Gabbie Marshall, others step up as Iowa women’s basketball outlasts Maryland in Big Ten semifinals

MINNEAPOLIS — Lisa Bluder was not kidding earlier in the week when she said Iowa would be “more ready” next time against Maryland after last week’s blowout loss.

The second-seeded Hawkeyes pulled off an 89-84 win against third-seeded Maryland Saturday night to advance to the Big Ten tournament championship.

Caitlin Clark, as usual, led the Hawkeyes in scoring with 22 points.

“Caitlin was Caitlin,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said.

And Monika Czinano, also as usual, was in double figures with 15 points.

But Iowa’s role players — most notably, Marshall — were the difference-maker Saturday.

Marshall hit seven 3-pointers, which often provided critical momentum swings, and finished with 21 points.

“I’ve gotten my confidence back,” Marshall said. “Seeing all those shots go in is just a great feeling.”

McKenna Warnock had 21 points on 6-for-12 shooting.

Kate Martin had 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, moving Iowa to 7-1 this season when Martin scores at least 10 points.

Bluder also pointed to “so many things that people don’t notice on the stat sheet” that Martin also did Saturday, including her defense of Maryland star Diamond Miller.

“I know Diamond had 21 points, but that girl’s capable of 40 points,” Bluder said. “She really is.”

All five starters were in double figures.

“That’s a dream to be on a team like that,” Warnock said. “I think it will help us a lot going forward.”

Clark said the balanced scoring was especially important against Maryland’s box-and-one defense.

"You can take away me and Monika,” Clark said. “But when the other three play like they did, and we have people coming off the bench and contributing, there’s only so much you can do (defensively).”

The Hawkeyes hung onto the lead for 38 out of 40 minutes, but Saturday’s win was no easy feat.

Maryland tied the game at 79-79 with two minutes left — a pivotal Warnock rebound and Marshall three broke the tie — and had another chance to tie it in the final minute.

An offensive foul called on Clark, followed by a Lavender Briggs three, cut the Hawkeyes’ lead to 85-84. After two free throws by Warnock, Maryland guard Abby Meyers’ 3-point attempt came up short.

Warnock then hit another two free throws to remove any doubt.

Iowa led by as many as 12 in the first half, but Maryland trimmed the lead to five by halftime. The Hawkeyes never led by more than three possessions in the second half.

“You've seen it in this tournament so far,” Martin said. There's been a lot of upsets. There's been a lot of comebacks and everything. For us to maintain that lead and keep that lead, sure, it's exhausting, but I think it just shows a lot of maturity.“

The win was 11 days after Iowa lost by 28 to that same Maryland team in College Park.

“We took that personal,” guard Gabbie Marshall said. “This was like a revenge game for us, so we came out locked in, ready from the beginning.”

The Hawkeyes had strong fan support at the Target Center for the second straight night.

“We’re saying it’s Carver North,” Bluder said. “It's just amazing how the Hawkeye fans have shown up.”

Attendance for Saturday’s semifinals games was 9,375 — 42 short of a Big Ten tournament record — and the vast majority of fans in the second game were supporting Iowa.

Iowa will seek its second consecutive Big Ten tournament title Sunday at 4 p.m. against No. 4-seeded Ohio State.

The Buckeyes earned a championship game berth after coming back from a 24-point deficit against top-seeded Indiana. Iowa won the regular-season battle against Ohio State, 83-72.

It is the third consecutive year that Iowa has gone to the Big Ten tournament championship.

“It’s all I know,” said Clark, the third-year guard.

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