The Iowa Hawkeyes overcame a slow start in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 16 seed Holy Cross.
Caitlin Clark, NCAA Division I’s all-time leading scorer, was visibly frustrated as she uncharacteristically struggled to make shots early.
But she bounced back, scoring 27 points and dishing out 10 assists as Iowa won 91-65. Hawkeyes guard Kate Martin added 15 points and 14 rebounds as Iowa advanced to the second round.
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Iowa State’s Caitlin Clark, 22, reacts during Holy Cross play during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, March 23, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press Citizen/USA Today Network)
The eighth-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers defeated the Princeton Tigers on Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to earn a spot in the second round against the Hawkeyes on Monday.
Clark recorded his 65th career double-double and added eight rebounds.
Caitlin Clark acquisition is good for Iowa and women’s college basketball, data shows
The Hawkeyes went on a 10-0 run midway through the first quarter, but it never bothered the Crusaders, who were within 23-21 at the end of the quarter.
Iowa State guard Caitlin Clark (22) attempts a 3-point shot during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Lily Smith/The Register/USA Today Network)
The Hawkeyes then outscored Holy Cross 25-9 in the second quarter, holding the Crusaders to just 1-of-12 shooting. Clark finally made his first 3-point shot with 3:26 left in the first half, shaking his head and rolling his eyes after taking the shot.
After the win, Clark acknowledged that Iowa State has room for improvement.
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts during Senior Day against the Ohio State Buckeyes on March 3, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Jeffrey Becker/USA Today Sports)
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“I thought [Holy Cross] I made a lot of shots. I thought they competed really well. I have to give them credit for what they did,” Clark said after the game. “I don’t know if we really played our best basketball. We’re obviously a little rusty. I thought we could have executed the offense a little better. They really compressed the paint, but we I thought we handled it really well. We always had an answer.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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