CLEVELAND — Viewership numbers soared to historic highs during the Elite Eight of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, but Friday’s highly anticipated Final Four showdown between No. 1 seed Iowa and No. 3 seed UConn could smash those records yet again.
Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark. The 2021 Naismith Player of the Year vs the two-time reigning winner. One driven to continue a legendary dynasty and one who seeks to create her own close to home. Both have been to a national championship game and come up short, and to return this season the superstars will have to get through each other.
But both teams are well aware that their Final Four matchup on Friday night will take far more than their respective point guards to win. Clark hasn’t been held under 25 points since the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, and UConn coach Geno Auriemma said he isn’t optimistic that the Huskies will be able to contain her any differently.
“We don’t plan on stopping her, because I tried calling all the other coaches that have stopped her, and none of them answer the phone,” he joked. “So we’re going to have to find a different way to win than stopping Caitlin Clark … Whoever wins (this Final Four) is going to know that they won a pretty special one, because it may be a long time before we see this collection of players on this stage all at one time.”
The true key to the game for the Huskies is everyone except for Clark. Iowa’s supporting cast is led by center Hannah Stuelke, who rose to the challenge of replacing Monica Czinano as Clark’s partner in crime at the post. The sophomore is the Hawkeyes’ No. 2 scorer averaging 13.8 points per game on 63% completion from the field plus 6.8 rebounds. Senior Kate Martin has emerged as a legitimate second scoring threat behind Clark, shooting above 50% from the field and matching the superstar at 38% from 3-point range. She averages 13.1 points per game plus 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
As critical as Bueckers is to the Huskies averaging 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists during March Madness, UConn’s success has hinged on the emergence of a third scorer to complement her and All-American forward Aaliyah Edwards. Against Syracuse in the second round it was Ashlynn Shade with 19 points, and 12 from KK Arnold helped propel the Huskies past Duke in a low-scoring Sweet 16 battle.
“Each of their players know exactly what they have to do. They have some really, really amazing role players,” Muhl said. “When people say role players you think of somebody on the side that does their little job, but role players are extremely important. I’m one of them, so I know how important they are … At the end of the day, we’re trying to focus more on the other pieces and not necessarily (Clark). But with all said, I feel like our game is what we need to focus on the most, not them. That’s what’s been helping us win the most in this tournament.”
While Bueckers is the narratively-satisfying matchup, it will likely be Muhl who bears the brunt of containing Clark. The Huskies point guard has struggled with foul trouble throughout the tournament, but she stayed on the floor for more than 13 minutes with four fouls in the win over the Trojans after fouling out against the Orange. Her presence on the floor will be more important than ever on Friday as UConn’s best man defender: She helped hold Syracuse star Dyashia Fair to just two points in the first half of that matchup and contributed to one of the worst shooting performances of the season by USC phenom JuJu Watkins.
“(Muhl) is such a great point guard and she plays so hard defensively, (so) I think she’ll be guarding Caitlin,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “She uses her size. She’s such a smart basketball player. It does kind of relieve Paige of some of those duties, in my estimation … She doesn’t really have to force things or create things. She kind of is doing what’s there and available for her.”
How to watch UConn women’s basketball vs Iowa in Final Four
Site: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse; Cleveland
Time: approximately 9:30 p.m. (30 minutes after conclusion of first Final Four game between South Carolina and NC State)
Series: UConn leads, 6-3
Last meeting: UConn, 86-79 in Portland, Oregon on Nov. 27, 2022
Records: (3) UConn: 33-5, 18-0 Big East; (1) Iowa: 33-4, 13-3 Big Ten
TV: ESPN
Radio: UConn Sports Network on FOX Sports 97.9
