Iowa women’s basketball leads Illinois State by 14 points at halftime of NCAA Tournament first round
Iowa sophomore point guard Caitlin Clark is leading all scorers with 15 points through 20 minutes of play.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark shoots a 3-pointer during a First Round NCAA women’s basketball tournament game against No. 2 Iowa and No. 15 Illinois State in sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday, March 18, 2022. The Hawkeyes defeated the Redbirds, 98-58.
March 18, 2022
Iowa women’s basketball leads Illinois State, 43-29, at halftime of the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The second-seeded Hawkeyes suffered an early 7-2 deficit to the 15th-seeded Redbirds, starting the game 0-for-4 from beyond the arc. But the Hawkeyes tied the game at 12 points halfway through the first quarter, and took their first lead with just over three minutes in the period. Iowa extended its lead to six points, 21-16, by the end of the first period.
The Hawkeyes brought their largest lead into the half. The Redbirds went on a two-minute scoring drought at the end of the second period.
Hawkeye sophomore point guard Caitlin Clark leads all scorers with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Senior center Monika Czinano has nine points.
Illinois State guard Mary Crompton is the only Redbird in double figures, with 11 points.
The Hawkeyes and Redbirds are currently playing on ESPN. The winner will move on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and take on 10th-seeded Creighton on Sunday at Carver.