Tag: Hannah Stuelke

Three stars for Iowa women’s basketball vs. Michigan State

Three stars from Iowa women’s basketball’s tough battle inside the Breslin Center against Michigan State.

After a thrilling Wednesday night victory over No. 17 Iowa State from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa women’s basketball (9-2, 0-1 Big Ten) suffered their second loss of the season and first conference defeat at No. 19 Michigan State (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten) on Sunday from East Lansing, Mich., 68-66.

While both teams shared relative shooting struggles throughout the contest, with the Hawkeyes finishing with a 36.5% clip from the floor and 36.0% from deep, Iowa’s 23 total turnovers and an ice-cold finish to the game buried their hopes of exiting Breslin Center victorious.

In terms of the Hawkeyes’ defense, they finished with 14 forced turnovers, including five blocks and five steals. The Hawkeyes also outrebounded the Spartans, 44-35.

Even with Michigan State going on a furious scoring run late in the fourth quarter, the Hawkeyes found themselves with an opportunity to take the lead in the waning seconds of the game, but a missed elbow jumper from senior guard Lucy Olsen put an end to the Hawkeyes’ last-ditch effort.

Despite the close loss to Michigan State, here are three Hawkeyes that stood out in Sunday’s game.

Hannah Stuelke

Stuelke continued her stellar play as of late on Sunday by posting a team-high 18 points on 4-of-10 (40%) shooting from the field and 10-of-14 (71.4%) from the charity stripe. She also added eight rebounds, two assists, and one block to her 34 minutes of playing time.

Despite the loss, Stuelke’s performance was her team-leading sixth game this season with eight or more rebounds and her 46th career game in double figures.

Kylie Feuerbach

Feuerbach had a steady showing from beyond the arc with all 12 points coming from her 4-of-7 (57.2%) performance from deep. She also added three rebounds, two assists, and one block to close out her 27 minutes of game time.

Feuerbach’s four treys tied her career-high for 3-pointers against a Big Ten team.

Taylor McCabe

Even though McCabe played only 12 minutes, McCabe managed to knock down a pair of 3-pointers.

For McCabe, her ability to inject offense in her minimal time off the bench gives head coach Jan Jensen the confidence to provide her starters a rest while not jeopardizing Iowa’s offensive production.

The Hawkeyes’ next game will be on Friday, Dec. 20, vs. Northern Iowa (5-5) from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on BTN+ (subscription required) and the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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Three stars from Iowa women’s basketball’s 75-69 comeback win vs. Iowa State

Three stars from Iowa women’s basketball’s Cy-Hawk win over Iowa State.

In Wednesday night’s Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, No. 24 Iowa women’s basketball (9-1) roared back vs. No. 17 Iowa State (8-3) for an impressive 75-69 victory.

As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 26-for-61 (42.6%) from the floor, 8-for-26 (32%) from 3-point territory, and converted on 15-of-25 free throw opportunities.

After chasing the game for most of the contest, Iowa’s defense stood strong late in the fourth quarter against a pesky Cyclones attack to propel the Hawkeyes to a 17-4 run during the game’s final five minutes. Iowa’s relentless defense finished with 21 forced turnovers, 12 steals, and seven blocks.

Here are the Hawkeyes’ three stars that helped spur Iowa to a rivalry win on Wednesday night.

Lucy Olsen

Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Senior guard Lucy Olsen led the Hawkeyes’ offensive attack Wednesday by finishing with a team-high 25 points on 9-of-22 from the floor and 7-for-9 from the charity stripe. She also added five assists, two steals, and one rebound to her 36 minutes of playing time.

Like almost every game Olsen has been a part of, her dynamic scoring ability has proven to be vital to the success of the Hawkeyes and will need to continue as conference play looms.

Sydney Affolter

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Senior guard Sydney Affolter had her best performance of the season Wednesday night with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor, 3-of-6 from deep, and 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. She also tallied six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in her 30 minutes of game action.

Beyond her shooting, Affolter was a key cog in the Hawkeyes’ defensive effort as she pressured Iowa State into critical turnovers and early shots as the game came to a close.

For Affolter, Wednesday was a welcome sight as her play was pivotal in Iowa’s victory.

