Crossover at Kinnick, the season-opening exhibition game between Iowa and DePaul played in Kinnick Stadium, was, by pretty much any measure imaginable, a smashing success. Iowa tipped off the 2023-24 season -- the most anticipated season in the history of Iowa women's basketball -- with an event like no one had ever seen before in women's basketball.
The weather was (mostly) fine, the basketball was good (other than the outside shooting), and the atmosphere was incredible. Over 50,000 Iowa fans packed Kinnick Stadium and cheered their lungs out for Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark and her teammates.
Speaking of attendance -- yes, Iowa did set a new record for largest attendance at an NCAA women's basketball game. The announced attendance figure of 55,646 shattered the previous record of 29,619 set at the 2002 NCAA Championship Game between UConn and Oklahoma in San Antonio.
As for the game itself, it provided Iowa fans with a chance to see the new-look Hawkeye squad for 2023-24. For the first time in four years (!), Iowa had a new starting lineup, following the departures of McKenna Warnock and Monika Czinano after the 2022-23 season. Hannah Stuelke and Addison O'Grady replaced them in the lineup, joining returning starters Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, and Gabbie Marshall.
The first point at Crossover at Kinnick was scored by Hannah Stuelke at the free throw line, giving Iowa a 1-0 lead. The Iowa offense was a little sluggish to start the game and DePaul jumped out to a 6-5 lead a few minutes into the action. That was the last time they would have a lead in the game.
As Iowa settled down, the offense began to click, with the Hawkeyes emphasizing transition buckets and feeding the post. Given the conditions (cool and a bit windy), outside shooting was a struggle on the day. And feeding the post works well when you have the best passer in the sport (Clark) and teammates who are very capable of finishing around the rim.
Still, DePaul hung with Iowa for most of the first quarter and the Hawkeyes led just 24-18 at the end of the quarter. An 8-3 run by Iowa to start the second quarter pushed Iowa's lead to 13 points (34-21) and it only briefly dipped below double digits for the remainder of the game. Iowa cruised into the halftime break with a 52-37 lead after two made free throws by Clark; she ended the first half with 24 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds in yet another dominating display.
In the third quarter, Iowa pushed the lead as high as 28 points and seemed content to cruise from there. A 15-0 run from DePaul to start the fourth quarter cut Iowa's lead to 11 with 5:37 to play, before Clark made a layup to get Iowa's offense unstuck. Iowa went back and cruise control after that and wrapped up a comfortable 94-72 victory.
Iowa used their dominance in transition (a 21-10 advantage in fast break points) and down low (a 60-32 edge in points in the paint) to roll in this game. Whether it was the outdoor conditions, the unusual sightlines, or nerves from playing in front of a crowd of 50,000+, neither jump shots nor free throws hit with much regularity for the Hawkeyes.
Iowa was just 6/22 (27%) from 3-point range in the game and only 16/30 (53%) from the free throw line. Hannah Stuelke, not a strong free throw shooter, was only 4/10 from the game, but she wasn't the only Hawkeye who struggled there -- Caitlin Clark, who is a very good free throw shooter, was just 5/10 at the line herself.
On an individual basis, Caitlin Clark delivered yet another sublime performance, using one of the biggest stages of her career to record another triple double (albeit one that doesn't count in the NCAA record books, since this was just an exhibition) with 34 points on 13/26 shooting, along with 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals. And while her outside shot wasn't falling at first, Clark did still manage to hit a logo 3 or two:
Four other players joined Clark in double figures in scoring, led by Molly Davis' 13 points off the bench. Davis looked assertive in attacking the bucket and finished well (5/7 from the floor). Addison O'Grady has the unenviable task of helping to fill Monika Czinano's shoes this season, but her campaign got off to a strong start with 10 points and 11 rebounds. She showed good touch around the rim and seems to be developing a solid connection with Clark as well. Hannah Stuelke added 12 points and 3 rebounds, while Kate Martin had 11 points and 8 rebounds as well.
OTHER NOTES
Former Hawkeye royalty was in attendance, as program legends Megan Gustafson and Kathleen Stewart were on hand to watch Iowa.
Like the football team, the women entered Kinnick Stadium with "Back in Black" blaring:
Even the normal pre-game intros were electric inside Kinnick Stadium:
The visuals for the event were absolutely next-level all day:
Just like the football games, everyone in Kinnick stopped to wave at UI Children's Hospital after the first quarter. Iowa previously announced that all proceeds from the Crossover at Kinnick game would be donated to the UI Children's Hospital as well.
The marching band provided a halftime performance that neatly celebrated Caitlin Clark and the Iowa team:
There was even a long -- and loud -- I-O-W-A chant that rang throughout Kinnick Stadium for several minutes in the fourth quarter.
Again, everything about Crossover at Kinnick was an absolutely phenomenal success.
