So far, 2021 has been kind to Iowa women’s basketball as it picked up a 107-68 win over Illinois Sunday afternoon.

The 39-point margin of victory is Iowa’s largest of the season. The Hawkeyes have now eclipsed the 100-point mark on offense in two games this season on their way to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play.

The Fighting Illini scored the game’s opening bucket, but their lead didn’t last long, as Iowa went on a 29-6 run through the first quarter. After that, the Hawkeyes never looked back, maintaining a lead of at least 20 points through the last 30 minutes of the game.

The large lead gave head coach Lisa Bluder the flexibility to go to her bench early, as she cycled through her entire starting lineup in the first 10 minutes of the game. All 13 Hawkeyes on Bluder’s roster saw time on the court Sunday.

Four Hawkeyes finished the game in double figures. Freshman point guard Caitlin Clark led the team in scoring with 21 points, to add to her four rebounds and four assists. Sophomore guard McKenna Wanock recorded 18 points, highlighted by four 3-point field goal makes. Junior center Monika Czinano also notched 15 points, while junior guard Megan Meyer came off the bench and produced 10 points.

“It’s nice that we have so many offensive weapons,” Bluder said after the game.

The Hawkeyes recorded 35 points in the first quarter, finding their footing early in the game, which has been a key for them throughout the season.

“I just love the way we came on the road, and dominated the first quarter,” Bluder said. “In the Rutgers game and in this game, we just had fabulous starts. I just think it just sets the tone for everybody… today we just kept the hammer down.”

The head Hawk added that staying sharp mentally throughout games is instrumental for her team, no matter the lead.

After the Hawkeyes’ slow start, and subsequent loss, against Michigan State, starting fast has been something the team has been working on.

“We’re really just trying to get ourselves pumped up before the game, and get mentally prepared,” said Warnock, who scored 11 points in the game’s first ten minutes. “We talk a lot about getting into our ‘go zone’ before we even get on the floor. So, for the team, that’s been a big focal point.”

Iowa’s fast start and early lead can be attributed to its hot shooting from the 3-point arc. The Hawkeyes went 7-of-12 from the perimeter in the first quarter, while the Fighting Illini missed all nine of their opening 3-point attempts.

“We shot the three ball exceptionally well,” Bluder said. “When you’re shooting 7-of-12 in the first quarter from the 3-point range, it really takes the momentum away from Illinois.”

The Hawkeyes have a busy winter break ahead of them, with eight more games in the month of January. But, Bluder said her team employs a ‘one-game-at-a-time philosophy,’ and focuses on each game as it comes.

Next up for the Hawkeyes is Minnesota on Jan. 6 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.