Applesauce, muffins ... and a 7th straight win for Iowa women’s basketball

IOWA CITY — X’s and O’s? There was some of that, of course.

But the best bit of the postgame press conference centered around applesauce and muffins.

Caitlin Clark battled through a fleeting moment of nausea in another memorable performance (42 points, seven rebounds and eight assists), and sixth-ranked Iowa whipped No. 8 Maryland, 96-82, in a Big Ten women’s basketball game before a crowd of 10,671 Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“Our first half was spectacular, I thought,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said after the Hawkeyes (18-4 overall, 10-1 Big Ten) won their seventh straight game and matched their most decisive win ever against the Terrapins (18-5, 9-3).

“I don’t know how you can say Caitlin isn’t the national player of the year. She was unbelievable tonight.”

Judging by social media, fans are more caught up in Clark’s NPOY candidacy than she is.

“No, not at all,” Clark said about the impact on the award on her. “As long as we win, that takes care of itself.

“Last year, I was in the conversation, and that’s a huge honor. I don’t brush it off. But that’s not the reason I play basketball. I play because I love it.”

There was a lot to love about Clark, Monika Czinano and the Hawkeyes on Thursday.

The duo of point guard and post combined for 70 points on 27-of-37 shooting from the field.

Like Bluder said, spectacular, particularly in the first half.

Iowa rushed to a 29-18 lead after the first quarter, 56-38 at halftime.

“In transition, they crushed us,” said Maryland Coach Brenda Frese, a Cedar Rapids native. “You can’t spot Iowa the number of points we did in the first half.”

The Terrapins got within 62-52 midway through the third quarter, but never closed within single digits.

As the teams readied for the second half, Clark struggled on the court for a moment physically.

Trying to catch her breath? Not quite.

“I thought I was going to throw up,” Clark said. “I thought my applesauce was coming up.”

Clark was 13 of 19 from the floor (6 of 11 from long range) and 10 of 11 from the stripe, absorbing 12 fouls.

Czinano hit 14 of 18 field-goal tries. Hannah Stuelke added 13 points, making all five of her shots.

Like Megan Gustafson before them, Czinano and Stuelke have made a living getting ahead of the defense for transition baskets. And Clark usually finds them.

“They’ve preached that since I stepped on campus,” Czinano said. “Every time I’m on the court, (assistant coach Jan Jensen) wants me to be faster.”

The return of McKenna Warnock — she missed two games after suffering a rib-cage injury at Michigan State on Jan. 18 — provided a boost and completed the Hawkeyes.

“What a warrior,” Bluder said.

“I just wanted to get back as fast as I could,” Warnock said. “I took it day by day. I couldn’t have asked for a better game to come back.

Warnock wore padding in her midsection: “I felt like a little muffin,” she said.

Diamond Miller led Maryland with 27 points; Shyanne Sellers tacked on 26.

The rematch is Feb. 21 at Maryland, the second-to-last game of the regular season for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa plays at Penn State at 11 a.m. (CT) Sunday, then comes a showdown next Thursday at Indiana.

Iowa 96, Maryland 82

At Iowa City

MARYLAND (82): Faith Masonius 3-6 0-0 6, Shyanne Sellers 10-17 6-6 26, Diamond Miller 8-17 11-15 27, Abby Meyers 5-17 3-4 15, Elisa Pinzan 2-6 0-0 4, Lavender Briggs 1-4 0-0 2, Brinae Alexander 1-3 0-0 2, Bri McDaniel 0-1 0-0 0, Gia Cooke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-71 20-25 82.

IOWA (96): McKenna Warnock 1-3 1-3 3, Monika Czinano 14-18 0-0 28, Kate Martin 1-4 1-2 3, Caitlin Clark 13-19 10-11 42, Gabbie Marshall 0-2 0-0 0, Molly Davis 1-7 0-0 3, Hannah Stuelke 5-5 3-7 13, Sydney Affolter 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 37-60 15-23 96.

Maryland 18 20 22 20 — 82

Iowa 29 27 18 22 — 96

3-point goals: Maryland 2-18 (Sellers 0-2, Miller 0-2, Meyers 2-8, Pinzan 0-2, Briggs 0-2, Alexander 0-2), Iowa 7-21 (Warnock 0-1, Martin 0-3, Clark 6-11, Marshall 0-2, Davis 1-4). Team fouls: Maryland 25, Iowa 17. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Maryland 40 (Masonius 9), Iowa 33 (Clark 7). Assists: Maryland 13 (Masonius 5), Iowa 27 (Clark 8). Steals: Maryland 13 (Masonius 4), Iowa 10 (Marshall 3). Turnovers: Maryland 18, Iowa 19.

Attendance: 10,671.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com