Tag: Iowa women’s basketball

Iowa Hawkeyes leapfrog teams in updated ESPN Power Rankings

The Hawkeyes win over Ohio State sent a late-season message. Iowa has leapfrogged teams in the latest ESPN Power Rankings.

The Iowa Hawkeyes’ revenge against the Ohio State Buckeyes sent a loud, late-season message across the landscape of women’s college basketball. The Hawkeyes put together four quarters of quality basketball to knock off the Buckeyes, who were ranked No. 2 at tipoff.

The day was joyous as Caitlin Clark also became the NCAA all-time leading scorer passing Pete Maravich with two free throws at the end of the first half. The bigger story, which may be still hidden, is that the Hawkeyes appear to be figuring things out at the right time.

Their performance has them leapfrogging teams in ESPN’s Power Rankings and jumping up three spots to No. 2.

2. Iowa Hawkeyes (26-4)
Previous ranking: 5
This week: vs. Penn State/Wisconsin winner at Big Ten tournament quarterfinals (Friday)

Sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke didn’t get many touches in the Hawkeyes’ 108-60 romp over Minnesota on Wednesday. But she did in a hotly contested game Sunday vs. Ohio State, going 9-of-12 from the field for 23 points, plus 9 rebounds. Iowa is concerned about the status of injured guard Molly Davis going into the postseason, but Stuelke looks ready to be a force. Iowa, the Big Ten tournament No. 2 seed, is also shooting the 3-pointer well of late, with a combined 50 in the last three games. – Michael Voepel, ESPN

With the threes falling, nearly 17 per game over the final three to end the season, Iowa has developed a two-headed monster with Clark and Gabbie Marshall outside paired with Hannah Stuelke down low.

Kate Martin will be called upon for big minutes as Molly Davis went down but the Hawkeyes know she is reliable and can also count on Sydney Affolter to provide valuable minutes.

As the Hawkeyes head to the Big Ten Tournament, things are trending upward for this team. They look like they can beat anyone in the country if they play as they did against Ohio State.

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This wild Caitlin Clark stat proves just how unbelievable her 3-point shooting range is

Caitlin Clark is simply unbelievable.

Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark broke the all-time Division I college basketball scoring record and she is rewriting history books in the process.

Clark, who recently announced that she will declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft, is one of the most impressive sharpshooters that the sport has seen. She is known for hitting 3-pointers from incredibly long distances and she even broke the women’s college basketball scoring record with a 3-pointer from the logo.

Iowa has even honored Clark’s scoring record by permanently marking the spot on the court where the record was broken, which has since become her signature shot.

While anyone who has watched her play know she is capable of shooting from incredibly far away, the numbers back this up as well. In fact, per CBB Analytics, Clark has made 84 field goals considered “long” 3-pointers beyond 25 feet.

That is considerably farther than the international 3-point distance (22 feet and 1.75 inches) for men’s and women’s college basketball, the WNBA, and FIBA. It is also beyond the NBA distance, which is 23 feet and 9 inches at the top of the key.

CBB Analytics

As you can see in her shot chart, Clark has made more “long” 3-pointers (84) than short 3-pointers (71) this season. Nearly one-third (31.5 percent) of her total shots are taken from this zone. To put that in perspective, the Division I average is 8.9 percent this season.

Meanwhile, her field goal percentage on shots between 25 and 30 feet is 39.3 percent. That is also significantly above the Division I average (29.5 percent) in 2023-24.

For comparison, no other women’s Division I college basketball has even come close to approaching as many long 3-pointers as Clark this season. In fact, she has more than the players with the second-most (Syracuse’s Dyaisha Fair has 47) and third-most (Marquette’s Mackenzie Hare has 34) combined.

