Iowa advances to the Final Four
UConn head coach Dan Hurley cut down the net after their convincing win to advance to the Final Four on Saturday, Apr. 6. (Andy lyons/Getty Images).
The Iowa Hawkeyes are officially in the Final Four of the women's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament. Iowa has been the focal point of sports coverage for years, with superstar guard Caitlin Clark constantly breaking records wearing the black and yellow. Their Elite Eight game against LSU was the highest-viewed collegiate women’s basketball game of all time, while also recording more viewership than last year’s World Series and NBA Finals.
On Monday, Apr. 1, Iowa squared off with LSU at MVP Arena in Albany, New York. This matchup was highly anticipated, as both teams had top players on their roster, including Iowa’s Clark and LSU’s forward Angel Reese. Last year, these same teams played one another in the championship game, in which the Tigers bested the Hawkeyes and claimed the national title. The rivalry had only built from there, leaving fans on the edge of their seats for Monday’s game.
The game stayed close throughout, providing a thriller for those who tuned in. The first quarter was a shootout, with neither team able to break away. By the conclusion of the opening period, LSU held a five-point advantage, leading 31-26. There was a steep decline in scoring from both sides in the second, with both teams recording just under 20 points. While Iowa didn’t play exceptionally well in the second quarter, LSU only made five field goals with one of them coming from behind the arc. Iowa was able to pick up several points in the paint along with two three-pointers to tie the game at 45-45.
The third quarter is where Clark and the Hawkeyes really came alive and pulled away from the Tigers. LSU was only able to score from the restricted area and the free-throw line while Iowa repeatedly tested their range. Caitlin Clark managed to hit four shots from behind the arc, three of which came from beyond her average three-point range. While the Hawkeyes were dialed in and scored 24 in the period, LSU was only able to muster 13 points, giving them a sizable deficit entering the fourth and final quarter.
After a disappointing third period, LSU was forced to play catch-up. They began shooting from beyond the arc and even hit a handful of three-pointers. Clark, being the thorn in LSU’s side, managed to hit two more, as she was not going home disappointed again this year. One person does not make a team, however, as Iowa made very evident. The rest of the Hawkeyes played phenomenal defense and were able to prevent the Tigers from coming back. As the final horn sounded, Iowa came out on top by a score of 94-87 while earning themselves a spot in the Final Four.
The one-seed Hawkeyes will now go on to play UConn on Friday, Apr. 5, at 9:30 p.m. It is expected to be a close game, as Iowa is a mere 2.5-point favorite against the three-seed Huskies. The team’s resilience will be tested yet again in that game, but defeating LSU further proved that the Hawkeyes have a real chance of winning the whole tournament.