FILE PHOTO BY BRIAN RAY/HAWKEYESPORTS.COM - Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks to drive in an exhibition game against Truman State on Nov. 4, 2021, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Caitlin Clark scored 16 of her 32 points in the fourth quarter and No. 21 Iowa held off Rutgers 87-78 on Thursday night.

The Hawkeyes had a 15-point lead late in the second quarter, were up 39-27 at the half and took a 62-54 lead into the fourth quarter but couldn’t put away the Scarlet Knights

Monika Czinano scored Iowa’s first four points in the final period but a jumper by Shug Dickson pulled Rutgers within 66-63. Clark scored the next 12 Iowa points but Dickson’s second-straight jumper with a minute left made it 81-78.

Clark found McKenna Warnock inside to make it 83-78 with 37.4 seconds to play. Rutgers then missed three shots on its next possession, including a block by Warnock. Clark made two free throws with 10.4 to go, stole the ball and made two more from the line.

Czinano finished with 23 points on 10-of-11 shooting and Warnock hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points for the Hawkeyes (19-7, 13-4 Big Ten Conference), who wrapped up a double bye as a top-four seed for the league tournament next week. They face No. 6 Michigan to close the regular season on Sunday for a chance to earn the league title for the first time since 2008.

Clark finished with nine rebounds and nine assists in her 9th game scoring 30 points this season..

Dickson had 19 points for Rutgers (9-19, 2-14), Lasha Petree and Jailyn Mason both had 13 points and Osh Brown had 12 with nine rebounds.

Iowa shot 60 percent, made nine 3-pointers and 14 of 17 from the foul line. But the Hawkeyes were outrebounded 35-28 and had 17 turnovers, eight by Clark.

Rutgers shot 45 percent, matching Iowa’s 32 field goals, but had 18 more shots because of 17 offensive rebounds.

No. 21 Iowa 87, Rutgers 78

IOWA (19-7) — Warnock 7-12 0-0 19, Czinano 10-11 3-4 23, Clark 10-17 9-11 32, Marshall 2-8 0-0 4, Martin 0-1 0-0 0, Feuerbach 0-0 0-0 0, Taiwo 1-2 2-2 5, O’Grady 2-2 0-0 4. TOTALS 32-53 14-17 87.

RUTGERS (9-19) — Brown 5-8 2-3 12, Singleton 2-6 0-0 4, Lassiter 2-5 0-0 4, Mason 5-9 0-0 13, Petree 4-12 2-2 13, Dickson 9-18 1-3 19, Guihon 0-1 0-0 0, Morris 2-8 1-2 5, Sidibe 3-4 2-2 8. TOTALS 32-71 8-12 78.

Iowa 17 22 23 25 — 87

Rutgers 10 17 27 24 — 78

3-Point Goals–Iowa 9-21 (Warnock 5-9, Clark 3-5, Marshall 0-5, Taiwo 1-2), Rutgers 6-20 (Lassiter 0-2, Mason 3-7, Petree 3-5, Dickson 0-4, Morris 0-2). Assists–Iowa 22 (Clark 9), Rutgers 9 (Dickson 4). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Iowa 28 (Clark 9), Rutgers 35 (Brown 9). Total Fouls–Iowa 12, Rutgers 15. A–1,852.