Women's Final Four highlights: Iowa tops UConn in thriller; South Carolina routs NC State

NCAAW BK

NCAA TOURNMENT - FINAL FOUR

Iowa Hawkeyes IOWA

71

FINAL

69

1

Iowa ^34-4

IOWA ^34-4

71

3

UConn ^33-6

CONN ^33-6

69

UConn Huskies CONN

FINAL

CONN +3.5 UNDER 162.5

Thanks in part to heroics from Caitlin Clark and Hannah Stuelke — a controversial illegal screen foul on Aaliyah Edwards with less than five seconds left — Iowa rallied in the second half to overcome UConn in a Final Four matchup that lived up to the hype. Clark and Stuelke combined for 44 points — 21 and 23, respectively — with Clark also contributing nine rebounds and seven assists. Paige Bueckers and Edwards led UConn with 17 points each.

HIGHLIGHTS

UConn 19, Iowa 14 END 1Q

Caitlin Clark is off to a rough start from the field, shooting just 1-for-5 and missing all three of her attempts from beyond the arc in the first quarter. That's a big reason why UConn leads after one, along with KK Arnold and Nika Muhl scoring six points apiece for the Huskies. Arnold also finished the quarter with two assists and three steals. Paige Bueckers got in on the action as well.

UConn 25, Iowa 16 6:47 2Q

The Huskies continued pulling ahead of the Hawkeyes thanks in part to this dime from Bueckers stop Aaliyah Edwards.

UConn 41, Iowa 37 5:30 3Q

The Hawkeyes are keeping it close as Caitlin Clark finally made her first three-pointer of the game.

UConn 45, Iowa 45 3:05 3Q

The Hawkeyes have come all the way back to tie things up, thanks in part to a four-point play from Clark.

Iowa 51, UConn 51 END 3Q

With one quarter left, it's been the Hawkeyes' and Huskies' supporting casts shining even as Clark and Bueckers heat up. Bueckers has a team-high 14 points for UConn, but KK Arnold and Aaliyah Edwards are also in double digits with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Arnold also has four assists and four steals while Edwards has five rebounds, three assists and four steals. Post player Hannah Stuelke leads all scorers with 19 points while Clark has 13 along with seven rebounds and six assists.

Iowa 66, UConn 57 5:42 4Q

Iowa has opened up its biggest lead of the game thanks in large part to Clark, who has seven points already this quarter. Clark is up to 20 on the game while Stuelke has 23.

Iowa 66, UConn 62 4:00 4Q

Bueckers kept the Huskies within striking distance thanks to this clutch shot from downtown.

Iowa 70, UConn 66 1:02 4Q

The bigs are getting it done on both ends as this one goes down to the wire.

Iowa 70, UConn 69 :09 4Q

UConn is back in it thanks to a Nika Muhl three-pointer on one end, then a KK Arnold steal on the other.

NCAAW BK

NCAA TOURNMENT - FINAL FOUR

South Carolina Gamecocks SCAR

78

FINAL

59

1

South Carolina ^37-0

SCAR ^37-0

78

3

North Carolina State ^31-7

NCST ^31-7

59

North Carolina State Wolfpack NCST

FINAL

SCAR -11.5 UNDER 139.5

NC State kept it close in the first half, but Kamilla Cardoso and the South Carolina Gamecocks pulled away with a dominant second half, including a 29-6 third quarter, to remain undefeated and advance to the national championship for the second time in three years. Dawn Staley's squad is now one game away from becoming the first undefeated NCAA Division I women's college basketball national champion since 2015-16 UConn.

HIGHLIGHTS

South Carolina 16, NC State 16 END 1Q

The underdog Wolfpack led for most of the first quarter, showing they won't back down without a fight against the heavily favored Gamecocks.

South Carolina 32, NC State 31 HALFTIME

Star Gamecocks post player Kamilla Cardoso owned the second quarter, scoring 10 straight points for the Gamecocks. But she exited late in the period with a game-high 16 points and seven rebounds after appearing to hurt her leg.

South Carolina 48, NC State 36 6:29 3Q

Dawn Staley's squad came out of the locker room on fire, embarking on a 16-5 run to increase their lead to 12, the largest of the night. It was capped off by this by this behind-the-head pass from Raven Johnson to Kamilla Cardoso, who now has 20 points on the night.

South Carolina 61, NC State 37 END 3Q

It was all Gamecocks in the third quarter, outscoring the Wolfpack 29-6 including an 11-0 run at one point to take full control of the game.