Iowa’s Win Against LSU Breaks Record for Most-Watched Women’s College Basketball Game

In a historic moment for women’s college basketball, Caitlin Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes to a thrilling 94-87 victory over LSU in the Albany 2 Region final, capturing the attention of a record-breaking 12.3 million viewers on ESPN. Clark’s incredible performance, scoring 41 points, avenged last year’s loss to the Tigers in the national championship game.

The viewership of this game surpassed the previous record set in 1983 during the NCAA championship game between Southern California and Louisiana Tech. This milestone game featured LSU coach Kim Mulkey, who played for Louisiana Tech, facing off against USC great Cheryl Miller, with the Trojans ultimately emerging victorious.

According to Sports Media Watch, this game marks the most-viewed basketball game on ESPN since the 2018 Eastern Conference finals Game 7. Clark’s impressive run in the women’s NCAA Tournament has garnered an average of 6.83 million viewers across four games.

The Hawkeyes will now advance to face UConn in the national semifinal at the Women’s Final Four, with the winner moving on to the championship game against either South Carolina or North Carolina State. Iowa’s previous game against Colorado in the regional semifinal also drew significant viewership, making it the third most-watched women’s tournament game since ESPN began coverage in 1996.

With Iowa’s recent games consistently drawing over 3 million viewers and LSU’s victory over UCLA in the Sweet 16 also attracting a large audience, women’s college basketball is clearly gaining momentum and capturing the attention of fans across the country.