McKenna Warnock spearheads Iowa women’s basketball’s 3-point renaissance

LINCOLN, Neb. — As more than 8,000 red-clad fans filed out of Pinnacle Bank Arena, one of them summed it up glumly:

“Iowa needs a fire extinguisher in their locker room right now.”

The 22nd-ranked Hawkeyes rediscovered their 3-point stroke and reclaimed their identity, defeating Nebraska, 95-86, in a fast-paced Big Ten women’s basketball game in front of 8,415 Sunday afternoon.

“This one feels good,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “This was Iowa basketball. We’ve been waiting for this to happen.”

Iowa (8-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) entered the game shooting an un-Iowa-like 29 percent from 3-point range this season. But McKenna Warnock spearheaded an 11-for-19 long-distance barrage Sunday.

“It was really good to see them go down,” said Warnock, who hit her first six from long distance and finished 7 of 9. “That’s exciting for the rest of the season.”

The Hawkeyes led for virtually the entire game, by double figures on two occasions in the first half. Nebraska (13-2, 2-2) took its first — and only — lead, 79-78, on Ashley Scoggin’s 3-pointer with 6:38 to go.

But Iowa answered on its next possession.

A.J. Ediger gathered an offensive rebound and located Kate Martin on the perimeter, and Martin’s 3-pointer put the Hawkeyes back in front, 81-79.

Iowa closed with a 17-7 spree.

“(Finishing like) that on somebody’s home court, that’s a good thing,” Bluder said.

Caitlin Clark was a maestro for the Hawkeyes, posting 31 points (her third straight game of 30-plus), eight rebounds and 12 assists. She continued to struggle from long range (1 of 6), but it didn’t matter.

“I’ve never been shooting two-pointers or free throws better in my life,” Clark said. “I was able to get to the basket with a full head of steam.”

Czinano hit 10 of 14 shots in a 20-point outing. Martin didn’t miss a shot and tallied 12, and the Hawkeyes made 37 of 60 shots (61.7 percent from the floor).

Thus the fire-extinguisher reference.

Iowa didn’t try its first outside shot until Warnock connected, more than four minutes in, for a 15-7 lead. The Hawkeyes were 5 of 7 inside the perimeter before that, allowing things to open up from deep.

The Hawkeyes led 52-46 at intermission on the strength of 68-percent shooting (21 of 31).

Nebraska hung around, though, because 23 offensive rebounds helped trigger 17 second-chance points. The Huskers took 83 shots from the field, compared to 60 for the Hawkeyes.

Sam Haiby led the Huskers with 20 points. Her drive with 5:40 left tied the game, 81-81.

But Clark scored on a drive to put Iowa in front for good. Warnock’s 3-pointer with 4:50 left made it 86-81, and Kylie Feuerbach’s baseline drive extended the margin to seven.

The Hawkeyes play at Purdue on Thursday, then meet Nebraska again next Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa 95, Nebraska 86

At Lincoln, Neb.

IOWA (95): McKenna Warnock 8-11 0-0 23, Kate Martin 4-4 2-2 12, Caitlin Clark 11-24 8-9 31, Gabbie Marshall 3-3 0-0 7, Monika Czinano 10-14 0-0 20, Tomi Taiwo 0-1 0-0 0, Kylie Feuerbach 1-2 0-0 2, A.J. Ediger 0-1 0-0 0, Addison O’Grady 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-60 10-11 95.

NEBRASKA (86): Ashley Scoggin 5-11 0-0 13, Jaz Shelley 6-17 1-3 14, Sam Haiby 8-18 3-4 20, Isabelle Bourne 2-8 3-4 8, Alexis Markowski 5-8 2-3 12, Allison Weidner 3-5 2-2 9, Mi’Cole Cayton 0-2 0-0 0, Ruby Porter 2-5 0-0 5, Annika Stewart 1-5 0-0 2, Kendall Coley 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 33-83 11-16 86.

Iowa 27 25 22 21 — 95

Nebraska 24 22 24 16 — 86

3-point goals: Iowa 11-19 (Warnock 7-9, Martin 2-2, Clark 1-6, Marshall 1-1, Taiwo 0-1), Nebraska 9-34 (Scoggin 3-7, Shelley 1-8, Haiby 1-3, Bourne 1-3, Weidner 1-3, Cayton 0-2, Porter 1-3, Stewart 0-2, Coley 1-3). Team fouls: Iowa 13, Nebraska 16. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Iowa 34 (Warnock 10), Nebraska 41 (Shelley 11). Assists: Iowa 22 (Clark 12), Nebraska 17 (Scoggin 4). Steals: Iowa 6 (Warnock, Clark, Czinano 2), Nebraska 10 (Shelley 3). Turnovers: Iowa 15, Nebraska 9.

Attendance: 8,415.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com