AP PHOTO BY BRYON HOULGRAVE/THE DES MOINES REGISTER - Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) puts in a layup between Drake defenders Taylor McAulay (3) and Allie Wooldridge (15) during the second quarter of Wednesday’s game at the Knapp Center in Des Moines. Clark scored a game-high 30 points as the Hawkeyes won 103-97.

DES MOINES — The University of Iowa women’s basketball team overcame an 11-point third-quarter deficit and finished off Drake from the free-throw line in a 103-97 victory on Wednesday night at the Knapp Center.

Former Dowling Catholic standout Caitlin Clark shined in a homecoming of sorts, piling up 30 points, 13 assists and four steals for the Hawkeyes (2-0). Monika Czinano added 27 points and McKenna Warnock went for 20 points and a team-leading eight rebounds as Iowa rallied back from a double-digit deficit on Drake’s home court.

The host Bulldogs (1-2) led 46-42 at halftime before pulling ahead 61-50 midway through the third period. Taylor McAulay intercepted a Kate Martin pass at midcourt and made a pair of foul shots after Martin fouled her going for a layup, but Iowa outscored Drake 15-7 over the final 4:03 of the quarter to climb back within three.

The Bulldogs regained a seven-point edge on a Kierra Collier 3-pointer with 8:52 left in the game, but a 10-0 run by Czinano and Gabbie Marshall swung the momentum for the Hawkeyes.

“We needed a spark,” Marshall said. “I thought I could bring that defensively. That’s what we needed being down seven.”

Both Marshall buckets came off steals and layups as Drake stumbled down the stretch. Another Collier 3-pointer tied the score again, 79-all, but Iowa led for the final 6:01 thanks to a 14-for-18 performance at the free-throw line in the last quarter.

“To be able to battle back on the road with a young team is pretty special,” said Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder. “It started on the defensive end. All of a sudden you’re in the game. That’s what you have to do against a team like Drake. It says a lot about our leadership to battle back like that.”

Sophomore transfer Grace Berg again led the Bulldogs with 26 points and nine rebounds. Collier finished with 25 points and 10 assists, and Maddie Monahan added 23 points.

Iowa’s 103 points is its high-scoring game in the series with Drake, and 200 total points is tops as well.

Iowa opens Big Ten Conference play Saturday at home against Wisconsin. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Drake goes on the road to face its second-straight Big Ten foe, Minnesota, on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Iowa 103, Drake 97

IOWA (2-0) — Warnock 5-12 8-10 20, Czinano 11-13 5-8 27, Clark 12-19 3-4 30, Marshall 3-6 1-2 8, Martin 1-3 0-0 2, Cook 2-2 0-1 4, Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Sevillian 2-3 2-2 7, Taiwo 0-0 3-4 3, Goodman 0-1 2-2 2, Jensen 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS 36-59 24-33 103.

DRAKE (1-2) — Berg 12-17 1-2 26, Burich 2-3 0-0 4, Wooldridge 1-3 0-1 2, Collier 9-15 0-1 25, Monahan 9-15 2-2 23, Bair 3-3 0-0 8, Mertz 0-0 0-0 0, Gueldner 1-7 0-0 2, McAulay 0-4 2-2 2, Negaard 1-3 2-2 5, Becker 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS 38-72 7-10 97.

Iowa 22 20 23 38 — 103

Drake 27 19 22 29 — 97

3-Point Goals–Iowa 7-17 (Warnock 2-3, Clark 3-10, Marshall 1-2, Sevillian 1-2), Drake 14-29 (Berg 1-1, Collier 7-9, Monahan 3-7, Bair 2-2, Gueldner 0-4, McAulay 0-3, Negaard 1-2, Becker 0-1). Assists–Iowa 20 (Clark 13), Drake 27 (Collier 10). Fouled Out–Bair. Rebounds–Iowa 32 (Warnock 8), Drake 32 (Berg 9). Total Fouls–Iowa 18, Drake 27. A–116.