No. 2 Iowa women's basketball team showcased an impressive offensive display as they defeated Penn State 111-93 on Thursday night. Hannah Stuelke had a remarkable performance, scoring a career-high 47 points, while Caitlin Clark contributed 27 points in her pursuit of the NCAA women's basketball career scoring record.
With her 27-point performance, Clark now has 3,489 career points, just 39 points away from surpassing the current record held by Kelsey Plum. However, for Iowa coach Lisa Bluder, the focus was on the team's victory rather than Clark's record-breaking potential. Bluder stated, 'We were just trying to win the game. It's going to happen. That's not important. It's important to win this game.'
Despite Clark's pursuit of the record, Iowa's upcoming games and team success remained the top priority. Iowa looks to continue their winning streak as they face Nebraska on Sunday before hosting Michigan next Thursday. Bluder expressed her desire for Clark to break the record in front of the home crowd but emphasized the primary focus to be winning at Nebraska. She added, 'Our fans deserve that. But believe me, our No. 1 priority will be to win the game at Nebraska.'
Clark's performance against Penn State included not only her scoring prowess but also her ability to create opportunities for her teammates. She recorded an impressive 15 assists, earning her 56th career double-double. However, the standout player also committed a career-high 12 turnovers. Although Clark did not attend the postgame press conference, she expressed her focus on the upcoming game against Nebraska, stating, 'Whenever it happens, it happens. We've got a good Nebraska team next, so we'll be ready for them.'
Throughout the game, Clark ensured Stuelke was involved in the scoring action, providing 11 assists on her teammate's 17 field goals. Stuelke, appreciating Clark's efforts, humorously shared Clark's message to her after the game, stating, ''She said, I expect you do this every game.' She deserves it. We just gotta keep it rolling.' Stuelke had an exceptional game herself, recording the second-highest scoring game in program history with 47 points.
Stuelke's performance was dominating, going 13 of 21 from the free-throw line and drawing 13 fouls from the opposition. Her ability to swiftly move behind Penn State's defense resulted in easy baskets, impressing Penn State coach Carolyn Kieger. Kieger commented, 'Obviously, she's a great rim-runner. She was, obviously, certainly efficient.'
The victory against Penn State marks Iowa's fourth consecutive win, allowing them to remain tied with Ohio State at the top of the conference standings. In their next game, Iowa will face Nebraska on Sunday, looking to continue their winning streak and maintain their position in the Big Ten standings.
Though Penn State fell short in this game, they aimed to secure a road win against a top-ranked team to strengthen their NCAA tournament resume. Unfortunately, they were unable to escape from Iowa's relentless offense, especially after Clark settled down and found her rhythm in the second quarter.
As Iowa prepares for their upcoming games and Clark nears the historic career scoring record, the team's focus remains on their performance as a whole and their continued success in the conference. With Stuelke's breakout performance and Clark's scoring capabilities, the Hawkeyes look poised to make a significant impact as they navigate through the rest of the season.
Penn State will regroup for their next game against Wisconsin on Sunday, while Iowa looks to continue their winning ways as they face Nebraska. As the season progresses, Iowa's pursuit of conference dominance and Clark's record-breaking potential will undoubtedly be closely monitored by fans and basketball enthusiasts alike.
