Addison O’Grady makes all 9 shots; Iowa pulls away from Virginia Tech

Note: This report was filed from Cedar Rapids.

Iowa concluded the third quarter with a 15-2 surge and defeated Virginia Tech at the Ally Classic for the second straight year, 71-52, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Addison O’Grady made all nine of her shots in an 18-point effort, and the Hawkeyes moved to 2-0.

Iowa’s lead was a tenuous 41-38 before O’Grady spearheaded the Hawkeyes’ pull-away. She had three baskets in that third-quarter run, then added two more to open the fourth quarter to push the margin to 60-40.

Lucy Olsen led the Hawkeyes with 20 points. O’Grady added her efficient 18, and Hannah Stuelke scored 16.

The Hawkeyes held Virginia Tech (1-1) to 22 points in the second half, and owned the glass by a 46-29 margin.

Iowa got out to a 26-16 lead after the first quarter, then cooled and led just 34-30 at halftime.

Sydney Affolter made her first appearance of the season at the 6:36 mark of the first quarter.

A starter during Iowa’s run to the Big Ten tournament title and the NCAA tournament championship game last year, Affolter had missed the first few weeks of the season after an offseason knee scope. She played 24 minutes and registered three points and six rebounds.

Carleigh Wenzel led Virginia Tech with 14 points.

Iowa hosts Toledo on Wednesday.

Iowa 71, Virginia Tech 52

At Charlotte, N.C.

VIRGINIA TECH (52): Lani White 0-4 0-0 0, Carleigh Wenzel 5-13 3-4 14, Rose Micheaux 6-10 0-0 12, Carys Baker 2-9 2-2 8, Matilda Ekh 1-6 0-0 2, Leila Wells 0-2 0-0 0, Mackenzie Nelson 2-6 0-0 5, Samyha Suffren 3-6 0-1 6, Kayl Petersen 2-3 0-0 5. Totals 21-59 5-7 52.

IOWA (71): Taylor McCabe 1-2 0-0 3, Kylie Feuerbach 2-8 2-2 7, Lucy Olsen 9-21 1-2 20, Addison O’Grady 9-9 0-0 18, Hannah Stuelke 6-17 4-6 16, Taylor Stremlow 1-1 0-0 2, Sydney Affolter 1-1 0-2 3, Ava Heiden 0-0 0-0 0, Teagan Mallegni 0-4 2-2 2. Totals 29-63 9-14 71.

Virginia Tech 16 14 10 12 — 52

Iowa 26 8 22 15 — 71

3-point goals: Virginia Tech 5-24 (White 0-1, Wenzel 1-5, Baker 2-8, Ekh 0-4, Wells 0-1, Nelson 1-3, Suffren 0-1, Petersen 1-1), Iowa 4-18 (McCabe 1-2, Feuerbach 1-6, Olsen 1-4, Stuelke 0-2, Affolter 1-1, Mallegni 0-3. Team fouls: Virginia Tech 17, Iowa 13. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Virginia Tech 29 (Wenzel, Micheaux 7), Iowa 46 (Stuelke 7). Assists: Virginia Tech 6 (Ekh 3), Iowa 15 (Feuerbach 5). Turnovers: Virginia Tech 18, Iowa 16.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com