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| uconn vs Iowa |
UConn women's basketball plays Friday in the 23rd Final Four in program history and is just one step away from a chance at its 12th national championship.
The only thing standing in his way? The Iowa Hawkeyes and the most prolific scorer in NCAA basketball history: Kaitlyn Clark.
The Huskies enter the game as underdogs, which is rare for a team with as many trophies as UConn. But UConn has a player on Clark's level in All-American Paige Bueckers.
UConn vs. Iowa is reported soon at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN.
UConn leads Iowa 19-14
The UConn women's basketball team is three quarters away from the national championship game.
Well, there are a lot of games waiting for us. But the game is clearly working in their favor so far.
UConn gets scoring from almost everyone with Nika Muhl and KK Arnold each scoring six points. Ashlynn Shade has five and Paige Bueckers has two.
Meanwhile, the Huskies caused fits for Caitlin Clark, who had two points on 1-of-5 shooting.
The Huskies also forced seven turnovers in the first quarter. They will still need to avoid their own transformations to stay successful.
UConn goes to the bench
UConn has only eight players in uniform tonight, an issue the Huskies have dealt with over the past month or two. Injury after injury has left the Huskies short benched.
This seat was not, at times, the largest contributor. In one tournament game, coach Geno Auriemma used only six players.
Tonight, Auriemma went to the bench early to call on Ace Brady to give Aaliyah Edwards a break. Edwards fouled out early.
With just over a minute left in the first quarter, the Huskies led 19-11.
UConn off to good start vs. Iowa
This is exactly the start UConn wanted and needed versus Iowa tonight.
The Huskies, after that initial turnover, forced several jump shots and held Kaitlyn Clark to two points on her first four points of the game on 1-of-3 shooting.
Meanwhile, the Huskies have KK Arnold contributing six points in the first few minutes, and Nika Muhl with a 3-pointer...just what the Huskies need.
UConn vs. Iowa underway
One of the most anticipated matchups in NCAA Tournament history is underway. The Huskies had a hard time getting the ball first, turned the ball over and Iowa scored the first points of the game.
Freshman Ashlyn Shedd, who was unclear what her role would be coming into the season, scored the Huskies' first two points. New teammate KK Arnold came back with a 3-pointer that made it 5-2 and we were off to the races.
UConn needs Shade and Arnold to have strong games tonight and they are off to a good start.
Bueckers and Clark: The teammates
Yes, Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark were teammates on Team USA, and they respect each other - personally and what they've done for the game.
In fact, the two have known each other since middle school and there have been multiple efforts to have their high school teams play against each other.
It never happened, but it could have been among the most exciting games in high school girls basketball history.
“People always wanted games between Hopkins (High School) and Dowling as always,” Clark said. "That's like the only thing people have ever emailed about my high school coach. ... She's always been dominant. On every team she's been on, she's led them to great success. That's just what she does. She's just a winner."
Added Bueckers: "We've known each other for a very long time. We've been competing against and with each other for a very long time. ... I mean Kaitlyn is a competitor, and she's a winner. She's a great basketball player, and everyone sees it. She does so much for the game. And she's even better." All-time leading scorer in college basketball.
UConn vs. Iowa to start at 9:27 p.m.
Well, we officially have a time: 9:27 p.m.
The NCAA and its broadcast partner often aim for some time, but there are no guarantees. However, the South Carolina vs. NC State is pretty typical of timing, lacking overtime. So, the Huskies and Hawkeyes will start at 9:27 p.m. According to what journalists in the square said.
UConn also announced the starting lineup. No surprises: Paige Bueckers, Nika Muhl, KK Arnold, Ashlyn Shedd, and Aaliyah Edwards.
Keys to a UConn win
It's a team game, but this will likely start and end with one thing: slowing down Kaitlyn Clarke. Geno Auriemma was the first to admit that stopping Clark was impossible.
“We're not planning on stopping it,” Auriemma said. "Because I tried to call all the other coaches who suspended her, and none of them answered the phone. So we're going to have to find a different way to win instead of suspending Kaitlyn Clark."
Here are the keys to UConn's win over Iowa State:
Paige Bueckers should be Paige Bueckers. They shine brighter under bright lights and that's what they have to do. Thirty points is not out of the question of what UConn will need here.
UConn definitely, positively, one hundred and 10 percent needs to stay out of foul trouble. Things got dicey versus USC earlier this week and Nika Muhl played some time with four fouls. KK Arnold had four and carried another three. If UConn can keep them out of trouble, especially Aaliyah Edwards, they will have a chance.
Everyone after Paige is giving UConn what it needs. It seems almost certain that Bueckers will appear. But Edwards will need another big game, the Huskies need some points from Muehl and the freshmen need to show up. If UConn can get some spots off the bench (there are only eight players available) they will be in better shape.
