NCAAW Large Ten: 30 30-point video games for Caitlin Clark of Iowa Hawkeyes

Caitlin Clark recorded her thirtieth profession 30-point recreation and her No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes steered a recreation that would have been a nail-biter into an 80-60 Big Ten Tournament-double-bye-clinching win with a robust second half towards the Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday afternoon at Pinnacle Financial institution Area in Lincoln.

The Hawkeyes (22-5, 14-2 Large Ten) took their lead from seven to 14 with a 21-14 third-quarter benefit and opened the fourth quarter on a 17-2 run in entrance of a Nebraska-program-record 14,289 followers. Twenty-nine ended as their largest lead of the competition.

Clark completed with 30 factors, 5 rebounds and eight assists, whereas co-star Monika Czinano added 20 factors (10-of-13 from the sphere) and 7 boards. Kate Martin rounded out the winners’ double-figure scorers with 10 factors to go together with her six helpers.

Husker Isabelle Bourne opened the second half with a 3 that minimize her staff’s deficit to 40-36, however Iowa answered with a 7-0 run and led by at the least 9 the remainder of the best way. Martin made a layup, Czinano related from mid-range on the correct baseline and Clark buried a deep three to carry it to 47-36.

An Annika Stewart steal led to a high-arcing Jaz Shelley floater that minimize it to 61-49 one minute and eight seconds into the fourth, however the Hawkeyes adopted with the sport’s subsequent 17 factors. After scores from Czinano and Clark opened the run, Clark used a spin transfer earlier than ending with a brief financial institution shot that rolled round and in for a 67-49 lead. Again-to-back threes from Martin and McKenna Warnock then made it 73-49 and freshman Taylor McCabe capped the run with a trey of her personal from the left nook at 3:12 remaining.

Nebraska (14-13, 6-10 Large Ten) answered with back-to-back-to-back threes from Shelley, Maddie Krull and Shelley to chop it to twenty, however would get no nearer the remainder of the best way.

Shelley completed with a Husker-high 19 factors to go together with 9 rebounds and 4 assists after dropping a career-high 37 factors on Minnesota on Wednesday. She leads her staff with 13.5 factors and 6.4 assists per recreation. Alexis Markowski (12.3 factors and 10.2 rebounds per recreation) added 15 factors and 9 boards on Saturday.

Nebraska, which defeated No. 8 Maryland by 23 on Dec. 4 and was the primary staff out of ESPN’s Feb. 17 Bracketology, performed an excellent first half, tying it at 31 on a Bourne triple on the 4:40 mark of the second quarter. The Hawkeyes closed that body on a 9-2 run, however it was an excellent quarter general at 19-19. Markowski went on a 5-0 particular person run to chop it to 21-19 on the 8:41 mark and scored inside to chop it to 23-21 at 7:52. A Gabbie Marshall transition three put Iowa up 29-23 at 6:53 earlier than Shelley answered with a deep triple at 6:26. A Shelley layup then minimize it to 29-28, however Clark sped up the courtroom for a layup simply 5 seconds later.

The Hawkeyes opened the competition on a 7-0 run with a 3 from Clark and back-to-back layups from Czinano. Shelley free throws on the 4:35 mark of the opening body minimize it to 11-9, however Clark answered with a catch-and-shoot three from the left nook and an help to Hannah Stuelke in transition. Markowski minimize it to 18-14 with an inside make at 47 seconds remaining earlier than the second, however Marshall closed the primary’s scoring with a right-corner three that made it 21-14. Marshall completed 2-of-2 from downtown.

Clark was the one one to aim free throws for Iowa, going 6-of-7. The Hawkeyes gained area purpose share 54.2 to 34.4 and 3-point share 50 (10-of-20) to 21.2 (7-of-33). They gained regardless of being outrebounded on the offensive glass 15-5 and dropping second-chance factors 12-4.

Iowa was a No. 2 seed in ESPN’s Feb. 17 Bracketology.