Clemson Falls to Iowa in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Iowa City, Iowa – Thanks in large part to 28 assists on 30 made baskets and 24 points for Monika Czinano, Iowa downed Clemson, 74-60, on Wednesday night inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the day’s final contest in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The win moves the Hawkeyes to 6-2 on the year, while the loss drops the Tigers to 3-6.

Kobi Thornton paced the Tigers in her first start of the season with 17 points and five rebounds, while Kendall Spray finished with 12, including 4-7 from three. Amari Robinson was the only other Tiger in double figures with 11 and a team-high-tying five rebounds.

Iowa used a 12-2 run to close out the first quarter and take a 22-18 lead, then used back-to-back baskets to push the lead to nine just one minute into the second quarter. The Tigers then used an 8-0 run, powered by back-to-back threes from Spray, to cut the lead to five at 35-30. Iowa was able to hold off the Tigers throughout the rest of the half, keeping it at a five-point advantage at halftime at 39-34.

Clemson cut it to two in the third, but Iowa used timely threes to hold on to a 54-47 lead after three. When Iowa pushed the lead to 12 at the fourth quarter media timeout, the Tigers couldn’t overcome the double-digit deficit, falling 74-60.

Clemson is back in action on Sunday, December 8, welcoming No. 8 Florida State to Littlejohn Coliseum for a 12:00 p.m. matchup on RSN.