How did Iowa women's basketball do the unthinkable? Dissecting the Hawkeyes' South Carolina stunner

With an unwavering belief in one another, the Hawkeyes stunned the entire sports world Friday with a 77-73 win over previously unbeaten South Carolina. Another masterpiece from Caitlin Clark headlined a night the Hawkeyes won't forget for a long time. Live from Dallas, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard analyze every angle of this upset and look ahead to Iowa's chances in Sunday's national title game vs. LSU.
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#marchmadness #iowahawkeyes #collegebasketball #caitlinclark

[@recifebra3]

I'm from WI and live in TX. I've never watched a women's basketball game where I didn't change the channel. Moreover, I've never gone to a bar b/c CBS doesn't have the women's NCAA tourny streaming for free just for women's bball. That was one of the best performances in the NCAA tournament i've ever seen -- 2 times in a row. It's crazy how clutch/good she is!!

[@hairtrigger8317]

Not trying to take anything away from SC and what their team has accomplished but it was pretty clear to me last night that a main factor for their success is just purely the size difference, holy smokes they have some giants, a 6'5 and 6'7, I've never seen a woman that tall in real life and they had several so it makes sense when you can dominate the rebounds because you have a clear size and height advantage over everyone you play but they weren't ready for Iowa, they looked pretty lost out there at times. A 6'2 male is 94.1% taller than all other men and only .2% of women are over 6ft tall. I just thought that was interesting. Either way, Iowa did a great job and every time SC came back or took a small lead Iowa stormed right back. I've never really been a basketball fan, not sure I'd even watched a full game until the Iowa vs Louisville game but I've watched two full games now with a third coming tomorrow. Go Hawkeyes

[@patrickoconnell59]

This country, including the sports world, is obsessed with narratives. The narrative was that Iowa could not beat South Carolina under any scenario - they were just too good and too dominant, especially on the glass. Well, SC did everything in the game they were expected to do, and Iowa still beat them. Clark, and apparently the rest of the team, do not care about any narrative except their own narrative. It is a study in self-control and skill. Clark and was like a zen master for four quarters. The rest of the team was brilliant, too. Bluder had a brilliant game plan. Iowa’s mental space was undisturbed at all times.

[@takishabaker7520]

Exactly! It's not about the size of the dog, but the size of the fight in the dog!

[@MrGary10k]

It was truly David vs Goliath, and David was a dang good shot!

[@MrGary10k]

I was truly impressed with their toughness. They were getting mauled the whole game.

[@showtime4243]

Congrats hawks and Hawkeye fans !! Go win it all !! I have been a huge Caitlin Clark all year and I record all of her games that are on tv even tho I don’t live in Iowa,,,she is lifting womens basketball to heights it has never seen…I will continue to watch her play at Iowa and the wnba because she is so awesome and a better person off the court !!

[@Paul15.]

Thanks for shutting up the arrogant SC fans. Your coach easily outsmarted theirs. I can't believe what she said afterwards. Congrats from a Minnesota and now, an Iowa fan.

[@mervjb809]

South Carolina, got completely out- coached!! Credit to the coaches for putting together an incredible game plan, and credit to the team for executing it!!

[@rickmave7607]

I just have to wonder that if the Gamecocks played the Big Ten schedule this year whether they would have been undefeated or not. In the Final Four probably, but undefeated? The Big Ten Championship Game brought out an entire team performance. I like the Hawks to win it all. Go Hawks

[@RichardIILionheart]

The score was close, but Iowa was actually in control of this game from nearly start to finish.

[@g.willykers]

It’s crazy to think what Caitlin’s point total could have been, if she had connected on all of her shots. To have 41-points on an “off night” (for her) is incredible! What surprised me more than Iowa actually winning the game, was that the team went into it believing that they would! I’ve seen all of their games this season, and they lost six of them. It’s almost hard to believe that they lost ANY games after seeing them perform in the Big Ten Tournament (which they won), and now in the finals of the NCAA Tournament!! The team’s confidence factor is HUGE. No one is intimidating them! With that being said, I WILL NOT be surprised if Iowa is crowded tournament champions tomorrow night!! GO LADY HAWKS!! 🎉

[@williams3631]

Her?

[@RichardIILionheart]

I did not look this up, but I doubt Iowa lost many games in 2020 to 2023 when Clark and Czinano combined for 59 points (or more).

[@RichardIILionheart]

I think Iowa fans might be overestimating what comes next season. Replacing the points and rebounds and constant effort by Czinano and Warnock will be difficult, not to mention the obvious court chemistry between Clark and Czinano. The Hawkeyes got nothing from the transfer portal, so internal improvement by a number of players, not excluding Clark herself, will be critical to success next season. It could happen and I hope it does.

[@MsMickeygal]

Iowa men can’t do it, Iowa women will show how game is won! Go Iowa Woman Basketball 🏀

[@poobado]

Iowa spread them Out….the lane was open for her to drive.

[@poobado]

Staley was out coached….also why didn’t she have Beal guard Clark for the majority of the game. She left 5’8 Johnson on her. Maybe she wanted to protect Beal reputation as a primer defender not to hurt her draft possibility????????

[@RichardIILionheart]

Whatever the reason for Beal not guarding Clark for most of the game, Beal was guarding Clark in the fourth quarter, when Clark blew past her two or three times for layups. Beal did bother Clark’s three-point shooting to some degree.

[@michaelbfree2run883]

free throw misses by SC were the difference! Iowa was 14 for 14...and everyone mattered!...also Zia Cooke's turnovers (I think 3) in the 4th, especially the throw into the stands!...and Beal was 1 for 9!

[@danpals7678]

I kinda saw this coming. Tall people are factually not as quick. And certainly not as quick as CC.

[@dbarnes544]

I agree. I saw Iowa's one advantage was the speed by their guards. Add in Caitlin Clark as the x factor. I thought Iowa would need to steal the ball, interrupt passing lanes and shoot from the outside. But Monika Czinano got 18 points.

[@poobado]

South Carolina had all of their starters play bad except for Cooke.

[@g.willykers]

Correction: “crowned”

[@RichardIILionheart]

It was surprising that Iowa could win while shooting far below normal from three and getting out-rebounded by more than 20. I thought they would need to shoot at least 40% on threes to have a chance.

[@youthsoftballfitness1996]

Ok show

[@joemarriott462]

SC could not let other IA players open for 3, gave up layups

[@RichardIILionheart]

Some were saying Gabby Marshall had a bad game because she did not score (missed her only field goal attempt). However, SC decided she was a big enough threat that they had a player doing all she could, all game long, to keep Marshall from getting the ball in her usual shooting spots, and did not leave her to help out when Clark drove. SC tried to do something similar with Warnock and Martin. That made Iowa’s offense closer to 3-on-3 or even 2-on-2. Iowa would take those odds, and won.

[@ig6894]

In sports, favorites never win, from University of Houston losing to NC State, to Villanova over the Hoyas, there are always upsets in college games, nothing special here, plus South Carolina had all the pressures, Iowa have nothing to lose and played pressure free. If they lose, they were suppose to lose, Iowa had all the advantages due to the fact they were the underdog.

[@williams3631]

No one can address the elephant in the room, apparently.

[@drbobperkins]

Caitlin Clark was the obvious main reason but SC was only good at rebounding. They had no do way of slowing Caitlin. They couldn’t shoot and their “star” was a total no show. Zia Cooke and Cardozo played great but the rest were no shows.

[@georgekucharo3318]

Every game, the Hawkeye women show that Fran is a total joke