Iowa beats South Carolina!

[MSSportsGuy]

To be exact, S. Carolina outrebounded Iowa by nearly a 2-1 margin, 49-25. More than half of them -- 26! -- were offensive rebounds.
Cardoso and Boston had nearly as many rebounds by themselves (24) as Iowa's entire team. That's why Warnock's offensive rebound off the Clark forced three stood out so much: the Hawkeyes got a rebound!!

Switching to another post-game subject, if Boston is thinking hoops, I think she should go pro: there's nothing left for her to gain from coming back to the college game. The pro's defensive three-second rule will cut down on double teams and she'll be able to go one-on-one for the first time in ages. Plus, N'Lyssa Smith and Queen Egbo are perfectly fine young players to take the floor with.

Amihere should come back to determine what her best position is and get experience there. She and Cardoso can take over for Amihere/Saxton.

Boston and Cooke should go. LA and Beal could use some growth. Both would struggle to make a roster given the limited number of spots. Just my two cents.

 

[oldude]

That's just wrong. Clark 50%, Czinzano 6-8, the others 7-18. So they all shot well. And for SC, Beal, and Boston were horrible, 3-18, combined. And Saxton was 0-2, nonfactor

I’m not sure that 7 for 18 (38%) is shooting well? But what I was really speaking about was the 2/7 3-pt shooting by Clark’s teammates (Carter, Warnock & Martin) who collectively shoot just under 40% from the arc.

 

[my2cents]

Congrats to Iowa on the big win. SC had a great season and two years of dominance. Winning these titles and going undefeated is extremely difficult, as a UCONN fan, we know.
I know its counterintuitive, but my feeling is , Clark is going to get her shots up, no matter what defense you play. I maintain, that a zone is better because it takes away her penetration, where she gets her assists and gets to the foul line.

 

[oldude]

Why wasn’t the ball taken out of Clarks hand? We beat Iowa.

Easier said than done. Bluder designed a bunch of actions to get Clark the ball, and if you double-team her, she is exceptional at getting the ball to open teammates who can really shoot it.

In the game against UConn, Nika was all over Clark, who had a good, but not great game.

 

[oldude]

Cardoso will make up for Boston's loss.

Not unless she develops a game beyond 2’ from the basket.

 

[oldhusky]

Couple of notes:

• Geno probably kicking himself for the lost opportunity this year. SC and Stanford were bad matchups but he wouldn't have to face them as it turns out. His Top 7 could or should have beaten the remaining teams even with all the injuries and fatigue. Just a horrible performance against an inferior OSU team.
• Congrats to SC for a good season but boy Staley had a bad night. She let 1 player beat her, without double and triple teaming her and trapping her. She had the depth to do it for 40 minutes. SC out rebounded Iowa 2 to 1 and still lost. Iowa shot much better, mainly through Clark and her assists.

There can be quite a bit of questioning Dawn's strategy, and in hindsight it was the wrong move, but considering what SC did all season, I think I can understand why she approached the game the way she did. They have a great team defense, against most opponents they can pretty much take away most interior scoring with their twin towers, and they have one of the country's most versatile defense specialists in Beal to put on Clark.

Clark managed to beat Beal on drives to the basket probably much more easily than they anticipated, and to my surprise were able to get Cizano plenty of points too. She started outside and cut to the basket for passes instead of posting up inside as much as usual. So they were still able to pull off their inside/outside attack with their two principle scorers, a pretty remarkable feat.

Iowa had a good gameplan to counter SC's twin towers and executed it. SC went with what had worked for them all season and this time a team was able to counter it.

 

[Linart]

A game to wish for next year: a healthy Paige vs. Caitlin, one on one.

 

[huskies29]

I’m always amazed watching cardosa when lined up on the foul line and as shot goes up she bulldozes her opponent under the basket displacing her and magically never gets called for a foul. She could foul out just on foul shots.

