Hawkeyes give a rocking performance on a national stage behind megastar Caitlin Clark
It’s a second-straight Final Four for Iowa, with a thorough vanquishing of 2023 conqueror LSU.
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Iowa settles a score with LSU, returns to Final Four
Caitlin Clark added to her lore with 41 points and 12 assists, and Iowa finally got the best of Kim Mulkey in the postseason. The second-ranked Hawkeyes topped No. 8 LSU, 94-87, in an NCAA women’s basketball tournament regional final Monday night at MVP Arena.
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Watch Iowa players' postgame press conference
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Watch Lisa Bluder's postgame press conference
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Watch game highlights: Iowa 94, LSU 87
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Iowa back to the Final Four
This is the bookend (so far) to Iowa's win over South Carolina in Dallas last year. Transcendent moment in program history. LSU is freaking good. Iowa played the Tigers off their feet.
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Final: Iowa 94, LSU 87
The Hawkeyes (33-4) win the rematch and head to the Final Four for the second year in a row. They'll play the winner of tonight's UConn-USC game Friday night in Cleveland.
Caitlin Clark with another outstanding Elite Eight performance: 41 points, 9-of-20 3-point shooting, seven rebounds, 12 assists and two steals. Kate Martin had 21 points, six boards and two steals.
Angel Reese had 17 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks before fouling out for LSU (31-6).
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Iowa 92, LSU 84 (0:26 4th)
Caitlin Clark fouls Last-Tear Poa on a 3. Poa can't convert the four-point play, but the Tigers get the rebound and a Flau'jae Johnson putback.
Timeout Iowa.
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Iowa 84, LSU 74 (1:45 4th)
Angel Reese fouls out on a charge after a steal in the backcourt. Kate Martin draws it. Could have been a three-point play.
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Iowa 84, LSU 74 (1:55 4th)
Mikaylah Williams drives for a hard-fought basket.
Timeout LSU.
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Iowa 84, LSU 72 (2:29 4th)
Hannah Stuelke scores and draws the fourth foul on Angel Reese.
Stuelke Smooth 🤩@CaitlinClark22 x @StuelkeHannah#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/9dGrE1M02R
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 2, 2024 -
Iowa 82, LSU 71 (3:17 4th)
Gabbie Marshall gets a point-blank interception of Flau'jae Johnson's entry pass and draws the fourth foul on Johnson.
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Good time to catch your breath
Caitlin Clark has matched her career-high for 3-pointers with nine. The TV timeout comes at a great time for the Hawkeyes, in my opinion. Players are tired. The defensive effort by Iowa has been terrific, the difference between being a coin flip and having their 80-69 lead. LSU is not a good 3-point shooting team.
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Iowa 80, LSU 69 (4:49 4th)
Caitlin Clark's ninth 3 ties a career high and puts the Hawkeyes up 11. She hads 37 points and 10 assists. ESPN's Ryan Ruocco calls her "simply ridiculous."
TV timeout.
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Iowa 75, LSU 65 (8:00 4th)
Caitlin Clark is 8-for-16 from 3-point range after her latest triple extends Iowa's lead back to 10.
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Iowa 69, LSU 61 (9:24 4th)
Mikaylah Williams starts the fourth with a big 3 for the Tigers.
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End 3rd: Iowa 69, LSU 58
A 24-13 third quarter for the Hawkeyes. Caitlin Clark has 31 points. Ten minutes from the Final Four.
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Iowa 65, LSU 58 (1:21 3rd)
LSU started the third 2-for-17 but has scored the last six, fueled by its defense and rebounding.
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Iowa 65, LSU 52 (2:45 3rd)
Kate Martin's spin and floater in the lane gives Iowa its largest lead of the game. It's a 15-3 run.
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Iowa 63, LSU 52 (3:50 3rd)
Caitlin Clark intercepts a pass, then has the patience and vision to find Sydney Affolter for a layup.
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Iowa 61, LSU 52 (4:23 3rd)
Caitlin Clark. Stepback 3. Her seventh trey of the game.
TV timeout.
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Iowa 58, LSU 52 (5:15 3rd)
LSU's Flaue'jae Johson heads to the bench with three fouls. And Last-Tear Poa just got her third as well, both trying to chase down Caitlin Clark.
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Iowa 58, LSU 51 (6:55 3rd)
Caitlin Clark hits another 3, her third of the half. Flau'jae Johnson's putback ends an 8-0 Iowa run.
