Clark scores 45, but No. 12 NC State tops No. 10 Iowa 94-81

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Diamond Johnson and Saniya Rivers every scored 22 factors to assist No. 12 North Carolina State overcome a 45-point effort from Caitlin Clark and beat No. 10 Iowa 94-81 in an ACC/Massive Ten Problem sport on Thursday evening.

Johnson and Rivers led a balanced scoring evening for the Wolfpack (7-1), who had 5 gamers rating in double figures.

“Forty-five, that’s insane,” Rivers mentioned of Clark’s evening. “I’m glad we got here collectively as a staff. I believe we had 5 in double figures. You’ll be able to’t win it alone. So I’m glad we had been the higher staff tonight.”

Clark, who got here into the sport tied for second within the nation in scoring at 26.7 factors per sport, scored the Hawkeyes’ first 9 factors of the sport, and had the primary 11 factors of the fourth quarter as Iowa tried to rally from a 13-point deficit.

The preseason All-American was 16 of 28 from the sector, 5 of 13 in 3-pointers. She completed one level off her profession excessive.

“I haven’t seen very like that,” N.C. State coach Wes Moore mentioned. “A few of these photographs, I couldn’t consider them.”

However Clark had little offensive assist, as McKenna Warnock was the one different Hawkeye to attain in double figures with 15 factors. Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke every had seven factors.

“I believe any time I rating 40 factors, we lose,” mentioned Clark, who had her profession excessive of 46 factors in a loss at Michigan final season. “We scored factors, however we didn’t get stops.”

N.C. State had a balanced offense with Jakia Brown-Turner including 17 factors. Jada Boyd had 12 factors and Camille Interest had 10. The Wolfpack shot 57.1% from the sector for the sport, together with 61.1% within the fourth quarter to carry off the Hawkeyes (5-3).

N.C. State outscored Iowa 31-28 within the fourth quarter, answering each menace from the Hawkeyes.

“I’ll be sincere, we wanted to see that,” Moore mentioned of how his staff responded within the fourth quarter. “I saved ready. They might make a run, (Clark) would make an unbelievable shot, the group’s into it, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, right here we go.’ Then one in all our children would make a shot.”

Johnson and Rivers mixed to shoot 17 of 29 from the sector, together with 5 of seven in 3-pointers.

Rivers, who hadn’t made a 3-pointer in six makes an attempt this season, was 3 of 4 from behind the arc on this sport on her solution to a profession excessive in scoring.

“I believe this sport was an enormous confidence increase for me,” mentioned Rivers, a switch from South Carolina.

The Wolfpack had 46 factors inside, a quantity that bothered Iowa coach Lisa Bluder.

“I used to be very disenchanted with our defensive effort,” Bluder mentioned. “We often personal the paint. We had been by no means in assist place, and we paid the worth for it.”

“We didn’t have a way of urgency,” Warnock mentioned. “There was only a bizarre dullness on protection.”

N.C. State additionally had 31 factors off the bench, in comparison with 9 for the Hawkeyes.

BIG PICTURE

The 2 groups are going to be passing one another within the rankings subsequent week — the Wolfpack on the best way up, the Hawkeyes on the best way down after beginning the season within the high 5.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack confirmed steadiness and endurance on offense. Rivers was 9 of 11 from the sector, whereas Johnson was 8 of 12. The Wolfpack obtained sufficient defensive stops — they held the Hawkeyes to 44.8% taking pictures.

Iowa: Clark was Iowa’s solely scoring menace throughout the sport — heart Monika Czinano, who led the nation in field-goal proportion final season, obtained just one shot within the first half and completed with 5 factors on simply 2 of 4 taking pictures. “I don’t know why we couldn’t get her the ball tonight,” Bluder mentioned. “It was maddening.”

UP NEXT

NC State: At Georgia on Monday.

Iowa: At Wisconsin on Sunday.