 

[SLY63]

I have a ton of respect for S Carolina and Boston. Handled the loss very classy. But have to admit, I am so glad I don't have to hear another week about the S Carolina dynasty.

 

[oldude]

There can be quite a bit of questioning Dawn's strategy, and in hindsight it was the wrong move, but considering what SC did all season, I think I can understand why she approached the game the way she did. They have a great team defense, against most opponents they can pretty much take away most interior scoring with their twin towers, and they have one of the country's most versatile defense specialists in Beal to put on Clark.

Clark managed to beat Beal on drives to the basket probably much more easily than they anticipated, and to my surprise were able to get Cizano plenty of points too. She started outside and cut to the basket for passes instead of posting up inside as much as usual. So they were still able to pull off their inside/outside attack with their two principle scorers, a pretty remarkable feat.

Iowa had a good gameplan to counter SC's twin towers and executed it. SC went with what had worked for them all season and this time a team was able to counter it.

Beal is an outstanding defender. I have seen her get abused by just 2 players: last night by Clark, and 2 years ago during an OT loss by SC at Storrs…..

 

[uconnfan68]

While I like Dawn and recognize the tremendous job she’s done in building SC to be one of the dominant programs in the nation, it’s probably good for WBB that the Gamecocks lost. SC’s “phone booth” offense, with 2-3 centers on the court at the same time takes WBB basketball back to the dark ages, at a time when everyone else is spreading the floor, running motion offense and shooting the 3.

Don’t get me wrong. If I had the same roster that SC has, I would be running the same offense Dawn is running. But from an aesthetic standpoint, it’s not very entertaining.

But, you win with who you have.

 

[and one]

I have nothing against SC but I was pulling for Iowa. Only four teams have undefeated seasons: Texas, Tennessee, Baylor one each and UConn with six. I want to keep the club exclusive.

Clark is special. Along with a boatload of talent and skills she has that MJ or Bird kind of "you can't stop me" swagger. I don't know if she stays at Iowa another year - that may depend on if she gets a ring this year - but I'd love to see her and Paige/Azzi battle for headlines next year.

As good as Boston is, and that is very good, Cardoza is such a force down low. She isn't near as good an athlete as Boston but her height and bulk make her almost impossible to control under the basket.

I'm pulling for Iowa in the final. It will be interesting to see if VT can hold Clark to under 40.

 

[KMac]

Did anyone see DS post game interview? I really really like her but was disappointed in her comments. She was an ungracious loser, blaming the refs, then she started on the media. Maybe I missed it somewhere, but I never heard her say anything complimentary about Iowa beating them. Just blame and excuses. I was shocked and saddened at her lack of class. She is usually more classy!

 

[topogigio]

One of the most satisfying, non UConn WBB, wins. Clark just would not let SC back in the game, Cizano came to play, and did a great job on the pick and roll. Found it ironic that Staley complained about the "physicalness" of the game, and lack of calls by the officials. Great coaching job and execution by the Hawkeyes. Boston was very classy and gracious in defeat. In the post game interview in the locker room , and in the presser, (at least the part I saw), Dawn did not mention Clark or Iowa at all. I hope more came later. The Hawkeye fans were an extra treat. Farm girls rule...!

 

[reelfan]

The old sage ( Geno ) is right.........guard play in the championship usually determines the winner.

 

[topogigio]

Did anyone see DS post game interview? I really really like her but was disappointed in her comments. She was an ungracious loser, blaming the refs, then she started on the media. Maybe I missed it somewhere, but I never heard her say anything complimentary about Iowa beating them. Just blame and excuses. I was shocked and saddened at her lack of class. She is usually more classy!

I posted right after you, and said the same thing about Staley. Crickets about Clark and Iowa in general. An important point many leave out about the game. Iowa shot 100% from the foul line, 17 for 17, I think. Never underestimate the value of those one-pointers!

 

[Huskee11]

A lot of winners last night. Caitlin Clark of course. Czinano was terrific. Warnock didn`t do much but got the rebound of the year.