.@CaitlinClark22 is shooting out the gym 🤯#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/frcs77g1iJ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 2, 2024 -
Iowa 55, LSU 49 (8:02 3rd)
Caitlin Clark gets separation from Hailey Van Lith and hits another deep 3-pointer. She's up to 25 points.
Timeout LSU.
Smooth with it. @CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 2, 2024
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/Ks7mtk5hNG -
Iowa 52, LSU 49 (8:31 3rd)
Fast pace again. Angel Reese gets to the baseline and hits a cutting Flaue'jae Johnson for two, only for Caitlin Clark to find a sprinting Kate Martin for a quick layup on the other end.
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Iowa 48, LSU 47 (9:35 3rd)
Caitlin Clark pulls up for a DEEP 3 over Hailey Van Lith on the first possession of the second half.
But Hannah Stuelke picks up her third foul on the other end and is replaced by Addison O'Grady.
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What to keep an eye on ...
Who gets her third foul first: Iowa's Hannah Stuelke or LSU's Angel Reese?
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Similar script?
Iowa got out-rebounded 49-25 vs. South Carolina last year and Caitlin Clark was 5-of-17 from deep, but it won.
The Hawkeyes have been out-boarded by LSU 23-15 tonight and Clark is 3-of-8 in 3s.
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Iowa gets back in the game
I thought Iowa was in a heap of trouble down 34-26 early in the second quarter, but the Hawkeyes stabilized to get back in it.
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Half: Iowa 45, LSU 45
Addison O'Grady's jumper in the lane gave the Hawkeyes a momentary lead, only for Flaue'jae Johnson to tie with a spinning floater over O'Grady at the buzzer.
Just an outstanding half of basketball.
Caitlin Clark had 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and five assists. Angel Reese countered with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.
"We've got to do a better job on the glass," Clark told ESPN.
.@Flaujae IS SHOWING OUT 😤#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUwbkb pic.twitter.com/VAdKsgLUrQ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 2, 2024 -
LSU 41, Iowa 41 (1:03 2nd)
Caitlin Clark goes behind the back to catch LSU napping in transition and hits a game-tying layup.
Meanwhile, Angel Reese just picked up her second foul battling Addison O'Grady for a rebound.
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Shooting has cooled off
LSU is 3-of-12 and Iowa 3-of-10 in the second quarter.
The first-quarter pace wasn't sustainable ... for Giannis or Doncic.
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LSU 38, Iowa 37 (3:02 2nd)
Caitlin Clark's transition 3 gets the Hawkeyes within one and the crowd as loud as it's been. Angel Reese will shoot two free throws after the media timeout after drawing the second foul on Hannah Stuelke.
CC for 👌@CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 1, 2024
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/J4nicsf2AD -
LSU 36, Iowa 32 (6:20 2nd)
Angel Reese posts up Hannah Stuelke and scores off the glass. She looked 100 percent there.
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LSU 34, Iowa 32 (6:38 2nd)
Angel Reese checks back into the game, still doesn't quite look 100 percent walking. Hannah Stuelke hits a pair of free throws to cut the lead to two.
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LSU 34, Iowa 30 (8:01 2nd)
Caitlin Clark draws a foul on Angel Reese and Reese goes tumbling under the basket. She hobbled off the floor without putting weight on one leg.
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LSU 34, Iowa 29 (8:44 2nd)
Sydney Affolter's second 3 of the game ends a 13-0 LSU run. Early minutes for AJ Ediger and she is denied at the rim by Angel Reese.
.@Reese10Angel is not playing around 💪#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @LSUwbkb pic.twitter.com/TF7NUZTkZa
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 1, 2024 -
LSU 34, Iowa 26 (9:30 2nd)
Iowa opens the second in a man-to-man defense, but Hailey Van Lith hits a stepback 3.
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End 1st: LSU 31, Iowa 26
LSU ends the opening quarter on a 10-0 run, fueled by the defense and rebounding of Angel Reese. Reese had 10 points, five boards, three assists and two steals in the opening 10 minutes.
Caitlin Clark had 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and three assists.
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LSU 27, Iowa 26 (1:25 1st)
LSU getting more ball pressure on the Hawkeyes and their offense has slowed after an explosive start. Angel Reese gets back-to-back transition layups -- the last after picking off a Caitlin Clark pass -- to give the Tigers the lead.
ON THE MOVE ✨
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) April 1, 2024
📺ABC | @Reese10Angel pic.twitter.com/L7blt5LhJt -
Iowa 25, LSU 21 (3:29 1st)
Caitlin Clark has settled for a couple jumpers but is still doing a good job getting to the rim. She'll have a chance to convert a three-point play after the media timeout.
