Hawkeye Women Rally To Beat Gophers 76-75 In 1st Game Since Destiny Pitt's Departure

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Monika Czinano scored 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting and No. 22 Iowa hit five of its 10 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to rally from a 13-point deficit with eight minutes left and beat Minnesota 76-75 on Thursday night.

Kathleen Doyle had 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists, and Alexis Sevillian scored 11 points, for Iowa (14-3, 5-1 Big Ten Conference). The Hawkeyes have won five in a row and nine of their last 10.

Doyle, McKenna Warnock, Sevillian and Makeznie Meyer each hit a 3-pointer in a 16-4 run that pulled Iowa within a point with 1:10 to play. After Jasmine Brunson missed a layup, Sevillian made another 3 to give the Hawkeyes their first lead since midway through the second quarter. Gadiva Hubbard was fouled with 0.7 seconds left but missed 1 of 2 free throws and Iowa held on.

Freshman Sara Scalia had her first career double-double with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Golden Gophers (11-6, 1-5), who have lost five straight. Hubbard also scored 18 points and Jasmine Brunson added 16.

Destiny Pitts, who was suspended indefinitely by Minnesota before Sunday's game at Illinois for "conduct unbecoming a member of the team", announced earlier Thursday her intent to transfer. She was leading the team, and fifth in the conference, in scoring (16.3 points per game) and was a first-team all-Big Ten selection as a sophomore last season.

The Golden Gophers, who led by as many as 15 points in the second half, missed 13 of their last 15 shots.