Takeaways: Iowa-Nebraska Title Game
Iowa’s third consecutive championship in the Big Ten Tournament required a big comeback and some extra work.
The Hawkeyes didn’t seem to mind.
Iowa’s 95-89 overtime win over Nebraska on Sunday at the Target Center in Minneapolis was built on the Hawkeyes’ resilience. They trailed by 11 points at halftime, and were down 75-67 with 2:38 left in the fourth quarter before rallying.
“I think it was really gritty and resilient out of our group,” said Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, who shook off first-half shooting woes to finish with 34 points and 12 rebounds to be named the tournament’s most outstanding player. “That was the biggest thing. Obviously the first half we were just very out of sorts in all sorts of ways, whether it was on defense, whether it was offensively.
“We just found a way to win, and that speaks to the team that we have, the maturity we have in this group. We were down six or seven, I don't remember exactly what it was, with two minutes to play, and we never gave up.”
The Hawkeyes (29-4) made their final case to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament with a group effort that defined this championship run.
“I think we do deserve a No. 1 seed,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “If we don't get it, oh, well. It's OK. It's OK. That's life. We can't control that. But I think it would just mean a lot to our program and how far we've come to have that recognition.”
Clark never knew a Big Ten Tournament without playing in the championship. She left with three titles in her final three seasons.
She appreciated the moment.
“If this is my last time playing in a Big Ten game between two Big Ten teams, then what better way to end it all?” Clark said. “You have the overtime, we fight back, bad shooting, good shooting, defensive stops. I mean, it just really had it all on the biggest stage.
“Can't be happier for our group. This was the only way we could end it. So, just really grateful.”
Other takeaways from the win:
CLARK RESPONDS: Iowa was just 13-of-38 from the field in the first half, but nobody was as frustrated as Clark.
Clark was 2-of-13 from the field, and 0-of-9 in 3-pointers, in the half.
But her career has never been about stopping her shooting, and, as always, she came up with big shots in the second half and in overtime.
Clark was 10-of-16 from the field in the second half and in overtime. Her layup with 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter sent the game into overtime.
“As a senior, you go through it,” Clark said. “You know how it goes. There's good days, there's bad days, there's great shooting days, there's not as good. When you're in a championship environment, you have to let it go and move on to the next.
“At halftime I reset my mind, let it go. I knew some shots weren't going to go in. That's just how it works. Obviously I'm proud of myself. I've put a lot of work into being able to do that and letting things go and relying on my teammates and not pressing as much.”
“I think she has matured so much mentally,” Bluder said. “That goes into emotions too. We talk all about time control, what you can control. You can't control officials. You can't control that sort of thing. She was able to bounce back.
“Honestly, she didn't have a very good first half. You can maybe keep Caitlin down for a half. You're not keeping her down the whole game. There's no way.”
MARSHALL BLOCK: Gabbie Marshall has always been known as a defender, so of course she was going to come up with a big defensive play.
That came with 29 seconds left in overtime with Iowa up 91-87, when Marshall blocked the 3-point attempt of Logan Nissley.
“Gabbie Marshall comes to play defense,” Bluder said. “She worked so hard out there. She needs to ice bath out there for two days straight. She worked really, really hard.”
It was only Marshall’s second blocked shot of the season.
AFFOLTER’S TOURNAMENT: Sydney Affolter made the all-tournament team, but you could have made a case for her to be MOP.
Affolter, starting her third consecutive game for Molly Davis, had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
STUELKE INSIDE: Hannah Stuelke’s sophomore season has been one of consistent games inside, and she did it again on a big stage.
Stuelke finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds despite battling foul trouble most of the second half.
“Hannah Stuelke is so talented. Really the only thing holding her back was her own confidence,” Bluder said. “We just keep pouring into her because she is such a beautiful athlete. I'm just so proud of her. I just want her to continue to own it, allow herself to be great. That's what she has to do. And she will be great.”