Name Long 3’s Team Year
Caitlin Clark 84 Iowa (Women’s) 2024
Caitlin Clark 76 Iowa (Women’s) 2023
Max Abmas 72 Oral Roberts (Men’s) 2023
Darius McGhee 65 Liberty (Men’s) 2023
Max Abmas 56 Oral Roberts (Men’s) 2021
Antoine Davis 56 Detroit Mercy (Men’s) 2023
Jelly Walker 55 UAB (Men’s) 2022
Jelly Walker 55 UAB (Men’s) 2023
Max Abmas 54 Oral Roberts (Men’s) 2022

With more games still left to play this season, Clark has already made more long 3-pointers than any other Division I player in men’s or women’s college basketball since CBB Analytics began tracking this data in 2018-19.

We know that Clark is capable of shooting from deep but let’s give it even more context. Clark has made exactly as many 3-pointers from at least 25 feet in her 30 games this season as NBA stars Devin Booker (50 games) and Kawhi Leonard (54 games) this season, per Stathead.

That is simply remarkable range from the future WNBA superstar.

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Takeaways as Iowa gets revenge on Buckeyes; Caitlin Clark becomes NCAA all-time scoring leader

Iowa got their revenge on Ohio State. Takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ win that saw Caitlin Clark become the NCAA all-time scoring leader.

The Iowa Hawkeyes earned what may be their best and most important win of the regular season in its finale.

The Hawkeyes exacted revenge on the Ohio State Buckeyes in front of a raucous crowd inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes outlasted Ohio State, 93-83, and head into the postseason riding a wave of confidence but also some new questions.

The day was highlighted by Caitlin Clark becoming the all-time NCAA scoring leader. The record was held by the great Pete Maravich (3,667 points). While that was the story of the day, the Hawkeyes’ win featured contributions from all over.

Clark got hers with 35 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds. Hannah Stuelke had 23 points and 9 rebounds. Gabbie Marshall poured in 12 points with her outside shooting coming in clutch, and Kate Martin was steady as ever with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Not to be forgotten, Syndey Affolter and Kylie Feuerbach combined for 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Iowa Hawkeyes’ big win over the Ohio State Buckeyes to close the regular season.

She’s done it! Social media reacts to Caitlin Clark breaking the all-time NCAA scoring record

Everyone was watching as Iowa Hawkeye Caitlin Clark became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.

She has done it!

Caitlin Clark has set the standard by which all other college basketball players will be judged. Not just collegiate women’s basketball, but all basketball players.

Just before halftime of Hawkeye’s senior day matchup against Big Ten rival Ohio State, Caitlin Clark reached point No. 3,668, the new record for NCAA Division I basketball.

No longer is the statement hyperbolic or an objective opinion. Clark is officially the greatest scorer in the history of college basketball.

“Pistol” Pete Maravich’s mark of 3,667 points has been one of those long-standing records that seemed it would withstand the test of time. Even as the game became higher scoring, the 3-point line was introduced and rules put into place to allow players to extend their collegiate careers, Maravich remained king. Many tried but were unable to break the record, until now.

With three-tenths of a seconds left on the clock in front of a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Clark nailed two free throws to tie and surpass the long-standing scoring record.

That’s 3,668 points and still counting.

Here are the best social media reactions to the historic event.

Senior day: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Ohio State Buckeyes: TV, game notes for Sunday

It’s Senior Day inside Carver. Here’s how Hawkeye fans can watch Caitlin Clark’s final home game vs. No. 2 Ohio State.

Sunday will be one of the most bittersweet days in the history of Iowa athletics. It is the last day of the regular season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, senior day for the Hawkeyes.

Five seniors will be honored in front of their peers and the nation live on Fox. Molly Davis, Sharon Goodman, Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin and, of course, Caitlin Clark, will all walk on senior day.

Clark recently declared this season will be her last in the black and gold, removing all speculation. It will be one of the last times this special group of women play in front of their home fans in Carver.

With the sadness of saying goodbye to program legends comes a big occasion. Not only is it against the Big Ten regular-season champions Ohio State, which already defeated the Hawkeyes this season, but it also marks a day that history will be made.

