Championship locked – Iowa Hawkeyes best Brea Beal and Gamecox in Final Four

DALLAS, Texas (KWQC) – South Carolina dominated the entire game Friday night, but with less than 20 seconds left, Iowa’s McKenna Warnock got a layup on Iowa’s Kaitlin Clark for what would be a game-tying layup, helping the Hawkeyes. on a 77-73 victory to advance to the NCAA Championship on Sunday.

Iowa came out of Dallas ready to prove they were more than double digits in the defending national championship. Iowa scored the first four points and led by 9 at the end of the first quarter.

Caitlin Clarke showed why she was chosen as the Naismith Player of the Year. In the second quarter, Young scored three second-game touchdowns to set the Big Ten record for most three-pointers in a season, and the touchdown also gave Clark 1,000 points on the year, a mark accomplished by only five other players. in D1 basketball. With 2:30 left in the half, Clark hit another three-pointer to become the single-season leader in Big Ten history.

The Hawkeye defense, which played three-and-two in the first half, shut down Naismith player of the season Aaliyah Boston and Rock Island grad Brea Beale, holding each scoreless before halftime. Zia Cook and the Gamecocks offense kept South Carolina close and held a 1-point game at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, the Hokies extended the lead to 9, but South Carolina showed why they were the defending champions. The Gamecocks were able to take the lead several times in the third and fourth quarters, only to have the Hokies fire right back up and go back in front.

With five minutes left in the game, South Carolina cut the Hawkeye lead to one possession with 13 seconds left when Kaitlyn Clark hit two free throws that would be the game-winner.

Clark set an NCAA semifinal record with 41 points in his second game on 15-31 shooting. Clark either scored or assisted on 75% of the Hawkeye points. The other half of the law firm, Monica Chinano, again battled foul trouble, but scored a game-high 18 points.

The Hokies will face LSU for the national championship on Sunday.

The Rock Island grad finished his South Carolina career with just 3 points and fouled out in the final seconds.

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