IOWA CITY — Even though Caitlin Clark wasn’t hitting, she was contributing.
The nation’s leading scorer heading into Tuesday, Clark made only 3 of 15 shots. But she compiled her first triple-double — the 10th in program history — in Iowa’s 92-65 non-conference women’s basketball victory over Western Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
“I knew I was getting close, but I didn’t know how close,” said Clark, who wrapped up the feat (13 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) with an dish to Logan Cook with 5:10 remaining.
“The bench might not have known (how close Clark was), but the coaches knew,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “We wanted her to get it. I was about to tell her, but I didn’t. She has high goals, high expectations, like champions do.”
Iowa’s last triple-double came from Samantha Logic in an NCAA tournament regional-semifinal loss to Baylor in 2015. Logic had six in her career, Kachine Alexander two, Cara Consuegra one.
The feat offset a 3-for-15 shooting struggle for the freshman from West Des Moines.
“Everybody has off nights,” Clark said. “It was just that, nothing specific, it happens.
“It was frustrating because they are shots I make every day, shots I should be making.”
Six players reached double digits as the Hawkeyes improved to 5-1.
Monika Czinano led the way with 19 points. Megan Meyer (13 points), Logan Cook (12) and Sharon Goodman (12) all came off the bench to post career-highs.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Cook, a junior from Iowa City West. “We prepared all week for this. I felt we played well together.”
Cook made all five shots that she took, plus a pair of free throws.
“I’m really happy for Logan,” Bluder said. “She’s a junior, she has worked so hard and stayed so positive.”
Playing just 14 minutes, Goodman was one rebound short of a double-double.
“I think this shows the strength of our team,” said the freshman from Lime Springs. “We have people that can come off the bench and score.”
Gabbie Marshall was the other double-digit scorer, tallying 11 points and collecting six steals.
Western Illinois (1-7) hung with the Hawkeyes for the majority of the first half. The Leathernecks’ final lead was at 16-13 before Iowa scored the last five points of the first quarter, and led the rest of the way.
It was 21-20 before Iowa concluded the half with a 20-9 run, and the Hawkeyes led 41-29 at intermission despite shooting just 37 percent.
Meyer led the Hawkeyes with eight points at halftime.
McKenna Warnock was in a boot (sprained left ankle) and did not play.
Grace Gilmore led Western Illinois with 15 points. Former Cedar Rapids Prairie standout Mallory McDermott played 14 minutes, scoring five points for the Leathernecks.
The Hawkeyes will resume Big Ten play at 2 p.m. Dec. 31 at home against Rutgers.
IOWA 92, WESTERN ILLINOIS 65
At Iowa City
WESTERN ILLINOIS (65): Evan Zars 2-4 0-0 5, Danni Nichols 4-10 1-2 9, Elizabeth Lutz 2-6 1-2 5, Grace Gilmore 4-7 6-7 15, Sam Pryor 1-7 0-0 3, Carla Flores 3-5 0-0 9, Anna Deets 2-7 0-0 6, Alissa Dins 0-5 0-2 0, Mallory McDermott 1-3 3-4 5, Maddie Mock 2-4 1-2 6, Mackenzie Rogers 0-0 0-0 0, Kennedy Flanagan 1-2 0-0 2, Payton Courier 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 12-19 65.
IOWA (92): Monika Czinano 7-11 5-6 19, Alexis Sevillian 2-3 0-0 4, Kate Martin 2-2 0-0 6, Caitlin Clark 3-15 6-7 13, Gabbie Marshall 4-11 2-2 11, Megan Meyer 4-8 3-3 13, Lauren Jensen 0-5 0-0 0, Sharon Goodman 4-9 4-4 12, Tomi Taiwo 0-1 0-0 0, Logan Cook 5-5 2-2 12, Shateah Wetering 1-3 0-0 2, Zion Sanders 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-73 22-24 92.
Halftime: Iowa 41, Western Illinois 29. 3-point goals: WIU 9-34 (Zars 1-2, Nichols 0-2, Lutz 0-2, Gilmore 1-2, Pryor 1-6, Flores 3-4, Deets 2-7, Dins 0-4, McDermott 0-2, Mock 1-3), Iowa 6-23 (Sevillian 0-1, Martin 2-2, Clark 1-6, Marshall 1-4, Meyer 2-5, Jensen 0-3, Taiwo 0-1, Wetering 0-1). Team fouls: WIU 23, Iowa 14. Fouled out: Gilmore. Rebounds: WIU 35 (Flores 5), Iowa 48 (Clark 13). Assists: WIU 16 (Flores 7), Iowa 21 (Clark 10). Steals: WIU 4 (Nichols 3), Iowa 14 (Marshall 6). Turnovers: WIU 23, Iowa 13.
Attendance: 344.
Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com
The Link LonkDecember 23, 2020 at 05:14AM
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Caitlin Clark's triple-double, career-highs from 3 others send Iowa past Western Illinois - The Gazette
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