No. 8 Iowa women’s basketball moved to 4-0 on the season as the Hawkeyes defeated Southern University, 87-67, on Wednesday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Preseason first-team All-American sophomore point guard Caitlin Clark picked up the second triple-double of her career, finishing the game with 16 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. But it wasn’t Clark’s most efficient night as she recorded six turnovers and shot 22 percent from the field.

Senior center Monika Czinano tied Clark’s point total, scoring 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Czinano also grabbed seven rebounds.

Southern played a tough and physical style of basketball, fouling Iowa 29 times. The Hawkeyes shot 33-of-38 from the charity stripe.

“This is a team that was hard to play, because either you scored on a transition or you got fouled,” head coach Lisa Bluder said postgame. ”There was no rhythm to the game, and that made it really hard to get Monika involved in the game. I’m really proud of [junior forward McKenna Warnock.] I thought McKenna had a great game.”

Warnock, a guard from Madison, Wisconsin, finished the game with 15 points and shot 5-of-8 from the field. She also achieved her first double-double of the season, grabbing 11 rebounds with four coming on the offensive side of the glass.

BIG PICTURE

Although the Hawkeyes soundly defeated Southern, Iowa played its sloppiest game of the season so far. Iowa shot 46 percent from the field, 26 percent from beyond the arc, and turned the ball over 18 times.

But Iowa shot 86 percent from the free throw line for 33 points, allowing the Hawkeyes to run away with the victory. Iowa also had three players finish with over 15 points, putting a cushion on the Hawkeyes’ lead.

KEY BENCH PLAYERS

Iowa saw crucial production from senior guard Tomi Taiwo and and freshman guard Sydney Affolter as they came off the bench for the Hawkeyes.

Taiwo finished the game with an efficient 12 points on 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point range.

“I just think it’s really important coming off the bench,” Taiwo said. “I do feel a little cold out there at first, but making sure you go in there and get a rebound or an assist really helps your confidence.”

 Affolter found her stride in the second half, finishing with eight points and seven rebounds.

“She crashes really well, and she does a great job of getting to the boards,”  Bluder said. ”She’s coming along. She’s a freshman, and we just have to keep bringing her along and keep her confidence up.”

UP NEXT

After the victory against Southern, Bluder now has 799 career wins as a head coach. The head Hawkeye could achieve win No. 800 on Sunday against Drake.

Bluder spent 10 years as the head coach of the Bulldogs, from 1990-2000.

“I spent 10 years there, and that’s a decade of your life, and [associate head coach Jan] Jensen and [special assistant to the head coach Jenni] Fitzgerald have been around for almost all of these 800 wins,” Bluder said. ”We love Drake. I mean, we cheer for them all the time except for this one game, and I think the feeling is mutual. So, I kind of wish the game was against someone else, to be really honest.”

Bluder’s chase for No. 800 continues against the Bulldogs on Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on BTN+.