Colorado-Iowa postgame coverage
» Game story: Iowa moves on to Elite Eight with big second half against Colorado
Colorado-Iowa postgame coverage
» Game story: Iowa moves on to Elite Eight with big second half against Colorado
Photos from Iowa's win over Colorado
See photos from Climate Pledge Arena as Iowa beat Colorado 87-77 in the NCAA women's basketball Sweet 16.
𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘
— On Iowa Sports (@GazetteOnIowa) March 25, 2023
📸 @Photography_SKB pic.twitter.com/drkYMgMn9j
Watch the highlights from Iowa's win over Colorado
Box score from Iowa's win over Colorado
Watch Iowa's postgame press conference
See what Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Monika Czinano and head coach Lisa Bluder said after the win.
Final: Iowa 87, Colorado 77
The Hawkeyes (29-6) will face Louisville or Mississippi in the Elite Eight at 8 p.m. (CT) Sunday.
Caitlin Clark scored 31 points and had eight assists. Kate Martin scored 16, Monika Czinano 15.
Iowa (-5.5) covered the spread after trailing 40-39 at halftime.
"It's tough when you get in foul trouble, but I think just resetting – I've been working on my mental toughness all year, being able to respond, and I thought that's exactly what I did and I helped lead this team to the Elite Eight," Clark told ESPN after the game. "Super happy. Battled through Mon's foul trouble. A lot of people stepped up big for us tonight. We're excited, but we've got another one to win."
0:50.1 4th: Iowa 84, Colorado 74
A big hit on a Colorado illegal screen resulted in Iowa's Gabbie Marshall hitting the deck. After video review, officials called Aaronette Vonleh for an intentional foul "due to excessive contact."
Kate Martin made two free throws and the Hawkeyes get the ball back.
0:52.4 4th: Iowa 82, Colorado 74
Jaylyn Sherrod (11 points) is the second Colorado player to foul out.
1:04 4th: Iowa 80, Colorado 74
Monika Czinano scored on a contested shot in the lane. Big shot. Assist: Caitlin Clark.
1:31 4th: Iowa 78, Colorado 74
Jaylyn Sherrod's steal and layup got the Buffs within four.
4:05 4th: Iowa 76, Colorado 70
Colorado is hanging in there, leading to an Iowa timeout. Caitlin Clark's logo 3 extended Iowa's lead to 12, but the Buffs got it back to six on Quay Miller's 3. She has 12 points in the second half after missing her first nine shots.
There it is 😏@CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/GvEChwn4VJ
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 25, 2023
Formann fouls out
Colorado's Frida Formann fouls out with 21 points. Iowa up 72-60, 6:37 to go.
Bluder: Iowa might go zone in the fourth
Here's what Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder told ESPN's Holly Rowe after the third quarter:
On the third-quarter run: "I thought we buckled down on defense. I thought our defense got a lot better. We were really trying to deny Frida (Formann), she really has a hot hand right now. So, trying to keep the ball out of her hands as best as we can. And we got our fast break going."
On the foul trouble: "We have foul issues, but they've got a few foul issues as well. So, definitely try to keep the up-tempo going, but obviously maybe we have to play a little bit more zone than we would want to right now."
End 3rd: Iowa 64, Colorado 53
The Hawkeyes outscored the Buffs 25-13 in the third quarter. Caitlin Clark had 11 of those points, plus three assists, giving her 24 and six for the game.
Multiple star players are in foul trouble on both teams. For Colorado, Frida Formann (4), Aaronette Vonleh (3) and Jaylyn Sherrod (3). For Iowa, Monika Czinano (4) and Clark (3).
Foul trouble
Colorado's Frida Formann has four fouls, and the Hawkeyes have Colorado on the ropes, up 60-46 with 3:01 left in the third.
5:02 3rd: Iowa 54, Colorado 42
Monika Czinano picked up her third foul after a basket on an assist from Caitlin Clark. So did the Hawkeyes struggle without her? Uh, no. Clark knocked down a 3-pointer, then picked off a pass and converted a layup to give Iowa its largest lead of the game.
