contribute. During the second half, the Hawkeyes held onto the lead throughout, even as Drake cut the margin from 14 to five in the third quarter. Drake senior guard Katie Dinnebier led all scorers with 40 points, including seven…
