The Iowa Hawkeyes got their revenge against the LSU Tigers, as Caitlin Clark’s 41 points led the way to a 94-87 Elite Eight victory to reach the Final Four.
Iowa lost the national championship to Angel Reese & Co. last season, but the No. 1-seeded Hawkeyes weren’t having it this time. And of course, it was Clark who had the most to say about it.
Clark was 13-for-29 from the field, draining 9-of-20 shots from beyond the arc. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith had some serious contests on those shots, especially the deep three-pointers Clark is known to dazzle with, but all she could do was shrug when she watched them go in.
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Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts during the first half against the LSU Tigers in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
But Clark wasn’t just launching shots in this game. She got teammates involved with 12 assists on her way to breaking the NCAA Tournament career record, which was at 137.
The game’s turning point came in the third quarter after Flau’Jae Johnson’s spinning layup at the end of the first half made it 45 apiece. Johnson led the Tigers with 23 points in the game on 10-of-18 shooting with six rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and one steal.
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Iowa went on an 8-0 run to start the third quarter, as LSU struggled to knock down their shots. By the end of it, Clark had drained four of her nine threes in the quarter, and Iowa owned a solid 11-point lead, 69-58, entering the fourth.
On the other hand, the Tigers shot 5-of-26 in the third quarter as a team.
LSU would end up outscoring Iowa in the fourth, 29-25, but it wasn’t enough despite their efforts.
Reese got off to a very hot start for LSU, helping them win the first quarter, 31-26. She went 6-for-8 from the field, but she ended up hurting her ankle on a block attempt that saw her hopping over to the bench in the second quarter.
Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Tigers shoots the ball during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
After eventually coming back in the game, Reese went ice cold as Iowa sent multiple defenders her way. She went 1-for-13 from the field to finish 7-for-21 with 17 points along with a game-high 20 rebounds.
LSU, as a team, was strong on the glass, out-rebounding Iowa 55-37. But they only shot 38.6% from the field, as Van Lith went 2-of-10, including 1-of-6 from three, for nine points, while freshman Mikaylah Williams was 6-of-16 for 18 points.
Meanwhile, Iowa’s Kate Martin shooting 50% from the floor (8-of-16) to score 21 points. She added six rebounds and two steals as well.
Sydney Affolter, the Chicago native, also hit 50% of her shots (5-of-10) for 16 points, including two three-pointers.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts during the first half against the LSU Tigers in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Iowa will now await the winner of No. 1 USC and No. 3 UConn to see who their opponent will be in the Final Four.
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