March Madness highlights: Iowa, UConn earn Final Four spots as field is set
Editor's note: Follow all the Iowa vs. UConn updates, scores, highlights and more with USA TODAY's live coverage.
The women’s NCAA tournament entered the last day of the Elite Eight with star-studded matchups all night.
In the first game, Caitlin Clark and No. 1 Iowa reached the Final Four for a second consecutive season, trampling on Angel Reese and defending champion LSU and avenging their loss in last year’s national championship game. Clark did it all for the Hawkeyes, scoring 41 points, including 9-of-20 from 3-point range, and added 12 assists and seven rebounds.
Iowa will face Paige Bueckers and No. 3 UConn in the national semifinals on Friday as No. 3 Connecticut toppled No. 1 Southern California 80-73 to return to the Final Four. The Huskies' Paige Bueckers had her career-high seventh straight 20-point game, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds.
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March Madness games Monday
Paige Bueckers carries UConn past USC to Final Four
No. 3 Connecticut toppled No. 1 Southern California to return to the Final Four. Paige Bueckers had her career-high seventh straight 20-point game, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds, as the Huskies beat the Trojans 80-73.
For the Trojans, freshman phenom JuJu Watkins broke Tina Hutchinson’s record for most points by a freshman in a single season in women’s college basketball history. She had 29 points and 10 boards.
The teams battled the entire matchup, but Connecticut, which has limited depth due to injury, took its first lead in the second quarter and was able to maintain control.
The Huskies return to the Final Four after missing the national semifinal last year for the first time since 2007 (not counting the 2020 tournament, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). They will face Caitlin Clark and No. 1 Iowa in the Final Four.
Women's Final Four set for Friday
The women's Final Four is set.
Iowa defeated LSU, the defending champions, on Monday night and will join South Carolina, NC State and UConn in Cleveland. The Final Four is Friday.
The overall No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks will play the NC State Wolfpack, in their first Final Four since 1998, in the first game at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Iowa Hawkeyes will play UConn in the nightcap at 9:30 p.m., also on ESPN.
South Carolina is trying to win a third national title under coach Dawn Staley. They won in 2017 and 2022. NC State has not won an NCAA Tournament championship.
USC surging, but UConn holds lead going into fourth quarter
Now is the time for X-factors to step up, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.
No. 1 Southern California went on an 11-3 run to close out the third quarter and close No. 3 Connecticut’s lead to 55-51. Senior guard Kayla Padilla scored her first points of the game with a three-point bucket as time expired.
The shot was in response to Ice Brady’s trey, which was the freshman forward’s sixth three-point shot of the entire season. The shot snapped an 8-0 run from USC, which was surging back after Connecticut went up by 12, its largest lead of the game.
Paige Bueckers has 19 points and nine rebounds for Connecticut. McKenzie Forbes has 18 points for the Trojans. JuJu Watkins only had three points in the period to bring her scoring total to 16. She also has nine boards.
USC, UConn tied at half with JuJu Watkins' performance
In the second quarter, JuJu Watkins passed Tina Hutchinson’s 898 points to have the most points by a freshman in a single season in women’s college basketball history.
She helped No. 1 seed Southern California finish the period on a 6-0 run to go into the halftime break tied at 33 against the No. 3 UConn Huskies.
Connecticut surged with eight straight points to take its first lead and was up by as many as six points. Then Watkins made her record-breaking three-point shot at the top of the arc to swing momentum back in the Trojans’ direction.
Paige Bueckers has 15 points and four assists for the Huskies. Watkins has 13 points and four rebounds. She’s also committed three turnovers. — Victoria Hernandez
Ultimate praise for Caitlin Clark
ALBANY, N.Y. – Kim Mulkey paid Caitlin Clark the ultimate compliment.
Mulkey and Clark had a moment in the handshake line, and the LSU coach said she told Iowa's star, "I sure am glad you're leaving. Girl, you’re something else. Never seen anything like it."
Mulkey has called college basketball's all-time scoring leader a generational player, and she's proven that against LSU. The Tigers routed Iowa to win the national title last year despite Clark scoring 30. On Monday night, she was even better, scoring 41 points, including 27 from 3-point range. She also had 12 assists and seven rebounds.
