The Drum Beat
Purdue Basketball
January 10, 2024
by Shawn Martin
Excelhsports.com
CLARK & CO. CORRAL BOILERS
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
The listed seating capacity of Mackey Arena on the campus of Purdue University is 14,876. Pretty much every one of those seats were occupied by gold and black clad fans there to see the undisputed rock star of women’s college basketball, Iowa’s senior Caitlin Clark. Most were wearing Purdue items, but there were a lot of Iowa #22 jerseys to be seen as well.
The third ranked Hawkeyes won 96-71 over Purdue in front of that sold out crowd.
The 6-0 superstar from West Des Moines, Iowa is the reigning National Player of the Year and came into the game against the Boilermakers averaging a nation leading (by over five points a game) 31.3 points per game.
Number 22 on the Hawkeyes didn’t disappoint.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
In the opening ten minutes of the game, Clark registered 11 points, three assists, two rebounds, and a steal. The Hawkeyes opened up a 29-18 lead on the feisty Lady Boilermakers.
Clark cooled off a bit in the second quarter due to some good Purdue defense on her. She had five points in the quarter, including two free throws with a second left on the clock. Great players though find other ways to impact the game. She had five of her ten assists during the second quarter as her teammates – many times forgotten, but very lethal as well – dialed in on the scoring column.
One among them benefited the most as Junior guard Sydney Affolter doubled her normal scoring output off the bench with 14.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke mainly administered the scoring damage in the second quarter and game, going for 15 and 10 respectively in the game.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
Gabbie Marshall chipped in 12. The Hawkeyes shared the ball well, recording 22 assists as a team.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
Clark would record a triple-double before she took a seat, with 26 points, ten assists, and ten rebounds.
Purdue would not go away the first half of the game. On several occasions, they would fall behind twelve or fourteen points, then claw back to within seven.
One such of those occasions happened after Purdue’s Mila Reynolds hit two free throws and cut the lead to 42-35. Clark turned the ball over, but Clark blocked the layup attempt by Boilermaker guard Jeanae Terry, then nailed her only three of the second quarter to put Iowa back up ten, 45-35 with 2:51 left in the first half. The lead would be 14 as the teams headed for the locker-room.
Iowa increased their lead by seven in the third and four more in the fourth.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
The Boilermakers of Katie Gearlds did have some good performances of their own. Abbey Ellis was sensational leading Purdue with 15 points and six assists.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
Caitlyn Harper added 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Terry and Madison Layden each had ten points. Layden had a team leading six rebounds while Terry contributed four assists.
Photo by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
Purdue struggled most of the game with their shooting, hitting on only 40 percent of their field goal attempts and only 25% of their shots from beyond the arc. Iowa was 53 and 45% in those two categories. Rebounding was another huge deficit for the host team – Iowa grabbed 40, while the Lady Boilers could only corral 23.
The crowd and atmosphere were tremendous. While many were there to see Clark, when Purdue made good plays – and there were many – a typical Mackey Arena cheer would be loudly heard throughout the cavernous arena. It was a Purdue crowd. Many also cheered when Clark did something special – which happens a lot.
Much like Purdue’s reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey, Clark accommodated dozens of young fans with autographs and selfies near the tunnel after the final horn. She is good for the game.
Purdue (9-6, 2-2) is off until next week when they travel to Penn State on January 18th. Iowa (16-1, 5-0) hosts #14 Indiana on Saturday.
(The following is credit sourced to the University of Iowa Athletics)
POSTGAME NOTES
– No. 3 Iowa (16-1, 5-0) defeated Purdue (9-6, 2-2), 96-71, inside a sold-out Mackey Arena on Wednesday night.
– The Hawkeyes are off to their fifth 16-1 start in program history.
– Iowa is off to its best start in the Lisa Bluder era.
– Iowa last started 16-1 in the 1995-96 season.
– National Player of the Year candidate, Caitlin Clark, registered her fourth triple-double of the season and 15th of her career. (26p, 10 a, 10r)
– Clark has now registered back-to-back triple double performances. (Rutgers)
– It was her 51st career double-double, she is No. 9 on the Big Ten’s all-time list. She leads all Big Ten active players in career double-doubles.
– Clark has 52 career games with 25+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ rebounds. (NCAA Best)
– UI has won eight straight against Purdue.
– Iowa is 5-0 on the road on this season.
– The Hawkeyes are 5-0 for the first time in Big Ten play since the 2003-04 season.
– In the first quarter, Iowa tied a program record with seven made 3-point field goals.
– Sydney Affolter has recorded back-to-back double digit scoring games for the first time in her career.
– Gabbie Marshall netted four or more 3-point backets in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
– Marshall is 8-for-15 in her last two games (53.3%).
– Clark has scored 20+ points in 102-of-117 career games which is the most in program history.
– Kate Martin has scored 10+ points in 10 of the last 12 games.
– Iowa is currently riding a Big Ten-best 13-game winning streak.
– Since 2020-21, Iowa has scored 80+ points on 90 occasions which is the best nationally.
– The Hawkeyes have scored 80+ points in 13 contests this year.
– Since 2020-21, Iowa has scored 90+ points 46 times which is also the best nationally.
– Clark has scored 25+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ rebounds in 10 out of the last 11 games.
– Marks Iowa’s 12th win this season by 20+ points.
– Iowa snapped Purdue’s three-game winning streak.
– Seventh time Iowa has scored 50+ points at halftime this year.
– Iowa is 14-4 in the last 18 true road games.
– Clark kept her alive streak of 75 consecutive games making a 3-point basket. (NCAA best)
– Clark is the first Division-I player to record 3,000+ points, 900+ assists, and 800+ rebounds in a career.
– Iowa has won its last nine against Big Ten foes.
– Iowa owns the longest active streak in the AP Top 5 at 11 consecutive weeks.
– Clark is the NCAA’s fifth all-time leading scorer.
(POST GAME PRESSERS VIDEOGRAPHER: Cainan Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network
UP NEXT
The third-ranked Hawkeyes will host No. 14 Indiana on Jan. 13. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) inside a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will broadcast nationally on FOX and the Hawkeye Radio Network.
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