Hannah Stuelke

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Junior forward Hannah Stuelke had another stellar game for the Hawkeyes with 13 points off 4-of-4 shooting from the field and 5-of-8 from the free throw line in 34 minutes of playing time.

Stuelke finished with nine (seven defensive) rebounds, four steals, two assists, and one block.

Iowa’s next game will be on Sunday, Dec. 15, when they travel to the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich., for their first Big Ten conference matchup of the season vs. No. 19 Michigan State (9-0).

Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and will air on the Big Ten Network. As always, the game will also be available through the radio on the Hawkeyes Radio Network.

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Three stars from Iowa women’s basketball’s loss vs. Tennessee

Three stars from Iowa’s loss over the weekend vs. Tennessee.

The 20th-ranked Iowa women’s basketball (8-1) team suffered their first loss of the season in Saturday’s Shark Beauty Champions Classic game vs. Tennessee (7-0) from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Tennessee used a closing 16-3 run en route to a 78-68 win over Iowa.

As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 46.0% from the field, 21.4% from deep and 82.6% from the charity stripe. But, Iowa’s offense went dry in the game’s final 4:38, killing the Hawkeyes‘ hopes.

In addition to the tragic scoring drought that ended the game, Iowa’s offense turned the ball over 30 times, which Tennessee converted into 42 points.

On defense, Iowa only mustered nine forced turnovers, including four steals and two blocks on the night. The Hawkeyes did hold Tennessee to 39.0% shooting from the floor.

Although the trip to Brooklyn did not end as Iowa had hoped, here are three stars that shined for the Hawkeyes on Saturday.

Lucy Olsen

Senior guard Lucy Olsen returned from her two-game injury absence to lead Iowa in scoring on Saturday with 23 points on 7-for-14 (50%) shooting from the floor and 9-for-9 (100%) from the free throw line. Olsen also added five assists and three rebounds to round out her 33 minutes of playing time.

While the Hawkeyes ultimately fell short, the ability for Olsen to quickly bounce back into a reliable scoring threat off an injury absence was crucial for Iowa’s effort against the Lady Volunteers.

Addison O’Grady

Senior center Addison O’Grady had another solid performance Saturday, finishing with 17 points on 8-for-11 (72.7%) shooting from the floor and 1-for-2 from the charity stripe. She also added a team-leading 11 rebounds to go along with two assists and one block in her 29 minutes of game time.

Despite losing the points in the paint battle to Tennessee by a 44-34 margin, O’Grady’s dominance down low remains a vital avenue of scoring production for the Hawkeyes no matter the opponent.

Hannah Stuelke

Junior forward Hannah Stuelke had a quiet night offensively by only scoring eight points off a dastardly 1-for-8 (12.5%) shooting from the field, but she made up for the poor shooting performance by converting on 6-of-8 (75%) free throws.

Stuelke also added 10 rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 37 minutes of playing time.

While Stuelke has certainly had better shooting days, her relentless effort to collect rebounds and dish out assists was impactful for the Hawkeyes on Saturday as they attempted to match the scoring pace of Tennesssee.

Next up for the Hawkeyes will be the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Classic vs. No. 19 Iowa State from Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and will air on FS1. As always, the game will also be available through the radio on the Hawkeyes Radio Network.

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Three Iowa women’s basketball stars during Cancun Challenge

Three stars for Iowa women’s basketball during their two-game stay in the Cancun Challenge.

The No. 22-ranked Iowa women’s basketball team (8-0) wrapped up a perfect record in the two-game Cancun Challenge from the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya with a close 69-62 win over Rhode Island on Thursday and a blowout 68-48 victory against BYU on Friday.

In the two games combined, the Hawkeyes‘ offense shot 49-for-99 (49.5%) from the field and 17-for-40 (42.5%) from 3-point territory. The team also finished with a combined 66 rebounds and 34 assists.

Defensively, Iowa held Rhode Island and BYU to a combined 40-for-109 (36.7%) from the field and 15-for-42 (35.7%) from deep. Iowa also collected 18 steals and eight blocks combined through the two games played in Cancun.