"She can't beat you by herself. It’s what she does to make those other teammates better," Mulkey said.
Angel Reese's future
ALBANY, N.Y. – Angel Reese gave no hints about her future after LSU's loss to Iowa ended the defending champions' season. Though she's a senior, she could come back for a final COVID year.
"I'll make my decision when I'm ready," she said Monday night.
However, Reese does face a deadline: The WNBA's draft deadline rules state that players who lost April 1 in an Elite Eight game have 48 hours to renounce their remaining eligibility in the NCAA.
USC holds slim lead over UConn after first-quarter battle
No. 1 Southern California went on an 8-0 run midway through the first quarter to go up nine points, but No. 3 Connecticut answered with a 9-0 surge of its own. The Trojans were up 17-15 at the end of the period.
Paige Bueckers has seven points for the Huskies. McKenzie Forbes has eight points for USC.
Southern California, UConn tip off in Portland
No. 1 USC tipped off against No. 3 Connecticut in Monday's second Elite Eight matchup.
Freshman star JuJu Watkins got an early offensive foul for the Trojans. USC went up 5-2 early with a three-point bucket from McKenzie Forbes and a jump shot from Rayah Marshall. Paige Bueckers has the only points for Connecticut so far, a layup.
The game is on ESPN.
No. 1 Iowa gets sweet revenge, beats No. 3 LSU to reach Final Four
This win was a year in the making for Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
The Hawkeyes beat the Tigers 94-87 in an Elite Eight matchup on Monday to advance to the Final Four for the second year in a row.
Caitlin Clark set the tone early with a logo three-point bucket on the first play of the game and then repeated the play to open the third quarter. The teams were locked in a tie heading into the half. She finished with 41 points, including nine three-point shots.
“I think just confidence, being confident in all the work I put in, trusting my teammates.”
The Tigers won last year’s national championship over Iowa 102-85 for the first title in program history.
Clark has received criticism for breaking many NCAA records but not having a national championship on her resume. Her march toward a title continues on Friday when the Hawkeyes will face either No. 1 Southern California or No. 3 Connecticut. — Nancy Armour and Victoria Hernandez
Jason Sudeikis cheers Caitlin Clark, Iowa
All eyes were on Caitlin Clark and her transcendent 3-point shooting during Iowa’s Elite Eight game against LSU in Albany, New York. And Jason Sudeikis was no different.
The Emmy winning actor, who starred in Ted Lasso and on Saturday Night Live, was spotted in the stands. It was not Sudeikis’ first rodeo. He attended the game against Bowling Green at Carver-Hawkeye Arena with Sue Bird. - Heather Tucker
Angel Reese fouls out in fourth quarter against Iowa
Angel Reese fouled out of LSU’s Elite Eight matchup against Iowa in the fourth quarter with 1:45 on the clock and LSU down 84-74.
She was attempting to make a basket when she ran into Iowa’s Kate Martin, who fell to the ground.
Iowa fans waved goodbye to the junior forward as she took her seat on the bench for what might be the last time in her college career. — Victoria Hernandez
Iowa takes 11-point lead over LSU into fourth quarter
Caitlin Clark can shoot, but don’t forget she can pass too.
With LSU creeping back late in the third quarter, the senior lobbed the ball down the court to Addison O'Grady, who tossed it in for an easy layup. The play put the Hawkeyes back up by nine.
A pair of free throws from Sydney Affolter brought the score to 69-58 at the end of the third quarter.
LSU only made five field goals in the period, three of them in the final 2:30.
Clark is leading Iowa with 31 points and eight assists. She’s made seven three-point shots.
Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson each have 16 points for LSU. Reese has 16 rebounds and Johnson has three fouls— Victoria Hernandez
Clark comes out firing for Iowa in third quarter, sets another record
Copy Caitlin Clark’s three-point shot to open the game and paste it into the first play of the third quarter.
