Hawkeyes build 13-point lead, hold off Miami 64-61 for their 6th straight win

Note: This report was written in Cedar Rapids

ORLANDO, Fla. — It wasn’t exactly a sprint to the finish line.

But the Iowa Hawkeyes surely will take it and head home happy.

Leading by 13 points early in the fourth quarter, 19th-ranked Iowa went cold (and careless). Miami (Fla.) had a chance to tie, but Amarachi Kimpson’s 3-pointer at the horn was off the mark, and the Hawkeyes held on, 64-61, as part of the WBCA Showcase on Saturday at State Farm Field House.

Iowa is 6-0 for the second consecutive season. The Hawkeyes won their first eight games last year.

Hannah Stuelke’s basket with 9:18 left gave the Hawkeyes their largest lead, 59-46. Stuelke scored again to make it 61-49 at the 8:30 mark.

But the Hawkeyes missed their last 11 shots from the field — and committed six turnovers down the stretch — and Miami (4-1) made a frantic push.

The Hurricanes got within 61-59 and 63-61. Iowa’s Kylie Feuerbach kept Miami at bay with three late free throws.

Iowa’s Ava Heiden made her first nine shots and scored 20 points to lead all scorers. Stuelke added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Taylor McCabe provided 11 points and eight boards.

Iowa announced Saturday afternoon that starting point guard Chit-Chat Wright would be out for the game due to an “upper-body” injury sustained in the third quarter of the Hawkeyes’ win over Baylor on Thursday.

Wright is considered day-to-day once the team returns from Orlando. Taylor Stremlow made her first start of the season, the third of her career.

Stremlow posted seven points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Iowa scored the first six points of the game and led throughout, though it got dicey at the end.

The margin was as large as nine points in the second quarter, and it was 36-28 at halftime. Iowa led 55-46 after three quarters, then buckets by Heiden and Stuelke sent the margin to a game-high 13.

Kimpson led Miami with 19 points.

Iowa’s next game is Wednesday at home against Western Illinois.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com