How the ladies’s 2024 NCAA championship sport matchup was set

CLEVELAND — In Friday night time’s epic showdown between Iowa and UConn, that includes great performances from each side, an unlawful display screen name determined the sport.

With three seconds to go, officers whistled UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards for a screening foul as she tried to pry teammate Paige Bueckers open for a game-winning shot. As an alternative, Iowa took possession holding a one-point lead and salted away a 71-69 victory.

The Hawkeyes and star level guard Caitlin Clark, who completed with 21 factors, will face undefeated South Carolina for the nationwide championship. The Gamecocks took care of NC State 78-59 earlier Friday to maneuver to 37-0.

ESPN’s Katie Barnes, Charlie Creme and Jake Trotter break down how every girls’s Ultimate 4 sport was gained and look forward to Sunday’s championship matchup (3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App).

How Iowa beat UConn 71-69

What was key in Iowa’s win?

Perseverance. UConn had an incredible sport plan and made Clark’s life depressing for 40 minutes. However Iowa stored discovering methods to attain outdoors its regular technique. The Hawkeyes did not panic, did not get flustered. Clark mentioned all season that she trusts her teammates and that’s what she did tonight, particularly Hannah Stuelke. Going through double-teams, aggressive face-guarding and strategic assist aspect protection by the Huskies, Clark appeared for Stuelke and the sophomore delivered with the very best sport of her profession, sans her 47-point effort earlier this season in opposition to Penn State. Her 23 factors got here with an environment friendly 9-of-12 capturing. Nika Mühl harassed Clark into her lowest level whole of the season and Iowa nonetheless discovered a approach. — Charlie Creme

What shocked you probably the most about this sport?

How Mühl was in a position to maintain Clark in verify for a lot of the sport. Clark lastly received going within the third quarter with a four-point play, and she or he nonetheless had seven assists. However earlier than that, Mühl utterly hounded Clark, denied her the ball and infrequently picked her up full court docket. In consequence, Clark went 0-of-6 from 3 within the first half whereas struggling to seek out area to create. Clark was at all times going to get her factors, however Mühl made her work for them. — Jake Trotter

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Caitlin Clark drops her shoulder and drills the fadeaway

Caitlin Clark will get separation from KK Arnold and drills the fadeaway jumper.

Who was probably the most excellent participant?

The Huskies had to surrender one thing with the way in which they guarded Clark on the perimeter with Muhl and supplied assist in the lane from Edwards and Brady. That one thing was Stuelke, and she or he delivered with these 23 factors, the primary time somebody apart from Clark led the Hawkeyes since Stuelke’s 47-point sport in opposition to Penn State on Feb. 8. Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and Sydney Affolter had bother ending within the first half with Iowa capturing simply 50% on its layups earlier than halftime. In distinction, Stuelke performed a relaxed second half, scoring 15 of her 23 factors within the last 20 minutes when Iowa outscored UConn by eight. It is not usually that any Hawkeye might be the participant of the sport apart from Clark, however on this night time, Stuelke was clearly that participant. — Creme

What would be the legacy of UConn?

This may be the primary time since 1991 that UConn making a run to the Ultimate 4 may have been thought-about any kind of shock. The Huskies had been a 3-seed, their lowest seeding since 2005. However even on this period of parity, UConn proved why it will probably by no means actually be counted out, even whereas having a depleted bench due to damage for the third straight season. Edwards and Muhl will transfer on however Bueckers will return subsequent season, which suggests the Huskies will possible be a drive. — Katie Barnes

How South Carolina beat NC State 78-59

What was key in South Carolina’s win?

Two phrases: Kamilla Cardoso. South Carolina has been balanced all 12 months, however Friday night time the Gamecocks rode Cardoso to the championship sport. Cardoso led all scorers with 22 factors and chipped in 11 boards. It marked simply the fifth time she has scored 20 factors whereas at South Carolina. Along with the person scoring effort from Cardoso, the Gamecocks exploded for a 29-6 run over the third quarter to place NC State away. — Barnes

What shocked you probably the most about this sport?

The victory margin was considerably shocking, however the greatest takeaway was simply how scientific South Carolina was within the third quarter. It was a lesson in shot choice (60% capturing), defensive execution (NC State made one subject objective and had 4 turnovers) and rebounding (15-5 benefit). Giving up second-half leads has been the largest difficulty for the Gamecocks late within the season. Tennessee, Indiana and Oregon State all made runs to make video games tense late. The Gamecocks’ third quarter was so good, so dominant that there was no approach NC State may come again. The thought across the Gamecocks has been that in the event that they play their A-game, they will not lose. That 10 minutes was South Carolina’s A-plus sport. — Creme

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Warmth verify! Kamilla Cardoso knocks down 3 consecutive buckets

Kamilla Cardoso is on hearth as she knocks down three consecutive buckets to pad the Gamecocks’ lead.

Who was probably the most excellent participant?

Twice, Cardoso needed to go away the ground for the locker room. However when she was on the court docket, South Carolina’s All-American heart dominated. Within the first quarter, Cardoso needed to exit due to a difficulty along with her left eye. She returned from the locker room for the second quarter to attain 12 straight factors, because the Gamecocks asserted management following a shaky first quarter. With 1:39 left within the first half, Cardoso needed to be subbed out once more after injuring her proper leg contesting a shot on the rim. Regardless of limping off to the locker room, she began the third quarter. Cardoso’s back-to-back layups early within the half helped ignite a 29-6 South Carolina run that put the sport away. — Trotter

What would be the legacy of NC State?

This was the primary Ultimate 4 look for NC State since 1998. The Wolfpack had been simply the seventh crew to make a Ultimate 4 after being unranked within the AP preseason ballot and the primary since Washington in 2016. Although the result did not go NC State’s approach, the Wolfpack received over the hump to the ladies’s basketball last weekend after shedding within the Elite Eight and in first spherical within the prior two years. — Barnes

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