Iowa women’s basketball seeks consistency after recent highs and lows

IOWA CITY — It’s far too early to determine that the Iowa Hawkeyes have turned a corner.

For now, let’s just say they’re approaching the intersection.

“We want to have consistency,” Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder said. “If we can put it together, back to back, it will make us feel a lot better.”

Iowa (8-4, 2-1 Big Ten) will get that chance, and a good barometer of where it truly stands, when it faces Purdue (11-4, 2-2) Thursday. Tipoff is 6 p.m. (CT) at Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Ind. (B1G+).

The Hawkeyes regained some good vibes Sunday, when they hit 11 of 19 3-point goals and won at Nebraska, 95-86. It was the return, according to Bluder, of “Iowa basketball.”

Now, is “Iowa basketball” here to stay?

“The Nebraska game was big for us. It was an energy booster,” senior post Monika Czinano said. “It was really important to come to practice the next day, moving our focus on, making sure Purdue has our full attention.”

Czinano surely has Purdue’s attention. Last year at the Big Ten tournament, she riddled the Boilermakers for a career-high 38 points, converting 16 of 18 field-goal attempts as the Hawkeyes advanced.

“Everybody on our team has the ability to have a day,” Czinano said. “Everybody is so capable.”

Sunday, it was McKenna Warnock, who made her first seven 3-point attempts and finished with 23 points to provide a nice complement to Caitlin Clark’s 31.

“We need that third and fourth option,” Bluder said. “McKenna was outstanding Sunday. Kate (Martin) wasn’t overdoing things. She was doing what she does best.

“We were taking fewer, wiser shots. We don’t need volume 3s. We need quality 3s.”

Thus, a team that seemed to be spinning its wheels after a home loss to Northwestern a week ago might be back on track. We’ll see.

“The energy felt different (at Nebraska),” Bluder said. “I can’t explain it. It’s just a feel. Now we have to put it together over and over.

“One of the things I’ve learned, you’re never as good as you seem, never as bad as you seem. Somewhere in between, reality falls.”

Purdue has won five straight games under first-year coach Katie Gearlds.

“I know they’re feeling good about themselves,” Bluder said. “They have a different style of play. And the (transfer) portal was very good for them.”

The Boilermakers have five players averaging at least nine points per game, led by Madison Layden at 12.6.

Clark has climbed to the top of the nation’s scoring chart at 25.2 points per game. She has scored 105 points in the last three games.

Schedule update

Both of the Hawkeyes’ Big Ten games that had been postponed have now been rescheduled.

Iowa announced that the home game with Illinois has been set for Saturday, Feb. 12, at a time to be determined. The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 2.

To make room for that game, the Hawkeyes’ home game with Minnesota was moved up a day, to Feb. 9.

Also, the game at Penn State — originally scheduled for Dec. 30 — has been inserted for Tuesday, Jan. 25. Iowa’s game at Northwestern was moved back a day to Jan. 28.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com