Clark's triple-double and 3-point flurry lead No. 3 Iowa to rout over Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Caitlin Clark finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists Wednesday night and No. 3 Iowa made 15 3-pointers as the Hawkeyes routed Purdue 96-71.
Clark now has 15 career triple-doubles, four this season.
Iowa (16-1, 5-0 Big Ten) extended its winning streak to 13 in a row since a Nov. 16 loss to Kansas State. Last year’s national runner-up also has won eight straight in this series.
The Boilermakers (9-6, 2-2) were led by Abbey Ellis with 15 points. Caitlyn Harper added 13 as Purdue’s three-game winning streak ended.
It didn’t take Clark — or her teammates — long to take charge in front of Purdue’s fourth home sellout crowd in program history.
Clark made her first two 3s, quickly erasing the memory of a 0 for 6 game in her only other appearance in West Lafayette, Indiana. She finished 6 of 14 from beyond the arc, helping the Hawkeyes record their second-highest single-game total of the season.
The only real miscue for Clark came late in the third quarter when she drew a technical foul.
By then, it didn’t matter.
Five different Iowa players combined for seven 3s in the first quarter as it built a 29-18 lead. The Hawkeyes extended the halftime margin to 51-37 and the Boilermakers couldn’t get closer than 11 in the second half.
THE TAKEAWAY
Iowa: Clark’s passing and shot-making skills make the Hawkeyes one of women’s basketball’s feature attractions. But this is not just a one-player team. Five Iowa players scored in double figures and six made 3s. If Clark continues getting that kind of help, they could make a second straight Final Four run.
Purdue: Coach Katie Gearlds has the Boilermakers on the right trajectory, though this team still has a long journey to compete with a team such as Iowa. Purdue did a solid job trading jobs early. But the Hawkeyes made the Boilermakers stingy, trademark defense look beatable.
BOOS FOR CLARK
Clark drew loud cheers during pregame player introductions, after making shots and especially after a nifty behind-the-back pass led to an easy layup. So why were Purdue fans booing when she made a 3-pointer from the Keady Court logo with 5.6 seconds left in the first half? The refs called a foul that could have resulted in a four-point play. Instead, they erased the basket, saying it occurred on the floor — a call even the Purdue fans disagreed with.
UP NEXT
Iowa: The 2022-23 Big Ten regular-season and tourney champs meet Saturday when No. 14 Indiana visits Iowa City.
Purdue: The Boilermakers are making their second trip in two weeks to Maryland. Last week’s game was postponed because of a leak at the Xfinity Center and has been rescheduled for Sunday.
