Caitlin Clark’s 45-point game not enough for Iowa women’s basketball against No. 12 NC State
Despite Clark's best scoring performance of her career at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the No. 10 Hawkeyes fell to the No. 12 Wolfpack, 94-81.
December 1, 2022
Caitlin Clark’s heroics were not enough for the No. 10 Iowa women’s basketball team to beat No. 12 NC State on Thursday night.
The junior guard posted 45 points in the 94-81 loss. She shot 16-of-28 from the field in 39 minutes on Thursday, adding on six rebounds and four assists.
“Caitlin Clark, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that,” NC State head coach Wes Moore said. “Our kids did a pretty good job, and that’s what’s scary.”
Clark’s 45-point total is the most she’s scored in a single game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and is one off from her career high — she scored 46 points against Michigan in Ann Arbor in a 98-90 loss to the Wolverines.
“I think whenever I score 40 points, we lose, so that’s not something I want to do,” Clark said. “We had only 10 total assists tonight, and that’s not Iowa basketball.”
Senior forward McKenna Warnock, who scored 15 points, was the only other Hawkeye to finish double-digit scoring.
The Hawkeyes got off to a hot start, leading 17-13 after the first quarter. But Iowa couldn’t hold on to its lead, as the Wolfpack outscored the Hawkeyes in the other three periods.
In the final 30 minutes, NC State outscored Iowa, 81-64.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark shoots a 3-pointer during a women’s basketball game between No. 10 Iowa and No. 12 NC State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. Clark shot 5-of-13 in 3-pointers. The Wolfpack defeated the Hawkeyes, 94-81.
Big Picture
The Hawkeyes started the season ranked No. 4 in the country, but they have not yet recorded a ranked victory.
Iowa lost to No. 3 UConn, 86-79, on Nov. 27 at the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament. The Hawkeyes’ loss against the Wolfpack moved them to 5-3 overall and 0-2 against ranked opponents.
“We have a choice,” head coach Lisa Bluder said. “We want to get better. Are we going to put in the effort or are we just going to stay an average team? Or maybe above average, I’ll give us that.”
The Hawkeyes’ next game against a ranked opponent will be the Cy-Hawk series on Dec. 7. Iowa will take on No. 8 Iowa State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa’s bench observes action during a women’s basketball game between No. 10 Iowa and No. 12 NC State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. Iowa’s biggest lead came in the first quarter with eight points. The Wolfpack defeated the Hawkeyes, 94-81.
Hawkeyes falter on defense
The Wolfpack ran through the Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. NC State shot 55.4 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent from the 3-point line.
Before Thursday, the Hawkeyes allowed a 39.4 and 30.2 opponent field goal 3-point percentage, respectively.
“Very disappointed in our defensive effort,” Bluder said. “We started out good in the first quarter, but the second, third and fourth, were not good. We gave up 46 paint points. We usually own the paint, and for us to give up 46 pain points is not good, obviously.”
Up next
Iowa will open Big Ten Conference play on Sunday, traveling to Madison to take on the Badgers.
Senior forward McKenna Warnock, a Madison native, will likely play her last collegiate game in her home state on Sunday.