Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (left) and UConn Paige Bueckers will face off in the Final Four on Friday, April 5 in Cleveland.
Hans Pennink/AP (Clark), Steph Chambers/Getty Images
This season has been filled with history-making moments for Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
The most recent came after the Hawkeyes’ Elite Eight victory against No. 3-seeded LSU when it was announced that 12.3 million viewers tuned in. All season long, the Hawkeyes have been setting attendance and broadcast records. This one, however, wasn’t simply a record for the year or the last 10 years.
The prime-time game on Monday night was the most watched women’s college basketball game ever across all networks.
It had more viewers than the 2023 NBA Finals, World Series and every regular-season college football game in 2023 other than Ohio State vs. Michigan on Nov. 25.
After advancing to the Final Four for a second consecutive year, Iowa and UConn will look to set another record Friday night. The circumstances surrounding this matchup between the No. 1-seeded Hawkeyes and No. 3-seeded Huskies just might be enough to come close.
“[The hype surrounding us this season] has done wonders for us to prepare for this opportunity,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “It goes back to the end of last year, playing in the championship game, to starting this year with our Crossover at Kinnick, the football stadium having 56,000 people come out to watch us play. It’s been every single situation whether we’re home or away.”
Iowa’s preparedness was never more evident than on Monday in a rematch of last year’s NCAA title game. The Hawkeyes played arguably their best game of the season.
All season, teams have game-planned for Iowa by forcing Clark to beat them. Against the Tigers, Clark proved just how hard that is when she gets her teammates involved. She scored 41 points but also had 12 assists. Kate Martin contributed 21 points, and Sydney Affolter pitched in with 16.
“I hope [Clark] had a personal agenda against LSU,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “I know there is nothing personal between me and her, so I don’t need to be seeing her drop 50 on us next weekend.
“Forget I ever said Paige [Bueckers] was the best player in the country. I think [Clark] is the best player of all time.”
There was a time not long ago when Bueckers was more highly regarded than Clark.
But after suffering back-to-back injuries that sidelined her for nearly two full years, Bueckers was forced to lean on her faith and patience as the game continued without her. Since her return, Bueckers, along with Aaliyah Edwards and Azzi Fudd, has led the Huskies back to the Final Four, their third appearance in four years and 23rd overall.
The last time Bueckers played in a Final Four, she had to go through Iowa to get there. As freshmen, Bueckers and Clark faced off in the Sweet 16.
“Honestly,” Clark said during media availability in Cleveland, “that game is super-blurry.”
It was a glimpse into the direction the women’s game was heading. Clark scored a team-high 21 points, and Bueckers and Edwards had 18 points apiece to complement junior guard Christyn Williams’ game-high 28.
The Huskies trounced the Hawkeyes by 20. Reflecting on that game in anticipation of Friday, Clark said it has never been “Clark vs. Bueckers.” But there’s no denying that matchup is highly anticipated.
“It takes the entire team to win a basketball game,” Clark said. “Both of us are going to do everything we can.
“I think the coolest thing about Paige is how resilient she is.”
Similarly, Bueckers was asked to reflect on that 2021 matchup. Like Clark, she had high praise for her opponent.
“I think the biggest thing about her is she competes and she’s just a winner; she wants to win at all costs,” Bueckers said. “So I know going into that, it will be a great matchup.”
Costabile’s pick: UConn.