Addie Deal’s career-high ‘clicker:’ 18 points in Iowa’s win over Oregon

IOWA CITY -- Jan Jensen called it “a clicker.”

Synonymous with “breakthrough.”

Freshman Addie Deal scored a career-high 18 points, and 11th-ranked Iowa coasted past Oregon, 74-66, in a Big Ten women’s basketball game before an announced crowd of 14,988 Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“Felt great,” Deal said after making 7 of 9 shots (4 of 4 from long distance). “I’ve been putting in extra work before, during and after practice.

“I thought we did a great job executing our offense, and the shots were open.”

Iowa (15-2, 6-0) moved back alongside UCLA atop the Big Ten standings.

Hannah Stuelke matched Deal with 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out a career-high eight assists.

“We had the advantage in the high-low game,” Jensen said. “Hannah’s a really smart player. Tonight, she could see it.”

Oregonian Ava Heiden added 13 points. Kylie Feuerbach added 11, and did a number defensively on the Ducks’ leading scorer, Katie Fiso, holding her to nine points on 4-of-16 shooting.

This was a low-stress endeavor for the Hawkeyes, leading throughout. Iowa led by as many as 12 points in the first half before the Ducks (14-5, 2-4) got within 36-31 at halftime.

Iowa pulled away steadily from there. Its largest margin was 69-50 on Feuerbach’s free throw with 4:29 to go.

All in all, a much better performance than the last two performances, road wins at Northwestern and Indiana that were closer than they needed to be.

“We talked about playing 40 minutes tonight,” Jensen said. “We played about 37.”

A highly touted recruit from southern California, Deal entered Thursday with modest averages of 14.8 minutes and 5.2 points per game.

She had scored just four in the previous three contests.

“One of my favorite things to do ... I love coffee and smoothies,” Jensen said. “It’s fun to get out of the office and visit (one-on-one with the players) about life.”

Wednesday was a coffee (or maybe smoothie) huddle with Deal.

“I just wanted to check in, remind her about the journey, the process, the belief, the patience,” Jensen said. “She’s been staying the course. She’s been really receptive, and I’m proud of her.

“This was what I was hoping for her, but I wasn’t expecting it from Day 1.”

The Hawkeyes welcome No. 15 Michigan State (17-1, 6-1) at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Iowa 74, Oregon 66

At Iowa City

OREGON (66): Mia Jacobs 0-4 1-2 1, Ehis Etute 6-9 3-3 15, Katie Fiso 4-16 0-0 9, Sofia Bell 3-7 0-0 9, Ari Long 0-4 0-0 0, Avary Cain 1-1 0-0 3, Sarah Rambus 3-7 0-0 6, Astera Tuhina 3-7 0-0 9, Filippa Tillander 0-0 0-0 0, Amina Muhammad 4-4 0-0 8, Sara Barhoum 2-2 0-0 6, Janiyah Williams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-61 4-5 66.

IOWA (74): Hannah Stuelke 7-12 4-9 18, Ava Heiden 6-12 1-2 13, Taylor McCabe 1-5 0-0 3, Kylie Feuerbach 2-6 5-6 11, Chit-Chat Wright 3-9 0-0 9, Layla Hays 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor Stremlow 0-1 0-0 0, Journey Houston 1-2 0-0 2, Addie Deal 7-9 0-0 18. Totals 27-58 10-17 74.

Oregon 12 19 13 22 -- 66

Iowa 18 18 24 14 -- 74

3-point goals: Oregon 10-23 (Jacobs 0-2, Fiso 1-4, Bell 3-7, Long 0-2, Cain 1-1, Tuhina 3-5, Barhoum 2-2), Iowa 10-24 (McCabe 1-5, Feuerbach 2-6, Wright 3-8, Stremlow 0-1, Deal 4-4). Team fouls: Oregon 22, Iowa 11. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Oregon 32 (Etute 8), Iowa 38 (Heiden 9). Assists: Oregon 14 (Fiso, Bell 3), Iowa 21 (Stuelke 8). Steals: Oregon 6 (Rambus 3), Iowa 5 (Stuelke, Feuerbach 2). Turnovers: Oregon 14, Iowa 14.

Attendance: 14,988.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com