Can Iowa WBB Do What 2014-15 UConn Did After Winning Gulf Coast Showcase?

Iowa Women's Basketball won the 2023 Women's Gulf Coast Showcase on Nov. 26. Now can they win it all in March? It's happened before to a GCS champion.

Nov 27, 2023 by Joe Harrington

Can Iowa WBB Do What 2014-15 UConn Did After Winning Gulf Coast Showcase?

The Iowa Women's Basketball team exacted revenge on Kansas State as the Hawkeyes won the 2023 Women's Gulf Coast Championship on Nov. 26.

Iowa, the 2023 National Runner-up in the Women's NCAA Tournament, opened the season ranked No. 3 behind LSU and UConn and moved to No. 2 in the country in the second poll. But after a loss to a then-unranked Kansas State team in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes dropped to No. 5.

That ranking could be going up again after bouncing back with a win 10 days later over the Wildcats in South Florida.

Now begs the question: Can Iowa not only return to the Final Four, but win the championship this year?

It's happened to a Women's Gulf Coast Showcase Champion before.

Has A Women's Gulf Coast Showcase Champion Won The NCAA Tournament?

Yes.

UConn Women's Basketball won the 2015 NCAA Women's Tournament Championship. The Huskies won their second straight championship that season and would win three in-row as part of their run of 14 straight Final Four appearances.

But before that UConn won the Women's Gulf Coast Showcase championship, beating College of Charleston, Vanderbilt and Green Bay.

UConn went 38-1 that season, it's only loss coming to Stanford on Nov. 17. After the loss, they went to Estero, Florida to bounce back just like Iowa did this season.

Can Caitlin Clark Do What Breanna Stewart Did For UConn?

Like UConn in 2014-2015, it helps when you have the best player in the country. Iowa has that in star Caitlin Clark, the reigning Naismith Player of The Year.

UConn won the national championship in 2015 with star junior Breanna Stewart, one of the greatest college basketball players of all-time, averaging 17.7 points per game and 7.8 rebounds.

The two players are very much different. Clark is one of the best 3-point shooters in college basketball history, while Stewart may be the greatest center to ever play women's college basketball.

Iowa Women's Basketball Schedule In 2023-2024

The Hawkeyes still have to play mid-major power Bowling Green and the Cy-Hawk rivalry game before their first Big Ten contest on Dec. 10 in Madison, Wisconsin against the Badgers.

A heavy favorite to win their conference, just like UConn in 2014-2015, Iowa's biggest test is likely against Ohio State, who opened the season ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll.

When Is The 2024 Women's Big Ten Tournament?

The Big Ten Tournament is scheduled to begin on March 6 in Minneapolis. The Big Ten Women's Basketball Championship Game is March 10.

When Is The 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament?

Selection Sunday for the NCAA Women’s Tournament is March 17, 2024. The First Four will tip off March 20, with the Round of 64 beginning March 22.

2023 Women's Gulf Coast Showcase Results

First round games:

Kansas State 77, Western Kentucky 61
North Carolina 54, Vermont 51
Florida Gulf Coast 83, Delaware 68
Iowa 98, Purdue Fort Wayne 59

Consolation games:

Western Kentucky 62, Vermont 50
Purdue Fort Wayne 88, Delaware 74

Semifinal games:

Consolation games:

Purdue Fort Wayne 90, Western Kentucky 77
Delaware 73, Vermont 66
FGCU 65, UNC 64

Championship game

Iowa 77, Kansas State 70

What Teams Have Won the Women's Gulf Coast Showcase?

Here are the all-time champions of the Women's Gulf Coast Showcase.

2013: Middle Tennessee State
2014: UConn
2015: Stanford
2016: Baylor
2017: Notre Dame
2018: Texas
2019: Gonzaga
2021: Iowa State
2022: Michigan

Watch NCAA Women’s Basketball On FloHoops

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