Clark, Czinano lead Iowa past Georgia in March Madness
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, right, fights for a loose ball with Georgia guard Diamond Battles, left, and forward Brittney Smith, center, in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Caitlin Clark had 22 points and 12 assists while Monika Czinano added 20 points to help Iowa beat Georgia 74-66 in a second-round women's NCAA Tournament game Sunday.
The Hawkeyes (28-6), the No. 2 seed in Seattle Regional 4, advance to the ninth Sweet Sixteen in program history.
Gabbie Marshall added 15 points and McKenna Warnock had 14 for Iowa, which erased the memory of last season's second-round home loss to No. 10 seed Creighton.
Clark, a first-team Associated Press All-American, was held scoreless for 13 minutes in the first half, but scored 14 second-half points as the Hawkeyes finally shook off the 10th-seeded Lady Bulldogs (22-12). She made just 6 of 17 shots, but either scored or assisted on nearly every point by the Hawkeyes in the second half.
Georgia, a No. 10 seed, got within 68-66 on a 3-pointer from Audrey Warren with 2:17 left in the game, but the Lady Bulldogs would not score again, committing three straight turnovers and missing a layup.
Iowa led by as much as 10 points in the first half behind Marshall and Warnock, who combined for five 3-pointers to open the second quarter. But a 14-3 run by the Lady Bulldogs gave them a 35-34 lead, and it took a late surge to give the Hawkeyes a 41-40 halftime lead.
Diamond Battles led Georgia with 21 points. Brittney Smith and Javyn Nicholson each had 12 points.
Georgia forward Brittney Smith, left, is fouled by Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall
STUELKE OUT
Iowa was without freshman forward Hannah Stuelke. Stuelke, the Big Ten's Sixth Player of the Year, suffered an injured ankle in practice on Saturday.
Stuelke scored 14 points, making all five of her shots, in Friday's 93-45 first-round win over Southeastern Louisiana. She averages 7 points and 4.2 rebounds.
BIG PICTURE
Georgia forward Brittney Smith (24) shoots over Iowa forward Monika Czinano, left, in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall
Georgia: The Lady Bulldogs fell short of their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2013, but they finished strong in Katie Abrahamson-Henderson's first season as head coach. Georgia had won nine of their 12 games coming into Sunday's game.
Iowa: The Hawkeyes were held 13 points under their national-best average of 87.8 points, but came up with enough offense Georgia's zone defense, which forced 17 Iowa turnovers.