With the Hawkeyes returning to the cold midwest weather of Iowa City, here’s a look at Iowa’s three stars from the Cancun Classic.

Addison O’Grady

Senior center Addison O’Grady continued her dominating role at center by finishing with the two-game invitational with 30 points on 14-of-17 shooting (82.4%) from the field, including 2-for-2 (100%) from the charity stripe.

The senior also added nine assists, nine rebounds, six blocks, and one steal to her total in both games.

For O’Grady, this is another impressive set of performances that should bring deserved recognition later on in the season.

Hannah Stuelke

Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Junior forward Hannah Stuelke had two solid performances for the Hawkeyes by scoring 29 points on 10-for-17 shooting (58.8%) from the field, 2-of-6 (33.3%) from deep, and 8-for-14 (57.1%) from the free throw line.

The junior forward also added a combined 12 rebounds, five assists, and two steals for the Hawkeyes while in Mexico.

While expected, Stuelke’s consistent scoring and rebounding presence is always well appreciated, especially as the season progresses.

Aaliyah Guyton

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Freshman guard Aaliyah Guyton made a major contribution off the bench throughout the Cancun Challenge as she contributed 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting (66.6%) from the field, 5-of-6 (83.3%) from deep, and 1-of-2 from the free throw line.

She also added four assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one rebound to her 39 minutes of game time throughout the invitational.

With Lucy Olsen recovering from an injury sustained during the trip, Guyton’s play was much appreciated, especially in a depth role.

Iowa returns to action on Dec. 7 as they head to Brooklyn, N.Y. where they will play in the Women’s Champions Classic vs. Tennessee. Game time for that matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Fox and on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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Iowa women’s basketball three stars from 71-58 win vs. Kansas

Revisiting three stars from Iowa women’s basketball’s neutral-site victory over Kansas.

Iowa women’s basketball continued its scorching start to the season by improving to 5-0 following Wednesday night’s 71-58 victory vs. the Kansas Jayhawks (4-1) from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Offensively, the Hawkeyes shot 25-for-55 (45.5%) from the field, including 8-for-21 from 3-point territory. Iowa also converted on 13-of-18 (72.2%) of their free throw attempts. While a low-scoring affair, the Hawkeyes were still able to outscore the Jayhawks 34-18 from the pained area.

Unlike most of their previous four games, the Hawkeyes relied heavily on their defensive play against Kansas by holding the Jayhawks to 19-for-52 (36.5%) from the field and 7-for-21 (33.3%) from beyond the arc.

Iowa also forced 16 turnovers, which the Hawkeyes were able to convert into seven points on the night.

Wednesday’s victory makes Jan Jensen the second head coach in program history to start their Iowa tenure 5-0, joining Angie Lee, who started 7-0 in 1995-96.

As the Hawkeyes continue to stay hot to start the year, here are the three stars that helped lead the team to another victory.

Lucy Olsen

Olsen shared the team lead in points Wednesday night by finishing with 16 points on 5-of-11 (45.5%) from the field, including 3-for-5 (60%) from deep. Olsen also converted on 3-of-4 (75%) free throw attempts. The senior guard collected six additional assists and three rebounds in her 36:26 of playing time.

While the senior’s offensive showing should be expected, it is always well-appreciated, especially in a low-scoring but competitive game like it was against Kansas.

Hannah Stuelke

Stuelke, who co-led the team in scoring alongside Lucy Olsen, finished with her fifth-career double-double after collecting ten rebounds to pair with her 16 points scored. Stuelke also managed to add four assists throughout the game as well.

The junior forward shot 6-for-12 (50%) from the field and converted 4-of-5 (80%) from the charity stripe in her 32:45 of game action.

Similar to Olsen, the contribution from Stuelke should not come as a surprise to Iowa fans but is always a luxury to have available.

Kylie Feuerbach

While Feuerbach wasn’t necessarily a large factor offensively, as she scored five points off 2-for-7 from the field and 1-for-3 from the free throw line in 26:54 of game time, she was a leader defensively Wednesday night.

Feuerbach led the team in steals with three takeaways, which helped the Hawkeyes thwart the Jawhawk offensive attack throughout the contest.

