Sophomore point guard Caitlin Clark played every minute of the No. 22 Iowa women’s basketball team’s game on Sunday as it took down Nebraska, 95-86.

The 8-4 Hawkeyes handed the 13-2 Huskers their first loss at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2021-22 and their second loss of the season. 

The Hawkeyes are now 2-1 in Big Ten play, bouncing back from a 77-69 loss against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena last Thursday.

“This [game] was Iowa basketball,” head coach Lisa Bluder said postgame. “We’ve been waiting, we’ve been waiting for this to happen, and today it did. I’m just really proud of the team… I thought this was Iowa basketball back.”

Clark finished the game with her sixth double-double of the season, contributing 31 points and 12 assists. She came two rebounds away from the fourth triple-double of her career, grabbing eight boards against the Huskers.

Clark went 11-of-24 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line for her third consecutive 30-point game. 

“I’ve kind of accepted getting to the basket and getting to the free throw line,” Clark said postgame. “I honestly don’t think I’ve shot two-pointers and free throws better in my life right now.”

The Hawkeyes also survived late foul trouble from junior guard Kate Martin and senior center Monika Czinano.

Martin picked up her fourth foul with five minutes remaining in the game, while Czinano was called for her fourth with two minutes remaining. 

The pair stayed on the court for the remainder of the game, contributing double figures. Czinano dropped 20 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Martin went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for 12 points.

Warnock shines beyond the arc

Junior forward McKenna Warnock made her first six 3-point shots on Sunday afternoon. Warnock finished the game 7-of-9 from beyond the arc and 8-of-11 from the field for 23 points.

Warnock also grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double.

The Hawkeyes saw a stark turnaround from the 3-point line on Sunday, after going 5-of-21 from the perimeter against Northwestern last Thursday. Before the 2021-22 season, the NCAA moved the women’s 3-point line from 20 feet and 9 inches to 22 feet and 1.75 inches to be flush with the men’s line.

Overall, the Hawkeyes shot 11-of-19 (57 percent) from beyond the arc against the Huskers on Sunday.

“You always love to get a three down,” Warnock said. “Our team hasn’t been shooting from three as well as we usually have this year, and we’ve really just been focusing on that in practice. So, I’m glad to see that go down. I had really amazing passes from my teammates.”

Iowa struggles on offensive glass

The Huskers had a 23-5 advantage over the Hawkeyes on the offensive glass on Sunday afternoon.

The Huskers turned their 23 rebounds into 18 second chance points throughout the contest, while the Hawkeyes had eight second chance points.

Overall, the Huskers outrebounded the Hawkeyes, 41-34.

Up next

The Hawkeyes will stay on the road, taking on Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Thursday. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. on BTN+.