Clark is 18 points away from breaking the all-time NCAA Division I scoring record. Currently held by basketball Hall of Famer “Pistol” Pete Maravich, the current mark of 3,667 points has stood since 1970.

It’s certainly a game you will not want to miss. Here’s how to watch all of the action on Sunday between No. 6 Iowa (25-4, 14-3 Big Ten) and No. 2 Ohio State (25-3, 16-1 Big Ten).

Iowa Hawkeyes own women’s basketball viewing records across six media outlets

Everyone is tuning in to see the Iowa Hawkeyes take the court. They have set viewing records across six different networks.

It is impossible to ignore the massive, national story that the Iowa Hawkeyes are. They are rock stars in every arena they go into and that is translating to television.

Led by Caitlin Clark, the Hawkeyes are drawing massive ratings and garnering more national coverage with each passing game. The Hawkeyes are rewarding networks and streaming services handsomely: They have set the record for viewership on six outlets (five TV networks and one streaming service).

The Iowa Hawkeyes have participated in the most-watched women’s basketball game of all time on ABC, Big Ten Network, Fox, FS1, NBC and Peacock.

The Iowa viewing craze is sure to continue when it hosts Ohio State on Sunday. The game is televised on Fox and is poised to break another viewing record. Not only does this game feature two top-10 teams vying for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but it comes on the heels of Clark’s announcement that she will enter the WNBA draft this year.

As Clark’s time in the women’s college game draws to a close, networks are going to covet the broadcast rights to the Hawkeyes’ remaining games.

With the Big Ten tournament and NCAA Tournament coming up, Iowa is sure to headline more networks. Iowa’s Big Ten tournament games will be carried on the Big Ten Network. The championship game will be carried on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

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Iowa Hawkeyes a No. 2 seed in women’s bracketology ahead of massive Ohio State tilt

Ahead of the massive tilt against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Iowa Hawkeyes are a No. 2 seed in the latest women’s bracketology.

This March just became a whole lot more meaningful for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Caitlin Clark’s announcement that she is entering the 2024 WNBA Draft has made waves across the sports world and has certainly ratcheted up the Hawkeyes’ focus entering March.

Iowa currently sits at 25-4 and is ranked No. 6 in the AP Top 25 this week. That said, a lot can change in just one game for the Hawkeyes. Their upcoming matchup against No. 2 Ohio State is a headlining game across all of college basketball.

The Buckeyes come to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, March 3 for a game being televised on FOX as the Hawkeyes look to get revenge from a loss earlier this year.

The matchup has gigantic NCAA Tournament seeding implications as the two teams have been trending as No. 1 and No. 2 seeds as of lately and could very well be playing for a higher seed in this matchup.

Ahead of this monstrous game, here is a look at ESPN’s latest women’s bracketology.

Caitlin Clark still atop ESPN’s updated top 25 women’s college basketball players

Caitlin Clark is still atop ESPN’s top 25 women’s college basketball players in its latest update. Who’s next in line?

Just like the last time we did this exercise right after Christmas Day, Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark is still ESPN’s No. 1 player in its updated list of women’s college basketball’s top 25 players.

And really, who else could it be?

Clark has been magical again during the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season. It feels like she’s a lock to sweep the National Player of the Year awards once more a little bit later this spring.

Clark is averaging a career-best and nation-leading 32.2 points per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range. The West Des Moines product is also averaging 8.7 assists per game, which also leads the country. Clark has six triple-doubles this season and is averaging 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest.

It’s been a memorable season with Clark passing Kelsey Plum for the NCAA women’s career scoring record and keeping the Hawkeyes as one of the nation’s top teams. Her offensive numbers are a bit higher in Big Ten play: 33.2 PPG and 9.3 APG. She has 503 3-point field goals at Iowa, a career-high 156 of them coming this season. A second season of national player of the year honors seems solidified. – Michael Voepel, ESPN.

Clark at No. 1 is no surprise. It’s the name at No. 2 that might shock some folks that are just now plugging back into women’s college basketball as the NCAA Tournament approaches.