With the Hawkeyes’ defensive effort able to secure the victory Wednesday night, Feurerbach’s actions should not go unnoticed.

Next for the Hawkeyes is a return home to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where they will have a matchup vs. Washington State (2-2) on Sunday, Nov. 24.

Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT. The game will be telecast on the Big Ten Network alongside the radio broadcast from the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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Revisiting Iowa’s three stars in Toledo blowout

As the Hawkeyes gear up for their first road test at Drake, here’s a look back at their three stars vs. Toledo.

Iowa women’s basketball cruised to a 3-0 record on Wednesday night after a thorough 94-57 blowout victory over the Toledo Rockets from Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes controlled nearly every facet of the game on Wednesday night as the team shot 31-for-54 (57.4%) from the field, which included 4-for-14 (28.6%) from 3-point range and 28-for-32 (87.5%) from the free throw line.

Iowa secured 39 total rebounds on the night and dished out 18 assists. The Hawkeyes dominated down low, scoring 52 of their 94 points in the paint.

Defensively, the Hawkeyes held the Rockets to 21-of-67 (31.3%) from the field while registering 33 defensive rebounds, six blocks, and six steals to thwart the Toledo attack.

The victory against Toledo was truly a full team effort as five Hawkeyes scored in double figures and every available player received playing time.

Although every player had impactful contributions Wednesday night, three Hawkeyes stood out as difference-makers in the game.

Hannah Stuelke

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hannah Stuelke led the Hawkeyes in scoring with 17 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 night from the free throw line. She also collected nine rebounds, two assists, and one block on 22:25 of playing time.

Stuelke’s performance is her 39th career game in double figures.

Lucy Olsen

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lucy Olsen continued her torrid start to the season by scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Olsen also registered four assists and two rebounds in her 29:58 on the court.

While it is a small sample size, Olsen’s Wednesday performance improves her overall shooting percentage to 51.1% to start her Iowa career and adds to her team-leading 17.7 points per game.

Taylor McCabe

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Scoring a total of 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, Taylor McCabe was able to provide the Hawkeyes with valuable points from beyond the arc by finishing 4-of-8 from deep. The junior forward also collected four rebounds during her 18:19 minutes of game time off the bench.

McCabe’s performance, in addition to the rest of the team off the bench, is a very promising sight for the Hawkeyes’ scoring depth moving forward.

Iowa returns to action on Sunday as it faces its first road test at Drake from inside the Knapp Center at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

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Three stars of Iowa women’s basketball’s 71-52 victory vs. Virginia Tech

Three stars from Iowa women’s basketball’s 71-52 victory vs. Virginia Tech.

Iowa women’s basketball passed their first true challenge of the young 2024-25 campaign on Sunday with a 71-52 victory versus Virginia Tech at the Ally Tipoff from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

The Hawkeyes and Hokies started in a back-and-forth affair before Iowa was able to close out the first quarter with a 10-point lead. The second quarter saw Virginia Tech claw back into the game to end the first half down by just four points.

The third quarter saw Iowa expand its lead to a 16-point advantage thanks to stellar defensive plays and 3-pointers from senior guards Sydney Affolter and Kylie Feuerbach.

As the fourth quarter rolled around, the Hawkeyes were able to ride the offensive momentum created in the third to close out the Hokies for a convincing 71-52 win.

As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 46% from the field and 22.2% from deep, while collecting 46 rebounds, three steals and one block. In terms of areas of point production, the Hawkeyes dominated the interior by scoring 44 of their total 71 points from inside the paint.

While the victory over Virginia Tech was an all-around effort by the Hawkeyes, three players stood out as difference-makers contributing to the team’s success in Charlotte.

Lucy Olsen

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Olsen finished with a team-leading 20-point performance, making 9-of-21 shots from the field that included 1-for-4 from beyond the arc. Olsen also recorded six rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in 39 minutes of play.

While Olsen led the score sheet, her ability to facilitate the ball into the paint to other teammates was a major contributor to the offensive success throughout the night for the Hawkeyes.

The aggressive style of play that Olsen has shown so far is exactly what the Hawkeyes will rely on offensively this season.

