With victory secure, the Hawkeyes were able to rest their rotation Saturday
Rest and recovery. Ice baths and ... cherry juice? That’s what awaits the Iowa Hawkeyes as they prepare for Sunday’s championship game at the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament.
Game highlights: Iowa vs. Michigan
Hannah Stuelke is perfect from the floor (and her ankle is OK)
Hannah Stuelke went 7-for-7 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, scoring 16 points in third-ranked Iowa’s 95-68 Big Ten women’s basketball tournament semifinal victory Saturday over Michigan.
And that ankle, after stepping on the foot of a Michigan defender in the fourth quarter to temporarily silence an otherwise-deafening, sold-out Target Center? “I’m feeling good,” Stuelke said.
Hawkeyes reach their fourth consecutive Big Ten tournament final
Caitlin Clark registered 28 points and 15 assists, and No. 3 Iowa ruled the paint in a 95-68 semifinal romp over Michigan before a vastly pro-Iowa sellout crowd of 18,746 Saturday afternoon at Target Center.
Final: Iowa 95, Michigan 68
It's Iowa vs. Nebraska in the final at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Caitlin Clark leads the way with 28 points and 15 assists. Hannah Stuelke was a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor and scored 16 points. Also in double divs: Kate Martin (13) and Sydney Affolter (12).
Final: Iowa 95, Michigan 66
It's Iowa vs. Nebraska in the final at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Caitlin Clark leads the way with 28 points and 15 assists. Hannah Stuelke was a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor and scored 16 points. Also in double divs: Kate Martin (13) and Sydney Affolter (12).
Iowa 87, Michigan 59 (6:35 4th)
Sydney Affolter up to eight assists after that Kate Martin 3, plus 12 points and seven rebounds.
Iowa 81, Michigan 59 (7:44 4th)
Hannah Stuelke scores inside but is down and holding her lower left leg. But she's up and able to walk off the floor.
Iowa 77, Michigan 57 (9:01 4th)
A Caitlin Clark 3 puts the Hawkeyes up 20. She has 26. She holds her hand to her hear and the fans respond.
End 3Q: Iowa 72, Michigan 55
Only two points for Caitlin Clark in the third but the Hawkeyes still outscore the Wolverines 21-13. Michigan was 4-for-19 from the floor.
Drive & Dish. @CaitlinClark22 x @Aj_ediger_bball#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/d5qKjo0BuR
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 9, 2024
Michigan is 1 for its last 10 and Iowa's lead has grown to 66-50, 2:20 3rd.
Iowa 62, Michigan 47 (4:40 3rd)
Hannah Stuelke hasn't missed a shot (6-6 FG, 2-2 FT) and is up to 14 points.
Michigan has missed its last six shots and has scored only three points in the first four minutes of the second half. Iowa leads 58-45.
Half: Iowa 51, Michigan 42
Caitlin Clark walked into a logo 3 on Iowa's penultimate possession, but Jordan Hobbs responded with her third trey on the other end.
Clark with 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting and 11 assists.
CAITLIN CLARK FROM THE LOGO!!!!! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED! 💥@CaitlinClark22 X @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/fWzUIpcChb
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 9, 2024
Caitlin Clark already has 10 assists to go with her 10 points. Iowa up 42-33, 4:09 2nd.
Iowa 33, Michigan 28 (7:45 2nd)
Caitlin Clark with a behind the back pass in transition for a Sydney Affolter layup, then Affolter gets a steal and hits Clark for a layup.
Timeout Michigan. Target Center is LOUD. It's a 7-0 Iowa run, started by a Clark corner 3.
Hawkeyes are ROLLING! 💨 @CaitlinClark22 x @sydneyaffolter1 x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/pbbT5E7Irv
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 9, 2024
End 1Q: Michigan 25, Iowa 22
Gabbie Marshall hits a corner 3 just before the buzzer. Michigan is off to a 6-for-6 start from long range, with Lauren Hansen (11 points) responsible for three.
GABBIE. BUZZER. @GabbieMarshall x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/nnclr11ZX4
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 9, 2024
Michigan takes its first lead on a Leila Phelia 3 following an offense rebound, then Lauren Hansen drills one from deep. Wolverines are 6-of-6 from deep and lead 23-17.
Iowa 13, Michigan 12 (4:43 1st)
Faster start on offense for Caitlin Clark with five points (2-4 FG) and three assists. Hawkeyes shooting 6-for-8. Wolverines have hit 3-of-3 from deep.
Lauren Hansen hits a pair of 3s to cut Iowa's lead to 13-12, 5:07 1st.
Caitlin Clark's first 3-point attempt of the game rattles in. 7-3 Iowa.
Caitlin Clark scores the game's first points 90 seconds in. 2-0 Iowa.
Starting lineups announced. Tipoff approaching.
Starting lineups
MICHIGAN:
0 Elissa Brett SR+
1 Lauren Hansen SR+
5 Laila Phelia JR
10 Jordan Hobbs JR
22 Chyra Evans SO
IOWA:
3 Sydney Affolter JR
20 Kate Martin SR+
22 Caitlin Clark SR
24 Gabbie Marshall SR+
45 Hannah Stuelke SO
Final: Nebraska 78, Maryland 68
The fifth-seeded Cornhuskers move on to Sunday's 11 a.m. title game.
Jaz Shelley hit 6 of 12 3-point attempts, scored a game-high 30 points and dished nine assists.
Iowa and Michigan coming up in about 25 minutes.
Iowa vs. Michigan game notes
• Iowa is the lone “double-bye team” (top-four seed) to survive Friday’s quarterfinals carnage. The 2-seed Hawkeyes steamrolled Penn State, 95-62, despite an “off night” from Caitlin Clark, who still managed 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Sydney Affolter scored a career-high 18 points in a starting role. Gabbie Marshall (15 points) and Taylor McCabe (12) each netted four 3-pointers.
• Six-seed Michigan conquered No. 12 Indiana, 69-56. Trailing by 14 points at halftime, the Wolverines outscored the 3-seed Hoosiers by a 48-21 margin in the second half. Laila Phelia led the Wolverines with 30 points. Michigan won its second-round game, 76-57, over Minnesota on Thursday.
• A win would put Iowa in the championship game for the fifth time in six years. Michigan has never reached a final.
• Iowa topped Michigan, 106-89, on Feb. 15 at Iowa City. That was the game in which Clark broke the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record, and finished with a career-high 49 points.
How to watch Iowa vs. Michigan
What: No. 3 Iowa (27-4) vs. Michigan (19-12), Big Ten women’s basketball tournament semifinal
When/where: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Target Center, Minneapolis
TV: BTN
Live stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app
