Stepping onto the floor to begin the fourth quarter, No. 3 Iowa’s Caitlin Clark set out to squash Ohio State’s spirited upset bid, nailing a three before dropping a dime to Molly Davis. Iowa’s lead grew to 70-58 and it appeared the Buckeyes, like nearly everyone who squares up against Iowa, couldn’t keep up with their high powered attack.
But No. 18 Ohio State’s handsy defensive identity — the Buckeyes force nearly 21 turnovers a game — resurfaced in crunch time, as three crucial takeaways powered Ohio State to a 25-13 run to end regulation, and the Buckeyes ultimately cruised in overtime to a massive 100-92 win over Iowa.
Despite the loss, Iowa star Caitlin Clark finished with one of her best career performances with 45 points, just one off matching an all-time high, and seven rebounds. A pair of first-quarter triples from Clark helped the Hawkeyes build an early four-point cushion. But it was Cotie McMahon who owned the first quarter,…
