Uncommon things being normalized is the ultimate testament to greatness and Caitlin Clark delivered on the biggest stage again. An eruption from 15,000 people inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena occurred at 9:45 when Clark launched a three-pointer from the logo at the buzzer to slay the Spartans.
The Spartans wasted zero time and punched Iowa in the mouth first. Michigan State is one of the highest-scoring teams in the country and showcased that early on. They went on an 8-0 run in the first two minutes. After two Clark turnovers and three missed shots, she powered her way inside to break the scoring drought.
That would propel a 12-0 Iowa run that was capped off by a transition three-pointer courtesy of Gabbie Marshall. The fifth-year senior hasn’t had a great shooting start to the season, but the relief on her face showcased her bounce-back.
Iowa would propel to a 25-17 lead through the first quarter with Clark leading the way with 13. The Hawkeyes would continue to have turnover troubles in the second and it helped the Spartans stay in it. MSU would utilize a 16-5 run near the end of the second quarter to take a 37-35 lead. Iowa missed 10 of its final 11 shots.
After a couple quick buckets to start the third, frustration and inefficiency set in for the Hawkeye offense. Iowa went more than three minutes without scoring despite quite a few good looks. Fifth-year guard Molly Davis would break the cold stretch with a difficult floater in the lane.
The best players in sports takeover when it matters most and that’s what Clark did during the final stretch. She made a couple of clutch three-pointers in the final minutes, but Michigan State remained strong and responded with big buckets of their own.
