The Hawkeyes’ hits keep coming: 15 wins in a row, and 29 straight vs. Wisconsin

IOWA CITY — The most recent chapter in this 29-game women’s basketball monopoly was the most lopsided of them all.

Caitlin Clark posted 32 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, 10 of her teammates joined her in the scoring column and second-ranked Iowa bashed Wisconsin, 96-50, in a Big Ten women’s basketball game before a crowd of 14,998 Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“I’m really happy with our defense in this game,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “And this is the strongest bench we’ve had here in a long time.

“We’re so much harder to guard when everybody is contributing like that.”

Even with Hannah Stuelke sidelined (a tweaked left knee), the Hawkeyes (18-1 overall, 7-0 Big Ten) won their 15th consecutive game, flexing their muscles once again against the Badgers (8-9, 1-6), extending a dominance that began in 2007.

And the 46-point margin was the largest against UW in that span.

It was a laugher, yes, and Clark and Kate Martin were in a jovial mood in the press room.

The subject was a touch pass that Martin redirected from Clark to Sydney Affolter, for a basket.

“I just put my hands up to protect my face,” Martin said.

“Yeah, I was trying to break (Martin’s) nose)” Clark added. And yes, she was kidding.

With 3,306 career points, Clark climbed to No. 4 on the all-time NCAA Division-I women’s chart, passing former Baylor star Brittney Griner.

“To be in the same vicinity as some of these players, it’s pretty special,” Clark said.

Martin added 16 points — “Draft her,” Clark whispered in the presser — and Affolter provided 12.

Wisconsin hung with the Hawkeyes for about 13 minutes. But four Iowa players scored in a 13-0 run that sprung the hosts free, 34-17.

It was 46-30 at halftime, then Iowa held the Badgers to 20 points in the second half, six in the fourth period.

The Hawkeyes collected 17 steals, which played a major role in the Badgers’ 28 turnovers. Iowa capitalized, scoring 42 points off all of those miscues.

With Stuelke out and the remaining, rotating posts (Sharon Goodman, Addison O’Grady and A.J. Ediger) committing fouls against Serah Williams, the Hawkeyes went small — extremely small — for short periods.

Martin was designated as the post defensively in those circumstances.

“It wasn’t too terrible,” Martin said. “I had to use my strength and quickness. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. It’s not easy to guard the (post), but it’s not easy for her to guard me on the opposite end.”

Williams finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, but turned it over seven times.

Iowa plays at No. 18 Ohio State at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Iowa 96, Wisconsin 50

At Iowa City

WISCONSIN (50): Serah Williams 8-15 3-3 19, Brooke Schramek 2-6 2-2 6, Ronnie Porter 2-6 3-4 9, Sania Copeland 3-8 0-0 8, Natalie Leuzinger 1-8 2-2 4, Halle Douglass 0-0 2-2 2, D’Yanis Jimenez 0-6 0-0 0, Tessa Grady 0-3 0-0 0, Ana Guillen 0-0 0-0 0, Lily Krahn 0-1 0-0 0, Leena Patibandia 0-0 0-0 0, Imbie Jones 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 17-54 12-13 50.

IOWA (96): Sharon Goodman 1-1 0-0 2, Molly Davis 2-6 1-1 5, Kate Martin 5-8 2-2 16, Caitlin Clark 8-18 10-10 32, Gabbie Marshall 1-3 0-0 3, Addison O’Grady 3-7 0-0 6, Sydney Affolter 3-3 5-6 12, Kylie Feuerbach 2-6 0-0 6, A.J. Ediger 2-4 3-5 7, Taylor McCabe 1-4 0-0 3, Jada Gyamfi 0-0 0-0 0, Kennise Johnson 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 29-61 23-26 96.

Wisconsin 15 15 14 6 — 50

Iowa 19 27 30 20 — 96

3-point goals: Wisconsin 4-20 (Schramek 0-2, Porter 2-3, Copeland 2-7, Leuzinger 0-4, Grady 0-3, Krahn 0-1), Iowa 15-37 (Davis 0-3, Martin 4-7, Clark 6-14, Marshall 1-2, Affolter 1-1, Feuerbach 2-6, McCabe 1-4). Team fouls: Wisconsin 25, Iowa 13. Fouled out: Porter. Rebounds: Wisconsin 35 (Williams 14), Iowa 37 (Clark 7). Assists: Wisconsin 11 (Schramek 3), Iowa 25 (Clark 5). Steals: Wisconsin 7 (Copeland 5), Iowa 17 (Clark 4). Turnovers: Wisconsin 28, Iowa 14.

Attendance: 14,998.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com