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Iowa 23, LSU 21 (3:45 1st)
Sydney Affolter hits a 3 and Iowa is 5-for-7 from deep, but the Tigers are keeping up. Another Angel Reese putback cuts the lead to two.
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Iowa 20, LSU 17 (4:40 1st)
Gabbie Marshall and Mikaylah Williams shoot 3s. Will the Tigers shoot the Hawkeyes out of their zone defense?
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Iowa 17, LSU 14 (5:17 1st)
Angel Reese assists a Last-Tear Poa 3 and scores on a putback out of the timeout.
Poa wants a piece of the action
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) April 1, 2024
📺ABC pic.twitter.com/8qZBwdC5Gd -
Sensational start for Iowa
A sensational four minutes of offense from Iowa in building a 17-9 lead and forcing an LSU timeout.
Caitlin Clark with eight points and three assists, and nothing subtle about any of it.
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Iowa 17, LSU 9 (6:03 1st)
Kate Martin and Mikaylah Williams trade 3s, but Sydney Affolter beats the Tigers back down the floor and scores an easy layup.
Timeout LSU.
The Hawkeyes are on a mission 🔥#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/NYQxGnsqqJ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 1, 2024 -
Iowa 12, LSU 4 (7:15 1st)
Poa loses Clark on a screen on her first possession defending and Clark makes her pay with a top-of-the-key 3.
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Iowa 9, LSU 4 (7:28 1st)
Kim Mulkey brings Last-Tear Poa in for Hailey Van Lith after a hot start for the Hawkeyes.
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Iowa 7, LSU 2 (8:18 1st)
Gabbie Marshall already has a block and a steal. She fed Hannah Stuelke for a transition layup after the steal.
The steal & the dime 🔥@GabbieMarshall x @StuelkeHannah#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/yZ4Eb0u3Sz
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 1, 2024 -
Iowa 3, LSU 2 (8:56 1st)
Hailey Van Lith's midrange jumper in transition gets LSU on the board.
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Iowa 3, LSU 0 (9:41 1st)
Caitlin Clark opens the scoring with a 3-pointer on Iowa's first possession.
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Iowa starters:
3 Sydney Affolter, jr.
20 Kate Martin, grad.
22 Caitlin Clark, sr.
24 Gabbie Marshall, grad.
45 Hannah Stuelke, soph.
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LSU starters:
4 Flau'jae Johnson, soph.
10 Angel Reese, jr.
11 Hailey Van Lith, grad.
12 Mikaylah Williams, fr.
24 Aneesah Morrow, jr.
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Good vs. Evil? No, it’s Iowa vs. LSU, fiery, high-level teams playing for high stakes
If you think LSU's players are disrespectful or dismissive of the Hawkeyes, you’ve only seen them from far away.
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‘Good villains’ from LSU stand between Iowa and another Final Four
Three of Lisa Bluder’s best Iowa women’s basketball teams were eliminated at the hands of Kim Mulkey. The Hawkeyes have another breakthrough opportunity Monday.
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As Iowa continues to advance, Sydney Affolter continues to blossom
The hard-nosed, versatile junior has been one of the most valuable Hawkeyes in the postseason.
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Iowa vs. LSU game notes
• Iowa is a 1 1/2-point favorite to avenge its loss to LSU in last year’s NCAA championship game.
• The Hawkeyes breezed past No. 17 Colorado in Saturday’s regional semifinal, 89-68. Caitlin Clark registered 29 points and 15 assists, and all four of the other starters reached double digits. LSU pulled away with a 14-2 run at the end of the game to advance, 78-69, over No. 6 UCLA. Flau’jae Johnson led the Tigers with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
• Iowa is making its sixth Elite Eight appearance, its fourth since 2015, its second consecutive. It’s the 11th Elite Eight run for LSU.
• All five of LSU’s starters average in double digits, led by junior Angel Reese (18.6 ppg). Junior Aneesah Morrow (16.5 ppg) played at DePaul last year; fifth-year senior Hailey Van Lith (11.7 ppg) was on Louisville’s Elite Eight team.
• LSU Coach Kim Mulkey ended Iowa’s deep postseason runs while at Baylor in 2015 (Sweet 16, at Oklahoma City) and 2019 (Elite Eight, at Greensboro, N.C.), then beat the Hawkeyes in the final last year in Dallas. Mulkey owns a 91-13 record in three years at LSU.
• Iowa is No. 1 in the nation in scoring offense, at 91.9 points per game; LSU is No. 3 (85.9 ppg). Clark has scored 3,859 career points, which is the most in women’s basketball history.