Iowa sets up rematch
Hawkeyes get shot at redemption against LSU, who beat them for title
ALBANY, N.Y. Let the hype begin!
Caitlin Clark had 29 points and 15 assists to lead top-seeded Iowa to an 89-68 win over fifth-seeded Colorado in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday, setting up a rematch of last year’s national title game against LSU.
“I think we’re excited. Anytime you have a chance to go up against somebody you lost to, it brings a little more energy,” Clark said. “I think overall it’s just going to be a really great game for women’s basketball. They’re really solid one through five. We know we are going to have to rebound the basketball.”
The Tigers, who beat the Hawkeyes in the championship game a year ago, topped UCLA in Saturday’s earlier semifinal in the Albany 2 Region. The teams will play Monday night.
“I think everyone’s pretty excited for it,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “These are two really good basketball teams. Unfortunate they are meeting this early. Everyone that’s left now is really good. LSU is certainly that. It’s going to be highly emotional and highly competitive.”
Clark got the Hawkeyes (32-4) going early, driving to the basket for easy layups or throwing fantastic passes. About the only thing missing from Clark’s day was one of her signature midcourt logo shots. She took a couple, but missed.
The NCAA’s all-time Division I scoring leader has dazzled off the court as well. She’s a transcendent player who has brought record ratings and attendance to the sport. The sold-out crowd was filled with girls and boys wearing No. 22 Iowa shirts who cheered at every play their favourite player made. Clark spent a few minutes after the buzzer signing autographs before she went back to the locker room.
Clark threaded the needle with a beautiful bounce pass to Hannah Stuelke for a layup before the end of the first quarter that gave the Hawkeyes a 22-14 lead. Clark had six points, six assists and three rebounds in the opening 10 minutes.
She finished the first half with 15 points and eight assists as the Hawkeyes were up 48-35 at the break.
Iowa scored the first six points of the third quarter and Colorado (2410) could not get within single digits the rest of the way. Sydney Affolter scored 15 points for the Hawkeyes, making all six of her shots, while Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall each added 14.
“We had the punch to begin the third quarter,” Bluder said. “Set the tone early in both the halves, which was really important.”
The Buffaloes made their first back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16 since the 2002-03. They also were knocked out last year by Iowa, falling 87-77 in the same round.
Aaronette Vonleh scored 13 points and Frida Formann had 12 for the Buffs.
LSU’s ‘good villains’
Angel Reese says she and her LSU teammates are embracing the role of “good villains” as they make a run toward repeating as national champions.
Flau’jae Johnson had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Reese put up her 26th double-double of the season Saturday as LSU (31-5) beat UCLA 78-69, closing the game with a 14-2 run.
Reese had 16 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out late in the game for the Tigers, who closed the game on a 14-2 run. Aneesah Morrow added 17 points. And all the while the Tigers did their usual trash-talking, screaming and waving goodbye to their opponent.
“We’re the good villains,” Reese said. “We’re impacting the game so much and all of us are super competitive and want to win and do whatever it takes to win. We’re just changing the game.”
Lauren Betts had 14 points and 17 rebounds for UCLA, which finished the season at 27-7. Londynn Jones and Gabriela Jaquez also put up 14 points each and Kiki Rice scored 13 for the Bruins.
LSU led by seven points at halftime. But after making just two of their first 20 shots from the-point range, the Bruins hit four of their next five. The teams were tied 4848 heading into the fourth quarter.
Jaquez hit a jumper that gave the Bruins a 67-64 lead with 2:46 left. But LSU responded with its run, sparked when Reese blocked a shot by Betts, leading to a drive by Johnson that fouled out Rice.
USC has the JuJu
Freshman all-American JuJu Watkins drove the length of the floor for a go-ahead three-point play with 3:13 left and finished with 30 points, leading top-seeded Southern California past Baylor 74-70 and into the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years.
Watkins scored nine straight points for the Trojans in the closing minutes and powered a decisive 8-0 run. McKenzie Forbes added 14 points for USC (29-5), which will face third-seeded UConn, a 53-45 winner over seventh-seeded Duke, on Monday for a spot in the Final Four.