Stuelke FALLS HARD After Foul, Play Reviewed | NCAA Tournament, Iowa Hawkeyes vs West Virginia.

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Migraine keeps Hannah Stuelke out of the second half of Iowa’s NCAA tournament win over Holy Cross

Addison O’Grady negates the impact, though, with 14 points.

“I think it was a mutual decision,” Stuelke said, on the conclusion not to play in the second half of Iowa’s 91-65 first-round NCAA women’s basketball tournament win over Holy Cross.

The Hawkeyes’ second-leading scorer and an all-Big Ten second-teamer, Stuelke confirmed afterward that she was suffering from “probably” a migraine.

“It came on during the game. I just wasn’t feeling great,” the sophomore from Cedar Rapids said.

Stuelke played 10 scoreless minutes in the first half before shutting it down for the day.

Holy Cross Crusaders guard Cara McCormack (15) and Holy Cross Crusaders guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy (13) fight to get the ball away from Iowa Hawkeyes forward Hannah Stuelke (45) in the first quarter during the NCAA tournament first round game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

“She didn’t feel well,” Bluder said. “It wasn’t worth putting her in if we didn’t have to have her. Save her for Monday.”

That’s when the Hawkeyes (30-4) face West Virginia (25-7) in a second round; tipoff is 7 p.m. (ESPN). The winner advances to the Sweet 16 next Saturday at Albany, N.Y.

The rest of the post crew, particularly Addison O’Grady, was able to minimize the impact of Stuelke’s absence.

O’Grady hit 7 of 9 shots from the floor and scored 14 points.

“I’m just excited to provide any help I can,” she said. “You never really know. You always have to stay ready.”

Stuelke said O’Grady “played great. I’m really proud of her. It was great to see her step up.”

A.J. Ediger made both of her shots and scored four points; Sharon Goodman was 2 of 3 and tallied five.

In all, that trio was 11 of 14 from the field.

Iowa forward Addison O'Grady (44) drives against pressure from Holy Cross’ Bronagh Power-Cassidy (13) in the first quarter of Iowa’s 91-65 win in the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

‘Just a stinger’ for Caitlin Clark

With Iowa in front 26-21, Power-Cassidy was trying to make a cut to the hoop, and gave Clark an inadvertent shot to the nose.

Clark was awarded two free throws, and made both. As she and Power-Cassidy crossed paths before the subsequent inbounds pass, they slapped hands.

“Obviously it looked kind of bad in slow motion, but it wasn’t on purpose,” Clark said. “She didn’t do that on purpose. She came up and said, ‘Sorry,’ but honestly, I’m totally OK. It was just a stinger.”

Power-Cassidy said, “It was totally unintentional. I broke my hand in our (Patriot League tournament) game at (Boston University) so when I was moving, I was just very conscious of keeping it out of too much contact and unfortunately it just happened that way.

“I would like to apologize. It was not intentional at all, and (Clark) was a great sport about understanding that. I know it always looks terrible if someone gets hit in the face.

“Hopefully I didn’t look rude but I did think it was a little funny just hearing the boos.”

Power-Cassidy hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter to keep the Crusaders close early.