It’s championship Sunday from Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla., at the Gulf Coast Showcase for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
After a record-breaking performance against Florida Gulf Coast (4-2), No. 6 Iowa (6-1) gets a chance to avenge its lone loss of the season tonight against No. 22 Kansas State (6-0).
Iowa rolls into tonight’s contest winners of three straight since its 65-58 loss to K-State. The Hawkeyes topped Drake, 113-90, and scored the most points in a half in program history.
Then, in this tournament, Iowa has pocketed a pair of impressive wins. The Hawkeyes raced away from Purdue-Fort Wayne, 98-59, in their tournament opener before topping Florida Gulf Coast yesterday, 100-62.
In the win over Florida Gulf Coast, Iowa broke its school record for made 3-pointers in a game with 20 against the Eagles. Senior guard Caitlin Clark led Iowa with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
Five different Hawkeyes found their way into double-figure scoring against FGCU. Sophomore guard Taylor McCabe registered a career-high 18 points and six 3-pointers made.
Fifth-year guard Gabbie Marshall and junior guard Sydney Affolter each added 12 points for the Hawks, while graduate guard Kate Martin rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.
“I was very happy with the way we played in the first half. I thought our team was very focused for this game. When you don’t have time for a practice and you just really have that time for that scout meeting and an one hour walk through, I thought our players were really focused. I was happy with the way we passed the ball and shot, but I am almost more happy with the way we defended and rebounded,” Iowa head women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder said.
The win over Florida Gulf Coast marks the 40th occasion in which Iowa has scored 90 points or more since the start of the 2020-21 women’s college basketball season.
Of course, it was a historic night for Bluder as well. Bluder picked up her 500th career win.
Now, Iowa turns its attention to a talented Kansas State team that limited the Hawkeyes to 36.1% shooting and an even frostier 9.5% from 3-point distance back on Nov. 16 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Clark finished with 24 points, but it was on an inefficient 9-of-32 shooting and 2-of-16 from 3-point range.
Here’s how Hawkeye fans can watch, listen and stream Iowa versus Kansas State in tonight’s Gulf Coast Showcase championship game.