Buckeyes win streak snapped by Caitlin Clark, Iowa in regular-season finale
COLUMBUS — Ohio State had a 15-game winning streak heading into Sunday. Pistol Pete Maravich had a 55-year-old all-time scoring record heading into Sunday, as well.
Both streaks fell at the hands of new NCAA all-time scoring leader Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The No. 2 Ohio State (25-4, 16-2 Big Ten) fought hard on the road in a sold-out Carver Hawkeye Arena. The Buckeyes were down big early and came back at various points — but ultimately fell Sunday to No. 6 Iowa (26-4, 15-3).
Final: Iowa 93, Ohio State 83.
Clark dazzled, as usual. Entering the game averaging more than 30 points per game, she lit up the score board yet again Sunday, scoring 35 points and helping her teammates with nine assists.
Ohio State was led by senior star Jacy Sheldon, who had 24 points. The Buckeyes had five players in double figures, but it still wasn’t enough to top Clark on her Senior Day and final game in her home arena.
For the Buckeyes, the win streak is no more. Kevin McGuff’s team lost its first game since it was upset by Michigan on Dec. 30. The 15-game win streak included home wins over Iowa and Indiana and a few impressive road wins, as well.
But this road environment was different. Clark has electrified the women’s game around the country this season — and especially at Iowa. Ticket prices soared to over $500 on the secondary market due to her record-breaking attempt, which she cashed in on — to top Maravich’s career mark of 3,667 that he scored from 1967-1970 — herself with a free throw at the end of the first half.
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And even the Buckeyes, one of the country’s top teams, couldn’t overcome Clark or the crowd behind her and her team.
Of course, Ohio State didn’t truly need to win this road game to close out the regular season. The Buckeyes have already locked up the outright Big Ten regular season title; they beat Michigan at home on Wednesday night to accomplish that feat.
Now the Buckeyes will head into the conference tournament next week in Minneapolis as the top seed with a chance to win a Big Ten Tournament title and lock up one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
A top-10 road win and season series sweep over Iowa on Sunday would have marked an incredible step toward accomplishing that. Instead, Ohio State won’t be carrying that long win streak into tournament play.
The Buckeyes fell to Iowa, ending the streak on a historic afternoon for Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Both teams have beat each other at home this season. A third matchup could be coming next week in Minneapolis.