Addison O’Grady

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

O’Grady had herself a stellar shooting performance as she registered 18 points on a 9-for-9 from the field to go along with three rebounds and one steal in 26 minutes played.

The senior center’s perfect shooting night allowed the Hawkeyes to take control of the offensive interior, which was a massive area of production throughout the night for Iowa.

Hannah Stuelke

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Stuelke had a solid performance Sunday afternoon as well by scoring 16 points and finishing with seven rebounds and two assists. While her shooting from the field was 6-for-17, she did finish 4-for-6 from the free throw line.

Even though Stuelke’s scoring performance hides behind Olsen and O’Grady, the ability to secure rebounds and push the ball upcourt is a skill that coach Jan Jensen certainly appreciates.

The Hawkeyes now improve to 2-0 on the campaign and return home to face the Toledo Rockets (1-0) from Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. CT. The game is set to be broadcast and air on the Big Ten Network.

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Iowa duo named to preseason All-Big Ten rosters by USA TODAY Sports network

Iowa guard Lucy Olsen and forward Hannah Stuelke each earned preseason All-Big Ten honors from the USA TODAY Sports network.

As the Iowa Hawkeyes prepare for another march toward a Big Ten championship and deep NCAA Tournament run, senior transfer guard Lucy Olsen and junior forward Hannah Stuelke earned preseason All-Big Ten honors from the USA TODAY Sports network.

Olsen was named a member of the preseason All-Big Ten first team, while Stuelke joined as part of the All-Big Ten second team.

Even though both will be critical to the Hawkeyes’ offensive production this season, they differ in their journeys to Iowa City.

Stuelke committed to Iowa as a high school freshman and had key roles on the Hawkeyes’ back-to-back Final Four squads, including a 23-point performance in last season’s national semifinal game against Connecticut.

Olsen joined the program through the transfer portal this offseason after starting three years at Villanova. In her 35 games played last season, she averaged 23.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest while averaging 36.2 minutes per game.

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

With the offensive production of Caitlin Clark no longer present, Iowa will look for Olsen and Stuelke to spearhead a large portion of the Hawkeyes’ attack this season.

Iowa’s home and season opener is on Nov. 6 versus Northern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. CT and will air on Big Ten Network Plus.

Below are the rest of the preseason All-Big Ten selections and awards.

Preseason All-Big Ten first team

  • G JuJu Watkins, USC
  • G Lucy Olsen, Iowa
  • F Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
  • F Kiki Iriafen, USC
  • C Lauren Betts, UCLA

Preseason All-Big Ten second team

  • G Shyanne Sellers, Maryland
  • G Kiki Rice, UCLA
  • F Serah Williams, Wisconsin
  • F Hannah Stuelke, Iowa
  • C Alexis Markowski, Nebraska

Preseason Coach of the Year

Lindsay Gottlieb, USC

Preseason Player of the Year

JuJu Watkins, USC

Preseason Newcomer of the Year

Kiki Iriafen, USC

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Serah Williams, Wisconsin

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Iowa women’s basketball duo named to 2024 Naismith Trophy watch list

Iowa’s Lucy Olsen and Hannah Stuelke have been named to the 2024 Naismith Trophy watch list.

As the 2024-25 Iowa women’s basketball season swiftly approaches, Iowa senior guard Lucy Olsen and junior forward Hannah Stuelke are named to the 2024 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year watch list.

Olsen joined the Hawkeyes this offseason through the transfer portal after spending the previous three seasons with Villanova. During the 2023-24 campaign, she started all 35 games, averaging 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 36.2 minutes per contest.

Olsen also shot 43.8% from the field, 29.4% from three-point range, and 80.7% from the free throw line.

Her impressive play last season earned her a unanimous first-team All-BIG EAST selection, BIG EAST Most Improved player, and an honorable mention All-American honoree by both the WBCA and the Associated Press.

Stuelke enters her junior season with the Hawkeyes after a breakout 2023-24 campaign where she started 32 of 35 games and averaged 14.0 points and 6.6 rebounds. She shot 62.7% from the field and 62.9% from the free throw line.

Stuelke’s impressive play last season also earned her second team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media.

