Iowa Hawkeyes
— Record: 30-6
— Seed: No. 2 (Seattle 4)
— Road to the Final Four: Defeated Southeast Louisiana 95-43; defeated Georgia 74-66; defeated Colorado 87-77; defeated Louisville 97-83
— Coach: Lisa Bluder (493-245 in 24th season at Iowa; 850-386 overall in 40 seasons overall). Iowa’s coach since 2000, Bluder has taken the Hawkeyes to two regular-season titles and four Big Ten tournament championships including this season. But this year has been a breakthrough for Bluder and Iowa, which had lost in the 2019 regional finals. “I don’t know if it’s kind of really sunk in yet,” Bluder said after the regional final win over Louisville. “This group is amazing and just to do the thing you love with the people that you love … it doesn’t get any better than that. That’s exactly how this team is.”
— About Iowa: The Hawkeyes are defined by player of the year candidate Caitlin Clark, she of the logo 3-point shooting and startling court awareness. But Iowa is far more than one player with a veteran lineup that has 90 consecutive starts as a unit. “Wow, that’s a lot of game,” said fifth-year center Monika Czinano. “It means a lot, especially for all five of us. We’ve been working on our games collectively as a starting five for so long, working on our relationships with each other, just everything. At 6-3, Czinano averages 17.2 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 67.9%. Forward McKenna Warnock adds 11.1 points a game and guard Gabbie Marshall has made 36 of her last 67 3-point attempts. Iowa, the nation’s leading offensive team at 87.6 points a game, hasn’t been held to less than 68 points in any game. The Hawkeyes shot 51.1% from the field and 37.9% on 3-pointers. But Iowa hasn’t seen a defense like South Carolina.
— Player to watch: If you’re a basketball fan, you’re almost assuredly familiar with Clark. If not, you will be soon. The 6-foot guard has broken out on social media. It’s not that Clark puts up massive numbers (27.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 8.6 apg), it’s how she does it. Her shooting range is reminiscent of Steph Curry and she needs little time or space to launch 3-pointers. But she’s also capable of driving in the lane and leads Iowa in assists, working especially well with Czinano. Bluder remembers the recruiting process for Clark. “I can remember sitting in her living room and her saying, ‘I want to go to a Final Four.’ And I’m saying, ‘We can do it together.’ And she believed me. … She is spectacular. I don’t know how else to describe what she does on the basketball court. A 40-point triple-double against Louisville to go to the Final Four? Are you kidding? I mean, it’s mind-boggling.”
— Tournament history: Iowa’s only other Final Four appearance came in 1993 under legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer.
— Did you know: An Iowa native, Bluder started her coaching career at NAIA member St. Ambrose, posting a 169-36 mark and taking her team to two Final Fours.
— Notable former students: Actor Gene Wilder, singer Al Jarreau, painter Elizabeth Catlett, poet Jorie Graham, actor Ashton Kutcher, novelist John Irving, Heisman winner Nile Kinnick.
