THIS WEEK
1-Seed Iowa will face 3-Seed UConn in the National Semifinal of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. (CT) inside Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleve- land, Ohio.
WATCH/FOLLOW ALONG
» Friday’s contest will air nationally on ESPN, the Hawkeye Radio Network, and Sirius XM Channel 84.
AUDIO COVERAGE
» Rob Brooks and Tiff Reedy will call the action on the Hawkeye Radio Network.
» Brooks is in his eighth year as the play-by-play announcer for the Iowa women’s basketball team. He has been Iowa football’s sideline reporter since 2004. Brooks has called seven different Iowa sports on radio or television.
» Reedy was four-year letterwinner from 2002-06 at Iowa and is a native of Dysart, Iowa.
THE SERIES
» The Huskies lead the all-time series, 6-3.
» In the last meeting, UConn beat Iowa in the Phil Knight Classic in Portland, 86-79.
SCOUTING UCONN
» Paige Bueckers led the Huskies back to the Final Four after scoring 28 points and lifting UConn to a 80-73 win over Southern California.
» This is the Huskies’ 23rd National Semifinal, the most of any school.
» UConn is 7-1 on a neutral floor this season.
» Connecticut’s path: 14-Seed Jackson State, 6-Seed Syracuse, 7-Seed Duke, and 1-Seed Southern Cal.
IOWA’S 1-SEED HISTORY
» The Hawkeyes have been a No. 1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament three times in school history. (1988, 1992, and 2024)
» Iowa is 6-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament as 1-Seed.
» UI has never played in the Final Four as a No. 1 Seed.
2023 NCAA TOURNAMENT IN REVIEW
» Clark became the first player in DI women’s basketball history to notch a 1,000+ points and 300+ assists single season in 2023. Clark is closing in on that this season.
» Clark produced the first 40-point triple-double in men’s or women’s NCAA Tournament history against UL. (41p, 12a, 10r)
» Against Louisville and South Carolina, Clark was the first player to net back-to-back 40-point performances in the NCAA Tourney.
» In month of March in 2023, Marshall was 23-of-47 from deep.
WHAT 2 WATCH 4
» Clark has three 40-point double-doubles in an NCAA Tournament setting (Elite Eight, 2023; National Semifinal, 2023; Elite Eight, 2024).
» Iowa is 9-4 when Clark records 40 or more points.
» Marshall is 24-of-50 from deep in the last seven games.
» Clark has 66 career games with 25+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ rebounds. (NCAA Best)
» Over the last 25 seasons, no has recorded more 30+ point games in men’s or women’s college basketball than Clark. (58)
» Martin has recorded 15+ points in 17 games this year which is a career best.
» Clark has eight games of 10+ assists in the NCAA Tournament. (NCAA Best)
» Since 2019, the Hawkeyes are 15-4 in the NCAA Tournament.
» Martin and Clark have started 137 consecutive games together the longest streak by any Division I duo in the last 25 years.
» Iowa is 5-0 when Martin records a double-double in 2023-24.
» Clark has 21 games in her career with 35+ points, 5+ assists, 5+ rebounds which is the most in women’s college basketball since 2009.
» Clark has registered 25+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ rebounds in 24 out of the last 30 games.
» Among active players whom didn’t transfer, Marshall (128) and Martin (125) are third and fourth nationally for most active wins in a career.
GROUP EFFORT
» Since Davis’ injury, Affolter is 30-of-53 from the floor, 9-of-15 from three point range, and 25-of-28 from the charity stripe.
» Iowa broke the Big Ten’s single season record for 3-pointers made which was set by Iowa (350) a season ago. They Hawkeyes have made 410 treys this season.
» Iowa has made 76 three-point baskets in postseason play.
» Stuelke is 29-of-40 from the free throw line the last seven games.
» Since February, Iowa is shooting 187-452 from three.
» Iowa has assisted on 66% of its field goals this year.
LISA BLUDER’S LEGACY
» Bluder owns 18 AP Top 10 wins which is the most in program history.
» Has the 10th most wins in Division-I women’s basketball history and is third among active DI head coaches. (883)
» Bluder is 22-17 all-time in NCAA Tournaments at Iowa.
» Owns the most Big Ten conference wins in conference history.
» Won seven Big Ten titles. (5 BTT’s and 2 Regular Season)
» 1-of-27 Division I women’s basketball coaches to win 20+ games in the NCAA Tournament at one institution. » Coached two consenus National POYs.
» Has coached the Hawkeyes to back-to-back Final Fours.
» She has led UI to the Sweet 16 (2021), Elite Eight (2019), National Championship (2023) in three out of the last four championship seasons. (Covid)
» Owns eight straight 20-win seasons. It is the longest streak in her career, C. Vivian Stringer had 10 consecutive 20+ win seasons from 1984-94.