Paige Bueckers closes in on history
Paige Bueckers could make history tonight for the UConn women's basketball team. They are just 31 points away from tying and 32 points away from breaking the single-season scoring record.
Think of the greats in UConn history: Lupo, Rizzutti, Taurasi, Bird, Stewart, Charles, Jefferson, Cash...
And of course Maya Moore.
Bueckers trails Maya Moore, who is 31 points behind. First ever with 868 points. Bueckers ranks second all-time with 837 points. She surpassed Navisa Collier, who ranked third with 792 points.
Geno Auriemma may joke about Bueckers giving him a hard time or being stubborn at times, but there's no doubt he appreciates the talent and what she brings to the team.
"I've done things this year that no one has ever done before," Auriemma said earlier this week. “In the midst of all these great players, I saw today's stats that in the last 25 years, there's only two players that have averaged over 25 points, 8 assists or whatever, 8 rebounds, a block, a steal, and that's her and LeBron. All over basketball. But she does it in a way that doesn't make everyone jump up and down, which is old news. This is the world we live in today, and that's okay. It suits us perfectly, and it suits her perfectly. But there's something about Paige that's hard to put into words.
UConn vs. South Carolina?
UConn still has a game to win here in the Final Four, but they now know their likely opponent on Sunday: South Carolina.
After a tight first half versus NC State, South Carolina State was as dominant in the third quarter as a team can be. South Caroline reached the national championship game with a 78-59 win.
UConn faced South Carolina in the title game just two years ago. Paige Bueckers was recovering from injury, Azzi Fudd was sick and the Gamecocks were too much for the Huskies. Can UConn get a second chance here?
UConn vs. Iowa start time
For those looking for the UConn vs. Iowa game on ESPN around 9 p.m., hang in there. South Carolina's game against NC State ends in Cleveland. With UConn and Iowa playing on the same field, some time is needed between games to allow players to come out and new teams to come in and warm up.
The NCAA and ESPN are aiming for a 9:30 p.m. warning.
Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark
We know, we know. This is a team sport. But there's nothing better than a clash between the best players in their sport on the biggest stage.
The two squared off in 2021 in the Sweet 16 with UConn winning by 20 points. Geno Auriemma watched Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark coming from a mile away.
“It's been a long time since you've had two kids that had that kind of impact on their teams and on the game itself at the national level.” Auriemma said before that 2021 game. “To have one is unusual – not unusual – but to have one is kind of wonderful. But to have two, and for them to be similar in many ways, and yet now they will be, and unfortunately, they will be put in A situation like a big football game where they say it's (Tom) Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers and that couldn't be further from the truth.
That's Brady and Manning, Maya Moore and Candace Parker, Ali Frazier, Navratilova, Everett... you get the picture.
UConn coach Dan Hurley on the women’s team
You may have heard that the UConn men's basketball team is having a good year, too. Hurley's team plays Saturday in the Final Four and is enjoying one of the most dominant championships in history.
When asked about the women's team on Thursday, Hurley had this to say.
"Yes, just to see him in the building, because you walk by the training room and they have, like, one of the top five teams in the country injured, not playing. I mean that's why Geno is one of the best coaches of his generation," Hurley said.
“Obviously for Paige and the crew, it's special,” Hurley continued. "To do this with everything they've dealt with over the last two years, it's unbelievable. It just speaks to the caliber of Geno and his staff, UConn women's basketball, and why they're the No. 1 program in the country."
UConn watch party at Gampel
While the Huskies look to handle things at the Final Four in Cleveland, they will have plenty of support back home in Connecticut. This includes the Storrs campus.
The UConn watch party began at Gampel Pavilion, though students were invited only after some trouble following last year's men's national title win.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of viewing parties across the state this weekend.
Caitlin Clark not recruited to UConn
It may seem crazy to think about now, but no, Geno Auriemma did not recruit Caitlin Clark to UConn. She said earlier this week that she was interested.
“I loved UConn,” Clark told ESPN. "I think they're the coolest place on earth, and I wanted to say I was recruited by them. They called the AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and they never talked to me."
But as Auriemma explained, recruiting comes with tough choices.
“Well, there's a lot of kids that we didn't recruit, and there's a lot of kids that don't want to go to UCLA,” Auriemma said Tuesday. “I committed to Paige Bueckers very, very early on, and it was kind of silly for me to say to Paige, ‘Hey, listen, we're going to put you in the backcourt and then I'm going to try hard to get Kaitlyn in.'” Clark: “I don't do it that way.
"Obviously Kaitlyn is a great player, a generational player. But if Kaitlyn really wanted to come to UConn, she would have called me and said, 'Coach, I really want to come to UConn.'" Neither of us lost. She made the decision that was best for her and it was great. "We made the decision we thought we needed to make."
UConn also considered Hailey Van Lith that year, but she went to Louisville. After transferring to LSU, she is now back in the transfer portal this week.
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