Hawkeyes Bounce Back Against Illinois

Iowa Rolls to Victory Sunday Behind Caitlin Clark Triple-Double

Iowa never loses when Caitlin Clark has a triple-double.

Clark posted her 16th career triple-double on Sunday, when she had 24 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes’ 101-85 win over Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

But this wasn’t a one-player show, and coach Lisa Bluder said that’s a good thing as Iowa heads into the final week of the regular season.

Hannah Stuelke had 20 points. Molly Davis had 17 points. Kate Martin had 13. The Hawkeyes had 28 assists on 36 field goals, and six players combined for 17 3-pointers.

“We had four people in double figures, almost six people in double figures,” Bluder said, looking at Kylie Feuerbach’s nine points and Sydney Affolter’s eight points. “For us to be successful, that’s what we have to be.”

Clark was just 6-of-18 from the field, 5-of-14 in 3-pointers, and there were times she appeared frustrated.

But she had help.

“That’s amazing,” Bluder said of Clark’s triple-double. “But I just loved that other people stepped up tonight and took responsibility. I loved the balance we had.”

Clark wasn’t sharp, and there was plenty of frustration, including the point in the first half when she asked to come out of the game, then smacked the chair next to her twice when she sat down on the bench.

“I think it was just missing shots that I usually make,” Clark said. “Sometimes you have to let it out and regroup. I asked for the sub, just to take a second, take a deep breath. Obviously I didn’t shoot it great tonight but still, it wasn’t terrible.

“That’s just shooting. That happens. Some nights are great, some nights are not so great, some are mediocre, and that’s just kind of what happens.”

Iowa shot 50 percent from the field, and never let the Illini (13-13, 7-9) get back into the game after the Hawkeyes had runs of 10-0 and 12-2 in the first half. Illinois tried to challenge the Hawkeyes in the second half, but could never get the deficit into single digits.

“You’ve got to give Iowa credit, we were on spin cycle the entire game,” Illinois coach Shauna Green said. “They hit 17 threes. You can’t beat anyone when they hit 17 threes. And that’s all from their inside-out action.”

“We were just running our offense, truly,” Bluder said. “We pushed the ball well in transition. I think people just stepped up and made shots.”

The Hawkeyes were frustrated in the 86-69 loss at Indiana on Thursday night that put a severe dent in their Big Ten title hopes. Clark wasn’t just a scorer in this game, she was working to get everyone else involved, and that’s what Green expected.

“I thought we did a good job overall on Caitlin,” Green said. “She’s such a … just a talented player. Obviously you’re not going to hold her down. We made her work for her stuff. But I think Caitlin did an elite job of coming out and being a facilitator, which I kind of had a hunch she would do.”

“There was some beautiful passing out there,” Bluder said. “Caitlin’s passes, the dumps to the post, were amazing in the first half. In the second half, there was just such unselfish play. That’s the basketball we want to see.”

Davis, who battled an illness earlier this month and has been trying to get back to where she was earlier in the Big Ten season, was 6-of-12 from the field, 3-of-6 in 3-pointers. Martin and Feuerbach each had three 3-pointers as well.

Iowa heads into the final week of the regular season two games behind conference leader Ohio State with two to play, and even if one of those games is against the Buckeyes, it’s hard to see the Hawkeyes be able to rally to grab a share of the Big Ten title.

But March brings the postseason, and an Iowa team with Clark getting help is what Bluder wants to see.