The Hawkeyes phenom set the tone for Iowa in the third quarter with another signature logo three. Clark has made four three-point shots, including helping her team on an 8-0 run, to put Iowa up 61-52 with 4:23 on the clock in the third quarter. The teams were tied at the halftime break.
Her 538th career try passes Oklahoma's Taylor Robertson for most in Division I women’s college basketball history.
— Victoria Hernandez
LSU-Iowa tied at halftime
After one half, Iowa and LSU are deadlocked.
The score is 45-45 heading into halftime after a wild and fast-paced first half. Both sides struggled offensively in the second quarter after a high-scoring first, with the Tigers 5-for-18 in the second frame while Iowa was 7-for-16.
Iowa has gone to a zone defensively in an effort to prevent LSU from controlling the boards. While LSU is out rebounding Iowa 23-15 with seven offensive rebounds, the Tigers only have four second chance points.
The stars are leading both sides with Caitlin Clark leading all scorers with 19 points with three 3-pointers and five assists. Angel Reese, who was briefly out in the second quarter after an apparent injury, has done it all for LSU with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
The matchup has lived up to the hype, and it’ll be 0-0 again with 20 minutes to decide who is going to the Final Four.
“I don't think you need more motivation than a Final Four on the line,” Clark told ESPN. “This is what you work for all year, moments like this. We got to play 20 more minutes and we'll be ready for it.” — Jordan Mendoza
Iowa, LSU offenses struggling in second quarter
After a high-scoring first quarter, LSU and Iowa are struggling to hit shots in the second quarter. LSU leads 38-37 with three minutes until halftime.
The Tigers are 3-for-12 from the field as they were momentarily without Angel Reese when she took an awkward fall that resulted in her noticeably limping and needing to get back to the bench. She would return but doesn’t appear to be running at full strength.
Iowa is 3-for-10 from the field, but they were able to take advantage when Reese was out by preventing any second chance points for the Tigers. Caitlin Clark has 15 points and made a deep 3-pointer to make it a one-point game. — Jordan Mendoza
LSU star Angel Reese injured but returns to game
LSU held its breath after Angel Reese limped off the court after taking an awkward fall in the second quarter.
Reese contested a shot by Caitlin Clark and when she came down on the floor, she stumbled toward the photographers and camera crews underneath the basket. Reese then limped toward the LSU bench where team medical personnel began to look at her. Reese then walked over to use the workout bicycle before checking herself back into the game at 6:38 of second quarter. — Jordan Mendoza
1Q timeout helps LSU go on run
Kim Mulkey used a timeout after her team went down 17-9, and it worked with LSU ending the first quarter on a 22-9 run.
Mulkey told ESPN during the quarter intermission Iowa “jumped on us” and her team needed to be stronger defensively.
“We didn't get back in transition defense,” Mulkley told Holly Rowe. “As you can see, we can score with them. But somebody's got to play a little defense tonight and I thought we got better after the timeout.” — Jordan Mendoza
LSU uses run to take first quarter lead over Iowa
The national championship game rematch is living up to the hype with LSU using a late run to lead 31-26 at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers ended the first quarter on a 10-0 run that was fueled by LSU’s active hands on defense tipping and intercepting passes, including off Caitlin Clark. Iowa hasn’t scored in more than three minutes while turning the ball over four times in that timespan. Meanwhile LSU has made its last four shots.
The stars are shining early, with Clark leading all scorers with 11 points with three assists. Angel Reese leads LSU with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. — Jordan Mendoza
Iowa-LSU off to high-scoring start
Both teams might be in triple-digits by the end of this game the way both teams are scoring at-will.
Iowa leads LSU 25-21 with 3:29 left in the first quarter, with the Tigers starting to pick up momentum offensively and keep up with the Hawkeyes. Angel Reese is already putting her mark on LSU with four points, five rebounds and two assists. Caitlin Clark already has 10 points to go along with three assists.
LSU is 9-for-16 (56.3%) from the field and Iowa is 10-for-14 (71.4%). — Jordan Mendoza
Caitlin Clark on fire, Iowa leads LSU early
Caitlin Clark is showing up on the biggest stage.
