IOWA CITY — What it lacked in basketball magnificence, Wednesday’s Cy-Hawk showdown made up for with classic in-state depth. This vigorous ladies’s basketball rivalry wants little to thrive.
Missed treys, clanked free throws and clunky offense did nothing to derail this seesawing battle inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, a spot Iowa ladies’s basketball dominated recently when Iowa State ventures in. Two groups searching their first signature win wanted this one badly.
The pleasant noise introduced the Hawkeyes house.
More:Iowa ladies’s basketball vs Iowa State recap: Hawkeyes earn comeback win over Cyclones
Despite trailing by double digits late within the third quarter on an evening principally spent taking part in catch-up, Iowa gutted its technique to a 75-69 win over the Cyclones with a closing stretch loaded with resiliency. On an evening the place each packages emptied the tank, Iowa scraped throughout the end line in spectacular style.
Stuck in a 61-58 gap with 5 minutes remaining, the Hawkeyes wanted each ounce of the raucous sold-out crowd to hold them house. Iowa ripped off a 9-0 surge from there with a number of defensive stops in between. Lucy Olsen led the cost, however contributors had been quite a few. Aaliyah Guyton’s 3-pointer with 42 seconds remaining handed Iowa a 71-63 lead, the ultimate dagger on an evening that persistently regarded bleak.
Despite a monster night time from Iowa State star Audi Crooks, who completed with 31 factors on 14-for-22 taking pictures, the Hawkeyes saved their greatest defensive stretch on her for the top. Iowa held Crooks to 2 factors within the fourth quarter whereas yielding simply two photographs.
Iowa by no means actually absolutely warmed up offensively, although its stretches of success had been reasonably well timed. Olsen led Iowa with 25 factors whereas selecting up wanted double-digit help from Sydney Affolter and Hannah Stuelke. Iowa nonetheless completed a dismal 8-for-25 from deep whereas going 15-for-25 on the line, which was aided by Iowa State’s late fouling. But the Hawkeyes appeared to avoid wasting their clutch connections when most wanted.
The Hawkeyes did climb out of a double-digit first-quarter gap whereas slogging by way of the basketball muck, hurdling missed treys and free throws to claw inside three at halftime. Both groups completed the primary half taking pictures beneath 45% from the road, with Iowa including a 4-for-15 displaying from deep to go alongside.
Dargan Southard is a sports activities trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or observe him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
