The Iowa women are making history this March. With their win over Louisville in the Sweet 16, the Hawkeyes are making just their second-ever appearance in the Final Four. And based on how they have been playing so far, it looks as though they are a real threat to make their first NCAA Championship game.
Their opponent, one-seed South Carolina, is a major blockade standing in their way. It is the matchup that many hoped for, pitting the irresistible force against the immovable object. Let’s dive deep into this game and see what we can come to expect.
Remember you can bet on men’s and women’s March Madness Final Four in Iowa. Learn more about it here.
The Opponent: South Carolina
Standing in the way of Iowa’s hopes is perhaps the best women’s college basketball team ever. They won the title last year and are just 80 minutes away from repeating as champions. They are 36-0 and looking to make it 37 against Iowa.
Where to start with their impressive accolades? According to Her Hoop Stats, they are first overall while also being first in both offense and defense. They lead the nation in points per possession and largest margin of victory while being second in points allowed per possession.
Head coach Dawn Staley has a pair of superstars in Zia Cooke (who leads the team in scoring at 15.3 ppg) and Aliyah Boston. Their depth is even more impressive seeing 10 players average in the double-digits in minutes. They will come at any opponent in waves and drown them quickly.
None of their four tournament games have been all that close. They stomped 16-seed Norfolk State and eight-seed USF to the collective tune of 148-85. Four-seed UCLA held them to just 59 points but only managed 43 of their own. Maryland gave perhaps the most fight but still lost to the Gamecocks by 11. This is simply one of the most dominant college basketball units there has ever been.
And then there were 4️⃣! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/rOnUrFhHHQ
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) March 28, 2023
Can Caitlin Clark Shine Once Again?
If you could pinpoint one weakness for South Carolina it is this: they do not have Caitlin Clark. When the two teams step on the court, Clark will be the best player on the floor and everyone knows it. She was flat out dominant in the Elite Eight win over Louisville, posting the first-ever 40-point triple-double in either the men’s or women’s tournament. She finished the night with 41 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds to cap off one of the most incredible nights of the tournament.
Clark averages 27.3 points per game, an absurd amount. But if you think that she’s doing all the scoring, think again. She also acts as facilitator, leading the country by averaging 8.6 assists per game. In the win against Louisville, she accounted for 72% of the offense. As she goes, the Hawkeyes go.
You cannot overhype her performance in this tournament. Clark is also just 16 points shy of joining the 1,000-point club with only four other players ever hitting that mark in a single season. She is the undisputed National Player of the Year, Regional MOP, and Big Ten Champion. She is looking to finish off that resume with a national championship. If anyone can get in the path of the Gamecocks, it is Clark.
https://twitter.com/JackBenjaminPxP/status/1640180687272591360?s=20
The Rest of the Hawkeyes
Despite all of the accolades that the Gamecocks have on their side of the table, the Hawkeyes are not a team to sleep on. They currently have the top offense in college basketball, putting up 87.6 points per contest. A lot of that is due to Clark, who is without a doubt the most impactful offensive player in the game.
Monika Czinano is also one to watch, averaging 17.2 points per game. She shoots an impressive 68% from the field, making her dangerous whenever she touches the ball. The Hawkeyes also get 11.1 points per game from McKenna Warnock and each of the three top scorers averages a minimum of six rebounds per game.
There is a reason that Iowa is making their first Final Four appearance since 1993. They are playing like a team on a mission and this fairy tail could very well involve toppling a giant.
Ain’t no party like a Final Four party 🎉
The Hawks have landed in Dallas 🤠#Hawkeyes x #WFinalFour pic.twitter.com/5cZe8mJ9yc
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 28, 2023
Time to Step Up
No matter how you break down the numbers, it is time for the Hawkeyes to put the work in. We know everything about this dominant South Carolina outfit and what it brings to the table. Iowa cannot play in fear and cannot worry about all of the things that the Gamecocks do well.
Clark will no doubt continue to play like a woman possessed. She has put Iowa on her shoulders clearly has aim at a national championship. If she can propel that Hawkeyes past this juggernaut of a South Carolina team, she will have cemented herself as having one of the greatest seasons in the history of women’s college basketball.
The Hawkeyes are currently +650 to win the NCAA tournament in ClutchBuzz sportsbook. They started as +3000. Perhaps it is worth a shot?
Are the Hawkeyes (previously +3000, +1000) worth a bet to win the Women's National Tournament? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/nrFOxamXwk
— ClutchBet (@ClutchBetSB) March 28, 2023
