Hawkeyes 'survive and advance' past Purdue
When the calendar flips to the March portion of the basektball season, how you win goes out the window. The motto for March postseason basketball is “survive and advance”. The Hawkeyes used a 24-8 run in the second half to take control of the game and they took down 7 seed Purdue 69-58 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
“It’s called March Madness for a reason,” said associate head coach Jan Jensen on the radio postgame. “The first one is the only one that matters and it doesn’t matter how pretty it is or what the margin of victory is or what it says on paper.”
Iowa jumped out a 13-4 lead in the first 4:23 of the game, with Monika Czinano starting 3/3 from the floor. However, the quick start was short lived. The Hawkeyes scored just six points in the last 5:37 of the quarter. The Boilermakers shot just 4/16 in the opening quarter, which allowed Iowa to hold a 19-10 lead.
“We had a hard time going from high octane to trying to settle into our offense and trying to reverse the ball,” said Jensen. “It was like, if we couldn’t score right away, then we would take a really quick shot.”
A couple of three-pointers from Gabbie Marshall in the opening minutes of the second quarter extended the Hawkeyes lead to 25-14. Purdue HC Kate Geralds was forced to take a timeout, but the Boilermakers got back into the game.
Iowa shot 0/4 from the floor and turned it over five times in the last 6:24 of the half. It allowed Purdue to go on an 11-4 run and close the gap to 29-25 at the break. The Hawkeyes turned it over eight times in the first half.
The Boilermakers came out of the locker room swinging. They knocked down 3 three-pointers, including one from Cassidy Hardin to give Purdue their first lead of the game at 34-33. With 5:13 to play in the third quarter, the game was tied at 36.
From there, the Hawkeyes finally settled in and took the lead back. Gabbie Marshall hit a three-pointer, which was followed by a Monika Czinano basket to cap a 7-0 run.
“I just think we locked down and I think our offense was a little bit better, but we took smarter shots,” said Jensen on what changed in the second half. “We just did a much better job of getting the shots that we needed to take, (shots) that would ensure a higher percentage of making.”
After three quarters, Iowa had just 45 points, which was their lowest after 30 minutes all season. However, they had a five-point lead on the Boilermakers.
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Caitlin Clark had just ten points in the first three quarters, but stepped up when it mattered most in the fourth quarter. Kate Martin hit a three-pointer to open the final ten minutes, but Clark would score ten of the Hawkeyes next 12 points. A transition three-pointer forced a Purdue timeout with Iowa leading 60-45.
Iowa hung on from there to secure the 69-58 victory and a spot in the semifinal round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes have advanced to the semifinals in four of the last five seasons.
“We should see us settle in a little bit and I feel like Indiana, I don’t think they’re probably feeling really great about their game either,” said Jensen. The Hoosiers trailed Michigan State in the third quarter, but won 94-85. “When you get the double bye, it’s great because you get the double bye, but the teams that play the day before, the nerves are out and they know the gym and the rims.”
Caitlin Clark scored 12 fourth quarter points and finished the night with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Monika Czinano added 14 points on 6/7 shooting, while Gabbie Marshall knocked down three from long-range and finished with 11 points.
“I thought we saw it the last three or four games of the season,” said Coach Jensen on Gabbie Marshall’s play down the stretch. “Today, difference maker defensively. Offensively, so efficient. To go deep (in the tournament) it needs to be everybody.”
Rounding out the starting lineup, McKenna Warnock and Kate Martin combined for 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Up next for the Hawkeyes…
With the win, Iowa moves to 24-6 on the season and more importantly, they move on to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The Hawkeyes await the winner of Illinois and Maryland. Tomorrow’s game will tipoff at approximately 4:00pm and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
