Iowa outlasts Nebraska in OT, earns third straight Big Ten women’s basketball tournament title

MINNEAPOLIS — Neither the score nor the clock were on Iowa’s side.

But Caitlin Clark was, and that’s what mattered most.

Clark scored 30 of her game-high 34 points after intermission, and No. 3 Iowa outlasted Nebraska in overtime, 94-89, in the Big Ten women’s basketball championship game Sunday afternoon at Target Center.

“If we’re down 15 points with 2 minutes left or down five with 2 minutes left, we have the firepower to be in any game,” said Clark, voted the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

“We just found a way to win, and that speaks to the team that we have, the maturity we have in this group. We were down ... I don't remember exactly what it was, with two minutes to play, and we never gave up.”

Actually, it was an eight-point deficit at 75-67 when Nebraska’s Jaz Shelley hit two free throws with 2:38 left in regulation. At that point, ESPN Gamecast had Iowa (29-4) with a 0.9-percent chance of winning.

But ESPN Gamecast downplayed the moxie of Clark and the grit of the Hawkeyes, who finished regulation with a 10-2 run, forced overtime, and ultimately won their third straight Big Ten tournament title.

When it was over, Clark heaved the ball into the stands.

“We fight back. Bad shooting, good shooting, defensive stops,” Clark said. “Can't be happier for our group. This was the only way we could end it. So just really grateful.”

Clark was joined on the all-tournament team by teammate Sydney Affolter, Nebraska’s Shelley and Alexis Markowski, and Michigan’s Laila Phelia.

Nebraska (22-11) was playing in its fourth game in four days, but showed no ill effects of fatigue. The Huskers led by as many as 13 points in the first half, then appeared to be sitting pretty late in regulation.

“Kudos to Nebraska; they played really well and they made it hard for us,” Iowa’s Kate Martin said.

Clark hit a 3-pointer to ignite the rally, making it 75-70 with 2:08 to go. Clark fed Hannah Stuelke for a basket to cut the deficit to 75-72, 1:43 remaining.

After Markowski’s basket extended the Huskers’ lead to 77-72, Clark found Martin open for a baseline 3-pointer to make it 77-75 with 1:07 left, then drove the lane to tie it at the 0:30 mark.

Nebraska’a Logan Nissley was well short from the left wing at the buzzer.

“This is heart-wrenching and just a super disappointing loss,” a tearful Nebraska Coach Amy Williams said. “Our kids came here expecting to win.”

Clark hit a 3-pointer with 51 seconds left in overtime to put the Hawkeyes ahead for good, 89-87.

After a steal, Clark sank a pair of free throws 14 seconds later to extend the lead to 91-87. Gabbie Marshall thwarted Nebraska’s next possession by blocking a 3-point attempt.

The Huskers got within 91-89 on Markowski’s basket with 0:21 left, then Martin made a free throw and Stuelke added two more to clinch it.

Clark accumulated seven rebounds and 12 assists. Stuelke added 25 points for the Hawkeyes. Martin tallied 13 points. Affolter, who was terrific all weekend, had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Markowski paced Nebraska with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

Iowa solidified its likelihood of a 1-seed for the NCAA tournament; the NCAA selection show is next Sunday.

Iowa 94, Nebraska 89 (OT)

Big Ten Tournament Final, at Minneapolis

NEBRASKA (89): Natalie Potts 8-17 4-4 21, Alexis Markowski 9-21 3-4 23, Jaz Shelley 5-12 3-4 16, Logan Nissley 4-12 1-2 13, Kendall Moriarty 1-2 0-0 2, Callin Hake 3-7 0-0 8, Kendall Coley 1-2 0-0 3, Annika Stewart 1-2 0-0 3, Maddie Krull 0-1 0-0 0, Jessica Petrie 0-0 0-0 0, Darian White 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-77 11-14 89.

IOWA (94): Hannah Stuelke 11-18 3-5 25, Sydney Affolter 2-10 6-6 11, Kate Martin 4-6 1-2 13, Caitlin Clark 12-29 5-6 34, Gabbie Marshall 2-8 0-0 6, Addison O’Grady 1-1 0-0 2, Kylie Feuerbach 0-1 0-0 0, Taylor McCabe 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 33-74 15-19 94.

Nebraska 23 23 12 19 12 — 89

Iowa 17 18 23 19 17 — 94

3-point goals: Nebraska 14-34 (Potts 1-4, Markowski 2-2, Shelley 3-10, Nissley 4-10, Moriarty 0-1, Hake 2-4, Coley 1-2, Stewart 1-1), Iowa 13-33 (Affolter 1-2, Martin 4-5, Clark 5-17, Marshall 2-7, Feuerbach 0-1, McCabe 1-1). Team fouls: Nebraska 23, Iowa 16. Fouled out: Coley. Rebounds: Nebraska 43 (Markowski 13), Iowa 48 (Affolter 11). Assists: Nebraska 28 (Shelley 13), Iowa 25 (Clark 12). Steals: Nebraska 9 (three with 2), Iowa 6 (Clark 3). Turnovers: Nebraska 14, Iowa 15.

Attendance: 18,534.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com