Dani Carnegie wasn’t just scoring points on Thursday night, she was making history. The junior sensation hit her 1,000th career point right before the halftime buzzer, leading No. 10 Iowa to an absolute beatdown of Northern Iowa, 78-40. This was the statement win the Hawkeyes needed after a tough road loss, and Carnegie’s milestone was the cherry on top.
Hawkeyes Dominate from Tip-Off
Carnegie went off for 22 points, hitting 9 of 13 shots from the field. She had 13 in that first half alone, capping it with that milestone layup. Talk about momentum! The Hawkeyes didn’t just win, they dominated from the jump, bouncing back hard after that tough 91-79 loss at No. 4 UConn on Sunday. They led 40-11 at halftime and stretched that lead to a ridiculous 46 points in the second half! What a response. Freshman McKenna Woliczko chipped in 14 points and grabbed nine boards, while 6-foot-4 Ava Heiden was unstoppable, adding 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Northern Iowa just had no answer for her size down low. The Hawkeyes shot a blistering 55.2% from the field and owned the glass with a 38-31 rebounding edge. They even put together a brutal 20-2 run to close out the first half. This team means business, extending their in-state series record against the Panthers to 29-3, including 18 of the last 19 games. That’s pure domination.
Northern Iowa’s Struggles Continue
Meanwhile, Northern Iowa looked completely lost. They managed a dismal 5 of 24 from the field in the first half, including a painful 1 of 11 from three-point range. Imagine going almost 6 1/2 minutes scoreless, then doing it again for another 5 1/2 minutes? Brutal. They ended up shooting a miserable 25.5% for the game and coughed up 26 turnovers. Jenna Twedt led their scoring with eight points, and Callie Levin, who used to play for Iowa, added six. It was a rough night all around for the Panthers, falling to 1-2 on the season.
No. 10 Iowa now stands at 3-1 and is looking to build on this massive win. They’re set to face another ranked opponent, No. 8 Vanderbilt, in Sioux City, Iowa, this Sunday. That’s a huge test to see if they can keep this momentum rolling against top competition. Northern Iowa, now 1-2, will host Creighton on Sunday, looking to shake off this performance.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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