March Madness concludes in big way
Monday, Apr. 8, marked the thrilling conclusion of the NCAA March Madness tournaments. In a stunning display, the University of Connecticut clinched the men’s tournament trophy for the second consecutive year, triumphing over Purdue. In the women’s bracket a day earlier, the South Carolina Gamecocks etched their name in history, securing their third national title and an undefeated season with a resounding victory over Iowa.
The women’s championship game consisted of a pendulum of scoring efforts with both teams having promising quarters throughout. Iowa came out at a near-record pace with half of their shots falling. South Carolina, meanwhile, struggled to find their range early on and was forced to rely on shots in the paint. Iowa’s ability to hit deep contested shots allowed them to escape the first quarter with a 27-20 lead.
Whatever coaching decisions were made by the Gamecoack’s staff between the first and second quarters proved fruitful, as South Carolina looked like a different team. Not only were they able to extend their range, but they also limited Iowa’s outside attempts and forced them into the paint. On offense, the Gamecocks hit several shots from behind the arch but thrived in the paint as they finished strong at the rim. After a concerning first period of play, the Gamecocks finished the half up 49-46.
South Carolina’s squad continued its stellar defense in the third quarter, but its offense slowed down a bit. Defensively, they allowed Iowa to sink only one three-pointer and completely shut down senior guard Caitlin Clark, who was unable to hit a single shot behind the arch despite her numerous attempts. On the other end, the Gamecocks tallied eight field goals, several of which were from long range. They extended their lead even more in the third, with the scoreboard reading 68-59 at the buzzer.
Down by nine, Iowa still had time to make a comeback and win their first NCAA Championship. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, though, they hardly improved on their low-scoring third-quarter performance. They were able to drain two shots from behind the arch but struggled to find the basket from nearly everywhere else. South Carolina also struggled on offense, missing every long-range shot, but still outscored Iowa 19-16. As time expired, South Carolina stormed the court to celebrate their third national title with an 87-75 win over Iowa.
After Iowa’s impressive win over LSU, the world seemed to be rallying behind the Hawkeyes, led by the sensational Caitlin Clark. Clark, who shattered several records this season, including tournament bests, was unable to cap off her four-year stint at Iowa with a title. She left everything on the court in the championship game, however, scoring a remarkable 30 points and grabbing eight rebounds in her 40 minutes of play.
The following night, the men’s tournament ended with another highly-anticipated matchup. Per usual, the first half showed both squads relying heavily on their inside game. Purdue’s senior center, Zach Edey, was undoubtedly the best player in the tournament, and at 7’4”, he plays incredibly well in the paint. In the first half, he scored seven baskets and led his team in scoring. UConn struggled to score during various points in the half, especially from three with only two of their eight attempted three-pointers falling. The Huskies excelled in the paint and from mid-range and led 36-30 at the conclusion of the first half.
With a close game at hand, Purdue was far from out of it. Much like the first half, Purdue relied on their inside game to score; They still attempted a few three-pointers but were 0-5 on their attempts. Edey again had a field day up close, adding 23 points to his tally in the second half. UConn’s team was convinced to extend their range, but yet again struggled to do so. They successfully sank three of their 11 attempts from deep while continuing to dominate in the paint. Purdue put up another 30 points in the second half but allowed the Huskies to add 39, solidifying UConn’s 75-60 win and a second NCAA Championship in a row.
This season was the last chance for Iowa and Purdue to win with their respective superstar players. Clark and Edey are both expected to have success in their respective drafts, with Clark projected as the number-one selection and Edey a first-round spot. Both teams will look to replace their stars with the upcoming class to try for continued success in future seasons.