The all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history is clicking from the field, scoring eight of Iowa’s first 17 points. The Hawkeyes lead 17-9 four minutes into the game.
Clark wasted no time getting the scoring started with a pull up 3-pointer 16 seconds into the game. And the 3-pointer was a record-breaker: Clark passed former UConn star Diana Taurasi for most three-pointers in NCAA Women's Tournament history.
Clark then followed it with a layup as Iowa started the game on a 7-2 run. Iowa has already made four 3-pointers, two of which came from Clark, and is 7-for-9 from the field.
Kim Mulkey had seen enough of Iowa’s relentless offense and called a timeout in hopes to cool down the Hawkeyes. — Jordan Mendoza
Caitlin Clark, Iowa tips off against Angel Reese, LSU
The much hyped rematch of last year's national championship game between LSU and Iowa has tipped off on ESPN. The winner will advance to the Final Four.
Iowa vs. LSU starters for Elite Eight game
Here are the starters for each team in Monday night's game:
IOWA STARTERS
- Sydney Affolter, guard
- Kate Martin, guard
- Caitlin Clark, guard
- Gabbie Marshall, guard
- Hannah Stuelke, forward
LSU STARTERS
- Flau’jae Johnson, guard
- Hailey Van Lith, guard
- Mikaylah Williams, guard
- Angel Reese, forward
- Aneesah Morrow, forward
Iowa vs. LSU predictions
USA TODAY’s experts are split. Lindsay Schnell has Angel Reese and LSU topping Caitlin Clark and Iowa once again. Nancy Armour has Clark and the Hawkeyes getting the better of Reese and the Tigers.
When does Caitlin Clark play again?
Caitlin Clark and top-seeded Iowa takes to the court today in Albany, New York, against No. 3 LSU. They tip off at 7:15 p.m. ET.
Iowa vs. LSU odds
The Iowa Hawkeyes are favorites to defeat LSU in Monday's March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds.
- Spread: Iowa (-2)
- Moneylines: Iowa (-130); LSU (+110)
- Over/under: 168.5
How to watch Caitlin Clark and Iowa vs. LSU
ESPN will air Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes against LSU in their Elite EIght game.
How many points has Caitlin Clark scored?
As Iowa’s Caitlin Clark continues to rewrite the record books, USA TODAY Sports is tracking all her stats during the NCAA Tournament. Here’s everything you need to know about the superstar guard. Here is an in-depth, illustrated look at the Iowa star and her race to the all-time NCAA Division I scoring record.
Caitlin Clark: Complete guide to basketball career of Iowa's prolific scorer and superstar
Caitlin Clark is the reigning national player of the year, a sharpshooting supernova with a penchant for launching 3-pointers from the logo, flicking no-look passes through defenders' arms and talking trash to any and all who stand in her way.
The postseason for Clark and Iowa starts next week, with the Hawkeyes playing in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten conference tournament. No matter what happens in the next few days, Iowa is expected to earn a top four seed in the NCAA tournament, and host the first two rounds. A year after leading Iowa to the national championship game, Clark is trying to get back to her second consecutive Final Four, an accomplishment few players have achieved. USA TODAY Sports has been tracking her game closely. In case you need to brush up on your Clark trivia, we’ve got you covered with our complete guide to all things Clark.
Iowa vs. LSU rematch is March Madness must-see TV
Cover your ears and eyes and put your tender sensibilities aside because Iowa and LSU are about to go at it again.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Epic trash talking and even better basketball. A grudge, errr, rematch a year in the making.
If you’re not clearing your calendar for Monday night, you obviously don’t like sports. Or fun. This is the biggest game of March Madness, men’s and women’s tournaments. It would be better if a national title was at stake rather than just a trip to the Final Four, but you take games like this whenever, and in whatever round, you can get them.
Read Nancy Armour’s full column.
Everything to know about LSU vs. Iowa rematch, with all eyes on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese
One year after LSU and Angel Reese knocked off Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the women’s national championship, a game that featured logo 3s and trash talk, the two teams will meet again. It's another contrast of styles, a matchup sure to draw eyeballs: Iowa likes to score from the perimeter, LSU pounds it in the paint. And this time, there’s a Final Four trip on the line.
