The last two spots in the women’s Final Four are up for grabs and we have two incredible matchups to decide who goes to Cleveland.
The marquee is the rematch of last year’s national championship game between Iowa and LSU. It broke viewership records and stoked a rivalry between Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese that no one has forgotten. The Tigers got the better of the Hawkeyes in that matchup; will the rematch play out differently?
In the other big showdown of the night, JuJu Watkins and No. 1 USC face Paige Bueckers and No. 3 UConn. Will the freshman get the better of the seasoned veteran?
Here’s what we have to look forward to on Monday:
Elite Eight Monday schedule
Women’s schedule (all times Eastern):
7:15 p.m. — No. 1 Iowa vs. No. 3 LSU (ESPN)
9:15 p.m. — No. 1 USC vs. No. 3 UConn (ESPN)
Live59 updates
Halftime: UConn 33, USC 33
USC went on quick 6-0 burst to tie the game up at halftime. Paige Bueckers has 15 points, and JuJu Watkins has 13 at the break.
Paige Bueckers with a deep contested 3 for the Huskies. They’re holding onto a slight lead late in the second quarter now
It’s almost halftime in Portland, and Caitlin Clark is still signing autographs and meeting fans in Albany.
JuJu Watkins just scored her 899th point of the season, which set a new NCAA Division-I freshman record. She passed San Diego State’s Tina Hutchinson, who set the mark in the 1983-84 campaign.
UConn has taken a 24-19 lead thanks to a 8-0 run capped by a Qadence Samuels 3
End of 1st: USC 17, UConn 15
USC leads UConn 17-15 after the first quarter.
Paige Bueckers has seven points for the Huskies, and McKenzie has eight for USC.
USC jumped up 15-6 in the first, but they’ve not scored since. Aaliyah Edwards just tied it back up for UConn on a huge reverse layup late in the quarter.
The 3-point lines at the Moda Center have been fixed. It’s very clear on one end of the floor, where there’s a huge gap between the line and the white paint on the court.
Now let’s go west to the Moda Center in Portland, where UConn and USC will fight it out for the last Final Four spot
Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes beat LSU in a rematch from last year’s title game. They’re headed to the Final Four in Cleveland later this week.
Final: Iowa 94, LSU 87
The Hawkeyes exorcised some demons and are through to the Final Four. They’ll face the winner of the second game of the night between USC and UConn. Caitlin Clark finishes with 41 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds.
And that’ll do it. Iowa beats LSU 94-87 to reach its second straight Final Four.
Caitlin Clark finished with 41 points on nine 3-pointers, 12 assists and seven rebounds.
Flau’jae Johnson talks to Angel Reese before Reese hugs assistants and the crowd gives her an ovation after her fifth foul. Then Hannah Stuelke draws a fifth foul and hits the bench to the same cheers and chants of “Hannah” from the Iowa band.
Ted Lasso is enjoying himself in Albany
Angel Reese just fouled up on an offense foul at the rim. The LSU star ends her night with 17 points and 20 rebounds.
Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA tournament assists record tonight, too.
Caitlin Clark’s career high in 3s is nine done three times. One as a freshman vs. Maryland, and twice this year (Cleveland State, Michigan)
And there’s a ninth 3-pointer from Caitlin Clark. That matched the record for most made in a single NCAA tournament game, and tied her career high. She’s up to 37 points now, and the Hawkeyes lead 80-69 with 4:49 to go.
LSU opened the fourth quarter on a quick 5-0 burst to cut the deficit briefly, but Caitlin Clark just buried her eighth 3-pointer of the night to give the Hawkeyes a double digit lead again.
