It was the type of game you would expect in an intra-state rivalry battle. The newly refurbished Knapp center was packed with 6,424 Drake and Iowa fans as the World No. 4 Hawkeyes left Monica Chinano with his 36 points and his 11 rebounds to give him 92 in overtime. I saw you pull off a -86 win. Iowa has now won 19 of his last 20 games with the Bulldogs.
“What a wonderful setting,” said director Lisa Bruder. “So it’s kind of like an NCAA Tournament environment, and I’m very happy to be here and win the trip.”
“I don’t think we survived them. I can’t tell you,” Kaitlyn Clarke said. “I think they’re an NCAA Tournament team. I really believe so.”
The Bulldogs got off to a quick start with Maggie Baer scoring the first six points of the game before a layup by Kate Dinevere made Drake 8-2 and put them into the ballgame with just 1:42 left. The Hawkeyes were able to stay calm and use an 8-2 run at the end of the quarter to cut the lead to 23-22.
In the second quarter, Drake got the crowd back on his feet and made another run to heel the Hawkeyes. The 8–0 run was capped by Sarabeth her Geldner’s 3-pointer her make, and Lisa Bruder forced a timeout. Iowa continued to fight, but Grace’s Berg layup gave Drake a 45–41 advantage at halftime on his break. The Hawkeyes entered halftime with just 2 offensive rebounds to Drake’s 18 defensive rebounds.
“It was our focus.
About midway through the second half, Iowa was able to regain the lead. Gabby Marshall knocked down two 3-point shots to break an 0/8 start to the season and give Iowa a 52-51 lead, as McKenna made his 3-pointer his own. Drake HC Allison his poleman had to take a timeout.
“Caitlin and Monica can always step up and hit any shot, so I know I’ll be there whenever they need me and if I get the chance to take a shot, I’ll take it.” She finished the game 3/5 from behind the arc: “Caitlin comes to me to take a shot every time, so it definitely helps build my confidence.”
Iowa’s lead mostly held on, but never exceeded 4 points for the rest of regulation. Grace back-to-back layups on his Berg allowed Drake to take his 69-68 lead, but baskets from Chinano and Warnock pushed Iowa back to his 72-69. With 2:30 left, Caitlin Clarke filled in his 3-point make to put the Hawkeyes up to his 79-74, but Drake fought back behind Katie Dinevia’s superb performance. Two baskets from her in the final two minutes, including a tying layup with 24 seconds remaining, sent the game to OT tied at 82.
“Katie Dinebia played very well today. I’m impressed with her,” said Bluder. Dinebia finished the game with her 10-of-13 shooting with him scoring 24, five rebounds and his four assists.
Overtime soon started in favor of the Hawkeyes and then stepped into the Bulldogs the rest of the way. Kaitlin Clarke pulled into the lane and used the grass to finish, giving Iowa the lead. Gabby Marshall was able to steal Drake’s ensuing inbound pass, which led to Monica Chinano’s basket 20 seconds later, and he was less than a minute into overtime as Iowa went his 86-82 lead. took the lead.
Kaitlyn Clark said, “I think the biggest play was Gabby stealing to start overtime. We won possession again, Monica scored, we scored four points in the first three possessions in overtime, and we kept the defense down and let them shoot tough.”
Hawkeye’s defense forced Drake to shoot just 1/8 from the floor in overtime. This includes 1/7 from behind the arc. A huge offensive rebound from Monica Chinano with 41 seconds remaining allowed Iowa to lead Kaitlyn Clarke to the free-throw line, giving Iowa an 88-83 lead in a pair of free-throw makes. They were just from the free-throw line of the game where he was 17/30 but in the final minute he was 5/8 which was enough for him to secure a 92–86 victory.
“Early in the season it really builds mental determination. All the teams we play non-conference are really good. Drake is no exception,” said Monica Zinano. “I think it’s good for us to win here and have that mental determination that we have to work overtime. It’s good for us.”
Monica Chinano had 36 points and 11 rebounds on 14-of-21 shooting. Caitlin Clarke scored 28 points on his September 28th shot, while McKenna added his 11 points to Warnock. Hannah Stuelke off the bench she got her three offensive boards and Molly Davis notched her four points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The two stats that stood out in the final box score were a rebounding effort from the Hawkeyes as well as driving Drake to 23 turnovers. Monika Czinano grabbed her 11 rebounds, including her five offensive boards, and overall, the team grabbed her 14/54 (25.9%) rebounds on the offensive side. They were also able to bring down her 29/37 (78.4%) of his rebounds defensively.
“I’m very happy with the way I boxed out and I did a better job in the second half when I crashed the board,” said Bruder.
“I love seeing more offensive rebounds in games like this. It’s very important in a close game where rebounds are the difference between winning and losing,” said Monika Czinano. “I’m proud of the whole team’s efforts and making it better.”
Meanwhile, Hawkeyes will look to improve their charity stripes. A year ago, the nation’s leading free-throw team was just 56.7% off the line today.
“It’s something we can build. It’s still super early,” Czinano said. “It was a great environment to come to Big Ten and see what all of our environments are like.”
“I think when it comes to free throws, it’s really all mental and you step up to the line knowing you can make that shot,” said Kaitlyn Clarke. And I’m sure the upcoming games will prove that.”
The game added a bit of an in-game ceremony for former Drake women’s basketball player Lisa Brinkmeyer, who is battling cancer. Played five seasons with the Bulldogs until 1997. Iowa associate head coach Jan Jensen was Bruder’s assistant when Brinkmeyer was a player for Drake.
“I tried to get her to come to Iowa with me, but she was Drake the whole time, so she wasn’t going to come there with me.” Because she gave so much to others. She always invested in people and is the glue that holds our great Drake team together…She was always the one to organize reunions and everyone’s birthdays. I will never forget her, she is an incredible human being.”
“For her to have to get through this battle, all we can do is be there for her…it’s a special game that we want to do this in her honor, and today, I think both teams played very well in honor of Lisa.”