Top-seeded Iowa, led by the reigning and presumptive player of the year, will meet third-seeded LSU Monday at 7 p.m. ET in the Albany 2 regional championship. The winner will advance to the Final Four in Cleveland.
LSU is trying to become the first back-to-back champs since UConn did it in 2016, and Iowa is trying to reach its second consecutive Final Four for the first time. Here’s everything to know about tonight's LSU vs. Iowa rematch. — Lindsay Schnell
Why Angel Reese and LSU will beat Iowa and Caitlin Clark, again
I’m picking LSU in this one. Yes, Caitlin Clark is a tremendous player. But she can’t win this game by herself, and LSU knows it. The Tigers also know that outside of Clark, the best scorer in the history of college hoops, LSU is superior at every position in both athleticism and skillset.
That’s especially true in the paint, where LSU is tough and experienced. Iowasophomore Hannah Stuelke’s improvement this season has been more than impressive, and she’s proved herself a worthy replacement for former All-American Monika Czinano, who graduated after last season. But Stuelke is no Angel Reese. — Lindsay Schnell
Why Caitlin Clark and Iowa will beat Angel Reese and LSU, advance to Final Four
Caitlin Clark and her teammates are saying all the right things about Iowa’s Elite Eight game with LSU. How last year’s title game was so long ago they don’t think much about it. That it’s not really a rematch because both teams are different. Don’t buy it for a second.
As competitive as Clark and Iowa are, you know darn well they’ve replayed that game in their minds about 12 million times by now. Thought about what they could have done differently and what they would do differently. Recalled it anytime they haven’t felt like practicing or hitting the weight room. Agonized over how close they came to winning the prize that everyone who plays this game wants.
That’s some powerful motivation, and it’s why I think Iowa will win Monday night.
“Anytime you have a chance to go up against somebody you lost to, it brings a little more energy,” Clark said Saturday, acknowledging the obvious. — Nancy Armour
Angel Reese stats, scouting report
LSU’s Angel Reese might get more attention for her antics and her off-court accomplishments − an NIL deal with Reebok, an appearance in the SI Swimsuit issue − but don’t forget about her on-court accomplishments. She is a flat-out baller, a walking double-double (18.7 points, 13.2 rebounds) who challenges opponents and responds to being challenged. She knows a lot of the discourse surrounding LSU has painted the Tigers as the villains of women’s college hoops (a lazy and mostly racist take) and she relishes in proving people wrong. — Lindsay Schnell
LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey subjected to harsh lens that no male coach is
Kim Mulkey has long been college basketball’s most colorful and controversial figure and has, for almost as long, prompted a level of vitriol among the media that borders on the unprofessional.
Some of it she brings on herself. She says, does and wears things that shock and offend. She frames things to suit her purposes, including her claim following Saturday’s game that she didn’t know the Washington Post story had been published despite being asked about it before the game.
Even when it would help her — clarifying her relationship with Brittney Griner, for example — she refuses to explain or edit herself. But none of that justifies the delight and commitment there seems to be in trying to take Mulkey, and now her current players, down a peg.
“Since the national championship, we ain't had peace. And it's crazy to say that. That we won at the highest level in college and we haven't had peace,” Angel Reese said. “But I wouldn't want to change this day. I wouldn't want to change where we are right now.”
Read Nancy Armour’s full column.
LSU's Flau'jae Johnson thrives on basketball court and in studio off of it
The way Flau’jae Johnson sees it, the formula is simple: If you want to be the best, you’ve gotta put in the reps.
For Johnson, LSU’s stellar sophomore who scored 24 points in the Tigers’ Sweet 16 win, those reps come on and off the court.
In Pete Maravich Assembly Hall, it’s not uncommon for the 5-foot-9 guard for third-seeded LSU to spend an hour or more after practice getting up extra shots.
And in her "off" hours − a comical phrase given that Johnson could very well be the busiest person on LSU’s campus − the established rapper with a Roc Nation record deal will sit in her car writing lyrics. Read Lindsay Schnell’s full feature on LSU’s Flau'jae Johnson.
