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Sydney Affolter enters Iowa starting lineup and responds with career-high 18 points
Reserves — and a new starter — shine for the Hawkeyes in a 95-62 Big Ten tournament quarterfinal win over Penn State
MINNEAPOLIS — Someone waiting in line for a general admission seat at sold-out Target Center this weekend could pass the time by thinking up a couple new March nicknames.
Iowa has been introduced to Gabbie “March-all” before — and Marshall delivered again Friday with four 3-pointers and 15 points in a 95-62 Big Ten tournament quarterfinal win over Penn State.
Is a March moment in store for Sydney Affolter, too?
The Iowa junior got her fourth career start in place of the injured Molly Davis and responded with a career-high 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
“Syd, I thought, played tremendous,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said.
Affolter got to the basket, made all five of her free-throw attempts and knocked down three of her four 3-point shots. That made a difference on a night when Caitlin Clark shot 5-for-19 from the field while still scoring a game-high 24 points.
“The off chance that Caitlin’s missing a few shots, she needs to be able to rely on us and have confidence in us to make those shots or penetrate and drive because she’s getting face-guarded a bit,” Affolter said.
At 5-foot-11, Affolter obviously gives the lineup a different look than it has with the 5-7 Davis.
“Someone needs to fill some big shoes. Molly’s a great player,” Affolter said. “We have all the confidence in each other. We work so hard and we see it every day in practice. We know whoever’s next up is ready.”
Affolter wasn’t the only one who was ready. Taylor McCabe buried four 3-pointers while playing the second-most minutes (15) of her career.
“With Molly out, it opens up a lot of weird spots and shifts people around a lot differently,” McCabe said. “I played the 1, 2 and 3 today, which is very unusual. But I told them I was gonna do whatever it takes to get out there.
“That’s kind of what it’s been from everybody. Everybody wants to be involved, everybody wants to be out there. I think that just makes all of us excited because we know that everyone wants to be out there and everyone wants to contribute. When you have so many that are that driven, it builds a good culture.”
Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com
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