Caitlin Clark had 23 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds to lead No. 6 Iowa over Penn State 95-51 on Sunday.
Monika Czinano scored 14 points and Kate Martin added 11 for the Hawkeyes (19-4, 11-1 Big Ten), who took the lead midway through the first quarter and pulled away in a lopsided second half to win their eighth straight game.
Taniyah Thompson led Penn State (13-11, 4-9) with 11 points while Leilani Kapinus had 10.
Clark scored 11 of her points in the first half while Penn State’s best shooters went cold.
Kapinus, Makenna Marisa and Shay Ciezki, all averaging in double figures for Penn State this season, combined to go just 2 for 15 from the floor in the first quarter.
The two teams, wearing pink-and-white uniforms for breast cancer awareness, traded baskets until Iowa took the lead for good midway through the first. As Penn State’s shooters clanked misses off the rim, the Hawkeyes heated up and used a 12-2 run over the final 6:27 of the first quarter to pull ahead 19-9.
Clark chipped in six points during that run, then fueled her teammates with sharp passes over her head and behind her back in the second. Iowa’s leading scorer set up six buckets and drained a 3-pointer off a fastbreak to help the Hawkeyes take a 45-22 lead into halftime.
Clark’s 3-pointer put Iowa up by 23, a lead it would extend by as many as 49 in the second half.
THE BIG PICTURE
Iowa: The Hawkeyes won their eighth straight in the series, dating back to 2018. Three of Iowa’s next four opponents are a combined 10-23 in Big Ten play, but two games against No. 4 Indiana remain, along with a trip to No. 8 Maryland in the final two regular-season games.
Penn State: The Lady Lions are at their best when their shooters are clicking. It didn’t happen in this one. They made just eight of their first 37 shots.
UP NEXT
Iowa: Visits No. 4 Indiana on Thursday.
Penn State: Visits Michigan State on Sunday.
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