Excitement builds for Iowa vs. LSU
Some big-name celebrities, in and out of the sports world, expressed their excitement for the enthralling doubleheader Monday night in the Elite Eight.
"The NCAA got it right, because tonight’s women’s tournament matchups are one of the best in history!" Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the former Laker and Michigan State Spartan posted Monday on social media. "There is star power on all four teams, great coaching, and all have outstanding storylines on how they made it to the Elite Eight! As a basketball fan and a fan of women’s sports, this is heaven for me!"
Dwyane Wade of Marquette and Miami Heat fame wanted to make sure he had his rest before the games started, posting: "It’s only 11am PT!?? If I close my eyes and take a nap. How fast will 4:15 come 🙏🏾 #IOWAvsLSU #UCONNvsUSC"
Rapper Travis Scott, who was at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena for Iowa’s senior day game against Ohio State when Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA all-time scoring record, posted that Monday "might be one for the illest days in women’s sports historyyyyyyy."
And then there was women’s soccer star Alex Morgan, whose message is one we can all relate to. — Lorenzo Reyes
Iowa vs. LSU: X factors for the Hawkeyes and Caitlin Clark in rematch with Tigers
Iowa still has Caitlin Clark and, if we know anything, it’s that she’s going to find a way to score. To beat LSU, however, the Hawkeyes will need more. More scoring. Solid ballhandling by the entire team. And lockdown defense on LSU’s most dynamic player − who isn’t named Angel Reese. Here’s a look at the X factors for Iowa to beat LSU. — Nancy Armour
LSU's X-factors vs. Iowa in women's Elite Eight: Rebounding, keeping Reese on the floor
LSU meets Iowa again Monday night with a trip to the women's Final Four on the line. Will the Tigers top the Hawkeyes again, one year to the day they beat them for the national championship? Or is Iowa's Caitlin Clark headed to her second straight Final Four? Here are three X-factors for the Tigers to win. — Lindsay Schnell
Iowa, rich with basketball history, loves Caitlin Clark so much they carved her out of butter
To fully understand the impact that Caitlin Clark has had on Iowa, a state that’s long adored and supported women’s basketball, consider this: For all of the superstars who have come out of this Midwestern hub, for all of the legends who dominated that still-celebrated relic of six-on-six, for all the locals worshipped by other locals, only one has had her likeness carved out of butter. And that it wasn’t an exact resemblance is not the point.
“Obviously I never expected to be sculpted out of butter,” Clark said, laughing as she recalled the August 2023 statue that went viral. “But if you’re from the state of Iowa, you know that’s a really big deal. You go to the state fair just to see the butter sculptures.”
Read Lindsay Schnell’s full feature on Clark and Iowa.
Mentorship between LSU star Angel Reese and LSU legend Shaq one of 'incredible trust'
Where’s Angel Reese? That was the question on everyone’s mind in November, when the Most Outstanding Player from LSU’s national title run last season went missing from the basketball court, fueling wild speculation.
The Tigers went 4-0 without Reese as LSU coach Kim Mulkey, famously pricklyand private, refused to give the scoop on her star player. So where was Reese?
Probably talking to Shaq.
Yes Shaq as in, Shaquille O’Neal, who at 7-foot-1, 325 pounds, is larger than life in both stature and personality, and who remains the pride of this southeastern Louisiana college town even though he hasn’t played here since 1992. They’re a natural pairing, when you think about it. Read Lindsay Schnell’s full story here.
NCAA women's March Madness bracket
You can find the complete women's March Madness bracket here.
Caitlin Clark to the Olympics? USA Basketball names her to training camp roster
Caitlin Clark being on the 2024 Olympics roster is officially in play. Clark, the consensus 2023 national player of the year and presumptive 2024 player of the year, has officially been added to USA Basketball's April training camp roster. Clark, according to a USAB release "will attend training camp, contingent on Iowa's progression through the NCAA tournament."
Right now, she is the only college player invited to training camp, which will take place in Cleveland during the women's Final Four. In its release, USAB said the roster of invited players is still subject to change. — Lindsay Schnell