7:03 3rd: Iowa 47, Colorado 42
Caitlin Clark is heating up as Iowa went on a 6-0 run. She pumpfaked and drove for a layup, then threaded a transition pass to McKenna Warnock for a layup. That came after Monika Czinano blocked a Quay Miller shot. Miller, Colorado's leading scorer (13.1 ppg), is 0-for-8 from the floor and hasn't scored.
BIG TIME PLAYS FOR A 6-0 HAWKEYE RUN#MarchMadness x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/xKMcSnbU0X
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 25, 2023
Colorado-Iowa first-half takeaways
• Buffs hit open looks: Frida Formann was left way too open on multiple occasions in the first half. The Colorado sharp-shooter knocked down four 3-pointers and scored 19 points in the first half.
• Colorado crashing glass: Colorado rebounded 12 of its 23 misses in the first half (52.2%) while Iowa grabbed four offensive rebounds on 14 missed shots (28.6%).
• Clark looking to get in rhythm: Iowa's Caitlin Clark sat for the first 3 1/2 minutes of the second quarter after picking up her second foul late in the first. She was 1-for-3 with two turnovers after reentering. Clark still had 13 points and three assists in the first half, and Iowa will be in much better shape if she can get going again in the second half.
Half: Colorado 40, Iowa 39
Jaylyn Sherrod's layup at the horn gave Colorado the lead at the break.
Monika Czinano's 3-point play on the block had given Iowa the lead back with 1:02 left.
Frida Formann (11.7 ppg) led all scorers with 19 points, making 4 of 7 3-point shots.
ESPN's Holly Rowe asked her about having her parents in attendance from Denmark.
"It's the first game they've seen all year, so I'm just really happy to be able to do this in front of them," she said.
4:40 2nd: Colorado 35, Iowa 32
Kindyll Wetta gave Colorado the lead with a wing 3 with 5:05 left in the second quarter. That was the Buffaloes' sixth 3, four of which came from Frida Formann.
Caitlin Clark checked back in at the 6:25 mark of the second quarter after picking up her second foul late in the first. She notched her third assist when McKenna Warnock scored in the lane between two defenders.
UNREAL FINISH BY @McKennaWarnock.
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 25, 2023
And a pretty good pass too, @CaitlinClark22 #Hawkeyes x #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/UYC8xkus1j
Colorado coach JR Payne on her team responding after falling behind 15-5
"I think we picked up our intensity a little bit on the defensive side of the floor, which is typically how we get going," she told ESPN. "Didn't want to have such a sluggish start, but glad we fought our way back in."
End 1st: Iowa 23, Colorado 22
Iowa's Caitlin Clark and Colorado's Frida Formann warmed up in the last half of the first quarter. Formann hit 3 of 5 3-pointers and scored 14 points in the quarter. Clark made 2 of 3 trey attempts and had 11 points and two assists in the quarter. But she picked up her second foul in the final seconds.
Second time's a charm for @fridaformann who drains it from behind the arc#MarchMadness x @CUBuffsWBB pic.twitter.com/cWrAfWjCLf
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 24, 2023
2:24 2nd: Iowa 20, Colorado 17
Caitlin Clark drove for a 3-point play to increase Iowa's lead to 10, but Colorado responded with a 10-0 run to tie it up. Naturally, Clark drilled a deep 3 seconds later to put the Hawkeyes back in front.
4:58 1st: Iowa 12, Colorado 4
Four Hawkeyes scored in the first four minutes, including second-chance 3-pointers for McKenna Warnock and Kate Martin. The Hawkeyes went on a 7-0 run before the first media timeout. Colorado scored on its first two possessions, but missed its next eight shots with a pair of turnovers.
Heart and hustle 💛💪@kate_martin22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/gyf5DhhXSj
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 24, 2023
Caitlin Clark warms up
Caitlin Clark, hoisting long-distance shots. pic.twitter.com/BEeAmXqlVN
— Jeff Linder (@jtlinder) March 24, 2023
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