Alexander leads No. 7 Maryland women to rout of No. 6 Iowa
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Brinae Alexander scored a season-high 24 points and matched a career best with six 3-pointers, and No. 7 Maryland handed Caitlin Clark and No. 6 Iowa their worst loss of the season, 96-68 on Tuesday night.
Iowa's loss clinched the Big Ten regular-season title for No. 2 Indiana, which visits Iowa on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Lavender Briggs added a season-high 19 points and Shyanne Sellers had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Terrapins (23-5, 14-3 Big Ten), who held Iowa — the nation's top-scoring and best-shooting team — to season worsts in points and field-goal percentage (34.8%).
Briggs was the primary defender on Clark, who had 18 points, her second lowest-scoring game of the season. Gabbie Marshall made five 3s and scored 15 points for the Hawkeyes (22-6, 14-3).
Maryland has won five straight since falling 96-82 at Iowa on Feb. 2, a game that featured 42 points by Clark. The Terps have won 10 of 11 overall and would finish second in the league if Indiana wins on Sunday.
Alexander and Briggs, both reserves, were so dominant that Maryland didn't need much from leading scorer Diamond Miller, who played only 8 minutes in the first half. Miller came on strong late and finished with 16 points.
Maryland took control with a 22-2 run in the second quarter, a burst that included three 3s by Alexander, and led by as many as 30 points in the fourth.
The Terrapins held the Hawkeyes to 30.3% shooting overall and 20% (4 of 20) from 3-point range in the first half, including an airball by Clark that the Maryland student section taunted her about for the rest of the game. She didn't make another 3 until the fourth quarter.
Maryland shot 47.9% overall and 53.8% (14 of 26) from 3-point range.
BIG PICTURE
Clark has never won at Xfinity Center, where she made a career best nine 3-pointers as a freshman two years ago.
Maryland improved to 11-5 overall against Iowa and 6-0 at home. The Terps are 11-2 at home this season and haven't lost in College Park since Nebraska beat them on Dec. 4.
VETERANS RETURNING
Clark, a junior who turned 21 in January, is not eligible for the WNBA draft until next year under the league's age requirement. Two key members of her supporting cast, Marshall and Kate Martin, announced this week they would return to play their fifth seasons for the Hawkeyes. Martin is second on the team in assists at 3.4 per game.
UP NEXT
Iowa: Hosts No. 2 Indiana on Sunday.
Maryland: At No. 16 Ohio State on Friday night.
