The fifth-seeded University of Iowa women’s basketball team (20-9) led from start to finish to in a dominant 86-72 victory over fourth-seeded Kentucky (18-9) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday afternoon inside Bill Greehey Arena.

It will be Iowa’s second straight appearance Sweet 16 appearance and eighth in school history.

Freshman guard Caitlin Clark led Iowa with a tournament-high 35 points to set a new school record for most points in an NCAA Tournament game.

Clark, who sank six 3-pointers, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out six assists, was one of three Hawkeyes in double figures as Iowa shot 35-of-61 from the floor (57.4 percent) for its best shooting performance in nine games.

Defensively, the Hawkeyes were just as dominant. Iowa limited Kentucky to only 22 first-half points – a season-low from an opponent this season – on 8-of-37 shooting (21.6 percent). The Wildcats finished the game, shooting 35.1 percent (26-of-74) from the floor.

Clark and the Hawkeyes jumped out to an 11-0 lead to begin the game and held a double-digit cushion throughout the contest. Iowa’s 23-11 first-quarter lead quickly blossomed to a 34-13 advantage four minutes into the second quarter thanks to a 9-0 run.

Clark scored Iowa’s final five points of the first half and finished with 24 first-half points, outscoring Kentucky at halftime as Iowa held a 49-22 advantage at the break.

Kentucky used an 11-0 run to bring the game within 16 points, 55-39, with 4:48 left to play in the third, but that’s all the closer they would get. Iowa responded with six straight points of its own and led 70-46 heading into the fourth quarter.

Clark scored her final bucket on a jumper with 4:49 to play as Iowa held a 79-55 advantage, and she subbed out with 1:09 remaining.

Junior Monika Czinano and sophomore McKenna Warnock chipped in with double-digit scoring efforts. Czinano was 7-of-12 from the field for 14 points and she added eight rebounds, while Warnock recorded 10 points and eight rebounds.