Caitlin Clark injured in Iowa’s 84-83 loss at Kansas State

MANHATTAN, Kan. — That was one damaging final possession.

No game-saving basket. Not even as much as a shot. And an ankle injury to Caitlin Clark.

Gabby Gregory hit six free throws in the final 2:13, and Kansas State upset No. 4 Iowa, 84-83, in a non-conference women’s basketball game before a crowd of 5,215 Thursday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

“We made plays defensively at the end,” K-State Coach Jeff Mittie said. “You’re not going to back your way into beating a top-five team. We had to make plays.”

Gregory made the first of two free throws with 4.7 seconds left to break an 83-83 tie. She missed the second, Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke rebounded, and Iowa called timeout with 3.8 ticks left.

On a crowded inbounds pass at midcourt, Clark appeared to get her feet tangled with another player. She was able to brush a pass to McKenna Warnock before collapsing to the ground.

Monika Czinano ended up with the ball in the post, and was fouled while going up for a shot. After review, the call was made — correctly — that the contact came after the buzzer.

Clark remained on the floor for a good amount of time, then was helped off.

Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said postgame that Clark had “twisted an ankle.” As the Hawkeyes exited the arena, Clark walked up the ramp — gingerly, but without aid — her left ankle iced.

The Hawkeyes (3-1) led by 12 points in the second quarter, by seven in the third and by seven on four occasions in the fourth, the last of which came at 76-69 on Clark’s two free throws with 5:58 left.

“I never felt that we were out of it at all,” Gregory said. “I didn’t feel that it was a big gap.”

Clark’s 3-pointer with 2:40 left put Iowa back in front, 81-78, but Gregory made 6 of 8 from the line from there on out.

Gregory was asked about her mindset as she went to the line with the game tied.

“(Expletive), I was nervous,” she said.

Clark finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, but didn’t have the ball in her hands enough at the end, and the Hawkeyes had some bad offensive possessions down the stretch.

“Once she got rid of it, we didn’t want her to get it back,” Gregory said. “If you get the ball out of her hands, it’s a good idea.”

Gregory and Serena Sundell scored 24 points apiece for K-State (3-0), and Sarah Shematsi added 18 on a career-high six 3-pointers in 10 attempts.

The Hawkeyes escaped their first road test at Drake in overtime Sunday. They weren’t as fortunate Thursday.

“I had thought we learned a lesson at Drake,” Bluder said. “We weren’t running the offense well tonight. And we had four offensive rebounds in 40 minutes. That’s not very good.”

Said Czinano, who added 18 points: “We didn’t go a good job crashing (the boards). Everything Coach Bluder said is true.”

The Hawkeyes return home to face Belmont at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Clark’s status? Who knows? But know this: Belmont is dangerous, and, as Bluder said:

“We’re going to get everybody’s best shot. We’d better get used to it.”

Kansas State 84, Iowa 83

AT MANHATTAN, KAN.

IOWA (83): McKenna Warnock 4-6 3-3 12, Monika Czinano 8-11 2-4 18, Kate Martin 2-5 0-0 4, Caitlin Clark 6-17 13-16 27, Gabbie Marshall 2-6 0-0 5, Molly Davis 2-4 4-4 9, Sydney Affolter 0-2 0-0 0, Addison O’Grady 1-1 0-0 2, Hannah Stuelke 2-3 1-1 6. Totals 27-55 23-28 83.

KANSAS STATE (84): Taylor Lauterbach 0-2 0-0 0, Jaelyn Glenn 3-11 0-0 8, Serena Sundell 9-19 5-7 24, Gabby Gregory 6-14 12-14 24, Rebekah Dallinger 0-3 0-0 0, Sarah Shematsi 6-10 0-0 18, Brylee Glenn 1-3 0-0 3, Emilee Ebert 2-4 0-0 5, Heavenly Greer 0-1 0-0 0, Eliza Maupin 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 28-68 17-21 84.

Iowa 21 26 21 15 — 83

Kansas State 19 24 20 21 — 84

3-point goals: Iowa 6-20 (Warnock 1-3, Martin 0-1, Clark 2-7, Marshall 1-4, Davis 1-3, Affolter 0-1, Stuelke 1-1), Kansas State 11-36 (J. Glenn 2-8, Sundell 1-7, Gregory 0-6, Dallinger 0-3, Shematsi 6-10, B. Glenn 1-1, Ebert 1-1). Team fouls: Iowa 20, Kansas State 21. Fouled out: Martin. Rebounds: Iowa 36 (Clark 10), Kansas State 34 (Lauterbach, Sundell 6). Assists: Iowa 19 (Clark 7), Kansas State 18 (Sundell 5). Steals: Iowa 6 (six with 1), Kansas State 9 (J. Glenn 3). Turnovers: Iowa 13, Kansas State 10.

Attendance: 5,215.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com