Some of the other 48 players accompanying Olsen and Stuelke on the watch list include TCU guard Hailey Van Lith, USC guard JuJu Watkins, LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson, and UConn guard Paige Bueckers.

The Hawkeyes’ first act of the season will be an exhibition matchup on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. CT against Missouri Western from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The matchup will stream on Big Ten Network Plus (BTN+).

Iowa’s regular season opener will be against Northern Illinois on Nov. 6 with a 6:30 p.m. CT start from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. That contest is also set to air on BTN+.

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Women’s NCAA Championship Game: Iowa vs. South Carolina odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Sunday’s Iowa vs. South Carolina odds and lines, with college basketball expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Iowa Hawkeyes (34-4) and South Carolina Gamecocks (37-0) meet Sunday in the National Championship Game of the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Tip-off from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland is slated for 3 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Iowa vs. South Carolina odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.

It will be a rematch of a 2023 semifinal as a pair of No. 1 seeds clash in Cleveland.

Iowa advanced after a 71-69 win against No. 3 seed UConn Friday. Things got off to a slow start, but the Hawkeyes came on late. However, there was a controversial offensive foul on the Huskies with 3.9 seconds left with them trailing 70-69. Iowa got the ball back and it hung on for the win, although a late G Caitlin Clark missed free throw helped UConn grab the cover as a 2.5-point underdog.

The Hawkeyes shot just 45.8% (27-of-59) from the field, and just 28.0% (7-of-25) from behind the 3-point line, while turning it over 16 times. Iowa finished with a 37-to-29 rebounding margin as G Sydney Affolter, Clark and G Kate Martin combined for 24 of those boards. Meanwhile, it was F Hannah Stuelke who led the team with 23 points as Clark scored 21 points while struggling from behind the 3-point line (3-for-11).

Iowa has managed a 2-3 against the spread (ATS) mark in its 5 NCAA Tournament games, while the Under holds a slight 3-2 edge.

South Carolina rolled to a 78-59 semifinal win over 11th-seeded NC State Friday. The Gamecocks actually led just 32-31 at halftime, but the Gamecocks used a 29-6 run in the 3rd quarter to pull away for the win and cover as 11.5-point favorites, while the Under (139.5) hung on.

The Gamecocks were led by C Kamilla Cardoso, who went for a game-high 22 points with 11 rebounds and 2 blocked shots, while shooting an efficient 10-of-12 from the field. G Raven Johnson chipped in with 13 points, while G Te-Hina Paopao ended up with 10 points and a team-best 6 assists.

Like Iowa, South Carolina is 2-3 ATS in the Tournament, while the Under is 4-1 in the 5 outings.

South Carolina is No. 1 and Iowa is No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Iowa vs. South Carolina odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 6:08 p.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Iowa +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | South Carolina -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
  • Against the spread: Iowa +6.5 (-110) | South Carolina -6.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 159.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Iowa vs. South Carolina and predictions

Prediction

South Carolina 81, Iowa 76

Moneyline

South Carolina (-275) will cost 2.75 times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk for not enough reward.

The unbeaten Gamecocks should get the job done in this revenge game after being bounced by the Hawkeyes last season in the Final Four, but I’m not willing and can’t suggest backing a -275 favorite in any sport.

However, expect Iowa (+220) to put up a good fight. This should be an epic cap for one of the most memorable seasons in women’s basketball history.

AVOID a moneyline play unless you’re willing to take a chance with Clark and the Hawkeyes.

Against the spread

IOWA +6.5 (-110) is worth backing, catching more than 3 buckets. Clark and Co. will be a tremendous test for unbeaten South Carolina.

Iowa stunned South Carolina last season 77-73 in the Final Four in Dallas, snapping a 42-game win streak for the Gamecocks. Clark scored 41 points to set a Final Four record, and you can bet she’ll be front and center for the Hawkeyes Sunday, especially after an ugly shooting performance in the semifinal against UConn.

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Over/Under

UNDER 159.5 (-110) is the lean in this title game.

The Under has cashed in 4 of 5 NCAA Tournament games for South Carolina, while cashing in 3 of 5 outings for Iowa. The total almost went low in the UConn game, too, but a late free throw by Clark flipped the total in favor of the Over by a half-point.

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