Coach Bluder is an underrated coach and was a winner last night. She seems very calm and measured, has the trust of her players, and had a simple but effective game plan. On offense, they were running that high pick and roll and as they say, keep running it until they defend it. Clark was able to either get to the basket with her free right hand or find a wide open post rolling to the hoop through an open lane. It seemed like Clark could pretty much get to where she wanted to go all night.

On defense, Raven Johnson hit a few threes but the pack in in strategy largely worked. At times Iowa had all five players within 7-8 feet of the hoop. Still gave up 26 offensive rebounds, amazing to be able to still win in spite of that statistic.

Hard to believe with all that depth that Dawn Staley didn`t have someone she trusted to put in there to hit a three or for that matter, the open foul line jumper Iowa was daring SC to take. Based on the McDonald`s AA game, I think Fulwiley would have been more than willing and able to oblige.

Other winners - the referees, a respectable job in what was a very difficult game to call - and Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo, who stayed in the moment, focused on the game, and had a lot of good information and insight.

Finally, WCBB was a winner. The number one seeds are all gone and as much as I respect the coach and players at SC, their style of play is not a lot of fun to watch. Having Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese on the main stage will attract a huge amount of interest and attention.

I don`t usually watch a lot of non-UConn women`s basketball but I can`t wait to see Iowa and LSU square off. I wonder how Kim Mulkey will play things - I am pretty sure she isn`t going to let Clark roam as freely as she did last night.

Finally, a shout out to Nika Muhl - the two offensive stars last night were Clark and Cooke, and Nika did an admirable job against both of them. Against UConn, Clark ( "I`ve got this girl stuck to my face") was 9-24, 2-11 from three; Cooke was 2-15, 0-4 from three.

 

[oldude]

I have nothing against SC but I was pulling for Iowa. Only four teams have undefeated seasons: Texas, Tennessee, Baylor one each and UConn with six. I want to keep the club exclusive.

Clark is special. Along with a boatload of talent and skills she has that MJ or Bird kind of "you can't stop me" swagger. I don't know if she stays at Iowa another year - that may depend on if she gets a ring this year - but I'd love to see her and Paige/Azzi battle for headlines next year.

As good as Boston is, and that is very good, Cardoza is such a force down low. She isn't near as good an athlete as Boston but her height and bulk make her almost impossible to control under the basket.

I'm pulling for Iowa in the final. It will be interesting to see if VT can hold Clark to under 40.

VT? Don’t you mean LSU?

 

[SVCBeercats]

Don’t get me wrong. If I had the same roster that SC has, I would be running the same offense Dawn is running. But from an aesthetic standpoint, it’s not very entertaining.

Dawn is a coach, not an artist. Aesthetics or winning? Entertaining or winning? The Tim Duncan Spurs were viewed as boring. Duncan was viewed as boring. The Spurs fans were bored with 5 NBA championships. Are the SC fans boring in the same manner? Well, probably not the fans on SC's answer to the Boneyard. I remember a criticism about John Madden's 70s Raiders. You knew they were going to run left. Madden's response was on the left side I have Art Shell, Gene Upshaw and Jim Otto, all Hall of Famers. "Why wouldn't I run left?"

 

[BBallF]

Cardoso will make up for Boston's loss.

Not the same player. No outside game and not the same basketball mentality.

 

[and one]

VT? Don’t you mean LSU?

Yes, yes I did.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I guess I went to bed too early. Wow.

 

[npignatjr]

Caitlin Clark for president!

Scores the last 11 points for Iowa. Scored or assisted on 75% of Iowa’s total points. Scored or assisted on every 4th quarter Iowa point. Most points ever scored in a WCBB final four. Only player ever to score 40 or more points in two consecutive tournament games. Broke down the best defense in women’s college basketball.

And you know what, folks? Iowa didn’t shoot particularly well from 3-point land, and were out-rebounded 49-25. But they did sink 14-14 FT. If they can win on Sunday, Valhalla awaits.

Best defense?