Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark put on a show on Monday, scoring 41 points to lead her team to a thrilling 94-87 victory over the LSU Tigers and secure a spot in the Final Four. Clark, the reigning National Player of the Year, showcased her scoring prowess by making 13 of 29 shots, including nine 3-pointers, in the Elite Eight matchup in Albany, N.Y.
“It’s amazing to be back in the Final Four,” Clark said after the game. “We told ourselves; we are the No. 1 seed for a reason.”
The top-seeded Hawkeyes avenged last year’s title game loss to the Tigers by outshooting them 46.4% to 38.6%. Despite a strong performance from Tigers star forward Angel Reese, who recorded 17 points and 20 rebounds, Iowa managed to maintain control of the game.
Clark’s hot shooting in the second half, where she scored 22 of her 41 points, propelled the Hawkeyes to victory. She hit her first three 3-point attempts in the third quarter, helping Iowa build a lead that they never relinquished.
With the win, Iowa advances to face the No. 3 UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament. The Huskies secured their spot by defeating the No. 1 USC Trojans in a hard-fought 80-73 contest.
The stage is set for an exciting matchup between Iowa and UConn, with Clark expressing confidence in her team’s ability to come out on top. The game is scheduled to tip off at 9 p.m. EDT on Friday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and will be broadcast on ESPN.