USC freshman guard JuJu Watkins checks in as the No. 2 player in women’s college basketball per ESPN.

Watkins, who ranks second in Division I scoring behind Clark, is the front-runner for national freshman of the year. Watkins’ 12 games of 30 or more points are tied with Clark for the most such games for a freshman over the last 25 seasons. It’s also a USC single-season record for any class. Watkins has scored 20 or more points eight times against ranked opponents. Her recent 18-of-18 free throw performance was the most makes without a miss ever in a Pac-12 game. – Voepel, ESPN.

The rest of the top 10 is comprised by Stanford forward Cameron Brink at No. 3, UConn guard Paige Bueckers at No. 4, Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo at No. 5, Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley at No. 6, Virginia Tech guard Georgia Amoore at No. 7, UConn forward Aaliyah Edwards at No. 8, UCLA center Lauren Betts at No. 9 and South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso at No. 10.

Sixth-ranked Iowa closes its regular season on Sunday with ESPN’s “College GameDay” in attendance beforehand as the Hawkeyes play host to No. 2 Ohio State at noon.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ superstar guard Caitlin Clark declares for the 2024 WNBA draft

After much speculation and a special career, Iowa Hawkeyes’ superstar guard Caitlin Clark has announced she is entering the 2024 WNBA Draft.

A career that will never be forgotten is going to get its swan song. After a great deal of speculation surrounding one of the greatest basketball careers of all time, Iowa Hawkeyes’ superstar point guard Caitlin Clark has declared for the 2024 WNBA draft.

Clark took to her account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to break the news and share her appreciation for her teammates, family, friends and Iowa fans who have always been by her side.

“While this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa. I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA draft.”

“It is impossible to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me during my time at Iowa — my teammates, who made the last four years the best; my coaches, trainers and staff who always let me be me; Hawkeye fans who filled Carver every night; and everyone who came out to support us across the country, especially the young kids.”

“Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without my family and friends who have been by my side through it all. Because of you, my dreams came true.”

This season has been a magical one for Caitlin Clark. She has broken countless records and recently became the women’s Division I all-time scoring leader in their latest victory.

This season, Clark is averaging 32.2 points, 8.7 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game. She is stacking up triple-doubles and leading the Hawkeyes to another NCAA Tournament where they will look to make another deep run.

One of the greatest Iowa Hawkeyes to ever sport the black and gold has given countless fans special memories and given even more children an idol to look up to and admire as the face of college basketball.

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Gabbie Marshall eclipses 1,000-career points in Minnesota win

Gabbie Marshall is officially a 1,000-point scorer in her Hawkeye career after Wednesday night’s performance at Minnesota.

On a night senior superstar guard Caitlin Clark collected her 17th career triple-double, don’t overlook the contribution of fifth-year guard Gabbie Marshall.

The 5-foot-9 guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, knocked down four 3-pointers and registered 16 points in the 108-60 blowout win over Minnesota.

In the process, Marshall tracked down some history of her own.

Marshall is now a part of the 1,000 career points club at Iowa.

It’s a credit to Marshall’s contributions to the Hawkeyes over her career.

One of the key starting cogs during this run with Clark and graduate guard Kate Martin, Marshall has started 127 games and appeared in 156 games in her Hawkeye career.

After her 4-for-7 day beyond the 3-point line at Minnesota, Marshall has connected on 235 3-pointers in her Hawkeye career.

Marshall’s 16-point outing against the Gophers represented her seventh game this season with double-figure points. In each of those games, Marshall knocked down four or more 3-pointers.

She was one of the primary reasons that Iowa advanced to the Final Four and then the national championship game against LSU last spring. Marshall connected on 5-of-8 3-pointers against Georgia in the NCAA Tournament’s second round and then on 3-of-9 3-pointers versus Louisville in the Elite Eight.

She also made 2-of-3 3-pointers against LSU in the national championship game.

Perhaps her performance against Minnesota is the first sign that she’s ready for another run through the Big Ten Tournament and then into March Madness.

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