Early run sends No. 9 Iowa women’s basketball past UNI

CEDAR FALLS — The separation came early. The sparks — and the snark — came late.

Ninth-ranked Iowa jolted Northern Iowa with a 21-2 first-quarter run and handled the Panthers, 82-61, in an intrastate women’s basketball game in front of 3,090 Sunday afternoon at the McLeod Center.

“We came out in the first quarter and took charge,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said after the Hawkeyes improved to 3-0. “I’m really happy with that.”

Caitlin Clark collected 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and the Hawkeyes were stout defensively once again.

“(Defense) needs to be part of our identity,” Clark said. “We need to rely on our defense, especially when our shots aren’t falling like they should.”

The Hawkeyes held UNI to 32-percent shooting, and the Panthers were guilty of 19 turnovers.

“I’m proud of how we fought,” UNI Coach Tanya Warren said. “But to compete, you’ve got to score, and we left a lot of buckets out there tonight.”

The Hawkeyes faced their first deficit of the season, 4-3 after UNI’s Karli Rucker converted a steal into a layup.

It lasted for all of 25 seconds.

Clark’s steal and score ignited a 21-2 Iowa blitz. Clark had eight points, four steals and three assists by the end of the first quarter, and the Hawkeyes were in charge, 24-9.

Iowa led 41-24 at halftime, and the margin wavered between 13 and 21 points the rest of the way.

Clark livened things up late. Her 3-pointer made it 74-57 with 2:10 to go, then she was whistled for a technical foul — the first of her collegiate career — following an exchange with the UNI bench moments later.

“Honestly, we’re two super competitive people,” Clark said, apparently referring to herself and Warren. “No matter what it is, I’m out to win ... I honestly was just trying to hype myself up.

”I respect (UNI’s) program greatly.”

McKenna Warnock added 17 points, Monika Czinano overcame early foul trouble to chip in 16.

“McKenna was our player of the game today,” Bluder said. “She rebounded and shot well, and she played great defense.”

Warnock was a freshman two years ago when the Hawkeyes came here and absorbed an 88-66 loss.

“I’m proud of how we came out and played on the road,” she said. “It’s hardest to win on the road.”

Kam Finley paced UNI with 17 points. Maya McDermott added 14.

“We got open shots last year, and this year,” Finley said. “We’ve got to knock down open shots.”

The Hawkeyes host Southern University at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday; UNI is at North Dakota State at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Iowa 82, Northern Iowa 61

At Cedar Falls

IOWA (82): McKenna Warnock 5-10 5-6 17, Monika Czinano 6-12 4-4 16, Kate Martin 3-7 0-0 6, Caitlin Clark 9-22 3-5 25, Gabbie Marshall 3-7 0-0 8, Tomi Taiwo 1-1 0-0 2, Logan Cook 0-0 0-0 0, Kylie Feuerbach 2-4 0-0 6, Addison O’Grady 1-3 0-0 2, Sydney Affolter 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-67 12-15 82.

NORTHERN IOWA (61): BreGunnels 2-8 1-1 5, Cynthia Wolf 4-8 0-0 8, Karli Rucker 1-6 0-1 2, Nicole Kroeger 1-3 0-0 3, Kam Finley 5-16 4-6 17, Emerson Green 2-5 0-0 5, Maya McDermott 5-10 2-2 14, Grace Boffeli 0-2 4-4 4, Kayba Laube 0-2 0-0 0, Cailyn Morgan 1-4 0-0 3, Sara McCullough 0-1 0-0 0, Kiana Barney 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-65 11-14 61.

Halftime: Iowa 41, UNI 24. 3-point goals: Iowa 10-29 (Warnock 2-6, Martin 0-2, Clark 4-13, Marshall 2-6, Feuerbach 2-2), UNI 8-29 (Gunnels 0-2, Wolf 0-3, Rucker 0-1, Kroeger 1-3, Finley 3-8, Green 1-3, McDermott 2-4, Boffeli 0-1, Laube 0-2, Morgan 1-1, McCullough 0-1). Team fouls: Iowa 17, UNI 16. Fouled out: none. Technical foul: Clark. Rebounds: Iowa 36 (Clark 11), UNI 37 (Gunnels 8). Assists: Iowa 15 (Iowa 7), UNI 14 (McDermott 4). Steals: Iowa 9 (Martin 3), UNI 4 (four with 1). Turnovers: Iowa 12, UNI 19.

Attendance: 3,090.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com