DALLAS – No-2 Seed Iowa women’s basketball fell short to 3-Seed LSU, 102-85, inside American Airlines Center on Sunday afternoon in the National Championship.
National Player of the Year, Caitlin Clark, recorded her fourteenth 30-point game, finishing with 30 points, eight assists, and two rebounds. Monika Czinano finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds in her final game as a Hawkeye. Kate Martin had 13 points and six assists, while McKenna Warnock ended with nine points and six rebounds her last game. Gabbie Marshall had 12 points, going 2-for-3 from behind the arc.
It was a back-and-forth battle in the first, as both teams shot over 50 percent from the three. Iowa forced three turnovers in the first two minutes, capitalizing with seven quick points to be up by four. LSU went on its own run, but Clark hit back-to-back threes to tie it up at 18 with under four to go. Marshall sunk free throws in the final minute to go into the second down by five.
Rangeeeee 🎯 @CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/U3riqMpzGg
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 2, 2023
Caitlin Clark was on fire in the first quarter 🔥
🏀 14 PTS
🏀 4-7 3PT FG pic.twitter.com/XBtXB48WZn— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 2, 2023
Marshall and Martin swished two three-pointers to take a, 29-28, lead at the start of the second. Marshall had a quarter-high seven points for the team, but the Tigers went 6-for-7 from the three to take a, 59-42, lead at half.
Gabbie Marshall in the building 🫡 @GabbieMarshall x #Hawkeyes
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 2, 2023
The Hawkeyes rallied in the third, going on a 15-2 run in three minutes to get within nine. Iowa held LSU to 16 points in the third, with Clark and Czinano having 14 of the team’s 22 points. The Hawkeyes headed into the final 10 minutes of the game trailing, 75-64.
Foul trouble was a big contributor in the fourth, as Iowa wasn’t able to get within 10 of LSU to fall short in their remarkable run.