No. 12 NC State overcomes 45-point effort from Iowa star Clark

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Diamond Johnson and Saniya Rivers each scored 22 points to help No. 12 North Carolina State overcome a 45-point effort from Caitlin Clark and beat No. 10 Iowa 94-81 in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game on Thursday night.

Clark, who came into the game tied for second in the nation in scoring at 26.7 points per game, scored the Hawkeyes’ first nine points of the game, and had the first 11 points of the fourth quarter as Iowa tried to rally from a 13-point deficit.

The preseason All-American was 16 of 28 from the field, 5 of 13 in 3-pointers. She finished one point off her career high.

But she had little offensive help, as McKenna Warnock was the only other Hawkeye to score in double figures with 15 points. Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke each had seven points.

N.C. State (7-1) had a balanced offense with Jakia Brown-Turner adding 17 points. Jada Boyd had 12 points and Camille Hobby had 10. The Wolfpack shot 57.1% from the field for the game, including 61.1% in the fourth quarter to hold off the Hawkeyes (5-3).

N.C. State also had 31 points off the bench, compared to nine for the Hawkeyes.

BIG PICTURE

The two teams are going to be passing each other in the rankings next week — the Wolfpack on the way up, the Hawkeyes on the way down after starting the season in the top five.

N.C. State: The Wolfpack showed balance and patience on offense. Rivers was 9 of 11 from the field, while Johnson was 8 of 12. The Wolfpack got enough defensive stops — they held the Hawkeyes to 44.8% shooting.

Iowa: Clark was Iowa’s only scoring threat during the game — center Monika Czinano, who led the nation in field-goal percentage last season, got only one shot in the first half and finished with five points on just 2 of 4 shooting.

UP NEXT

NC State: At Georgia on Monday.

Iowa: At Wisconsin on Sunday.