EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 28 points and a clutch 3-pointer, Monika Czinano added 24 points with a season-high 16 rebounds, and No. 23 Iowa defeated Northwestern 72-67 in overtime on Friday night.
Clark, the nation's leader in scoring (25.4 ppg) and assists (8.2 apg), hit a 3-pointer with 1:06 left in overtime to give the Hawkeyes a 66-64 lead. Iowa finished off the win with six free throws down the stretch, four by Clark and two by Czinano.
Still, a 3-pointer by Melannie Daley drew Northwestern within 70-67 with four seconds remaining before Clark finished it off with her final two free throws. She was 9-for-9 from the line and Czinano was 6-for-6.
Veronica Burton led Northwestern with 19 points and seven assists. Laya Hartman scored a career-high 14 points and Daley added 13 off the bench.
Burton made two 3-pointers and Hartman hit a third as the Wildcats scored 13 points in the first three-plus minutes of the second half to lead 44-32. After Northwestern's lead reached 46-34, Iowa scored the final seven points of the quarter to close within 46-41.
Iowa took its first lead of the game at 53-50 when Clark completed a three-point play with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter. It was a jumper by Daley that tied the game with 33 seconds left in regulation, sending the game to overtime.
Clark had five assists, 11 rebounds and 11 of Iowa's 25 turnovers, and Czinano secured her second career double-double.
Northwestern led 19-14 before Clark, who opened the game 1 for 5 from the field, hit a 3-pointer and added a three-point play to get the Hawkeyes going on offense. The teams exchanged baskets the remainder of the half and Northwestern led 31-28 at halftime.
Northwestern (11-8, 3-5 Big Ten) had won the last three games in the series, including a 77-66 victory on Jan. 6. Prior to that, Iowa had taken 14 of the last 15 from the Wildcats.
The win keeps Iowa (14-4, 8-1) on the heels of No. 6 Indiana (6-0) and No. 8 Michigan (9-1), who play in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Monday. Iowa hosts Ohio State on Monday.
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