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NCAA Women's Final Four UConn vs. Iowa: Here's 5 things to Know

NCAA Women's Final Four UConn vs. Iowa: Here's 5 things to Know

The NCAA Women's Final Four will feature No.3 UConn vs. No.1 Iowa. Here's five things to know ahead of the highly anticipated matchup.

Apr 3, 2024 by Deondre Hayes
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The NCAA Women's Final Four will host No.3 UConn vs.  No.1 Iowa on April 5 at the Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland, Ohio. This may be the most highly anticipated matchup of the NCAA Women's Tournament following the National Championship rematch between LSU and Iowa in the Elite Eight. 

UConn is coming off a 80-73 win over No.1 seed USC in the Elite Eight to land them back in the Final Four. Last year, the Huskies lost in the Sweet 16 Round of the NCAA Tournament, snapping their 14-year streak of Final Four appearances. 

Iowa is also making a return to the Final Four for the second time in school history.  The Hawkeyes fell just short last year in the 2023 National Championship game to LSU and are still looking to win their first NCAA title in school history. 

Here's a look at the 5 things to know ahead of the UConn vs. Iowa Final Four game.

NCAA Women's Final Four Iowa vs. UConn: 5 things to Know

Here's five things to know ahead of the Iowa vs. UConn game scheduled for April 5 at 8:30 pm CT. 

Paige Bueckers Is Back for UConn Women's Basketball 

Bueckers is one of the key players to watch in the Final Four, as UConn may not be in this position without her. As mentioned earlier, UConn Women's Basketball snapped its Final Four appearance streak last year, this was largely due to Bueckers' absence due to an ACL Injury.

Her injury caused her to miss the majority of the 2022-23 season with UConn but the Huskies finished the season 31-6 despite her absence. 

With Bueckers return this season she has slowly transcended her way back into the conversation as possibly the best point guard in Women's College Basketball. In fact, prior to her decision to return to UConn for the 2024-25 season, Bueckers was considered a top three WNBA Draft Pick. 

Over her last three games of the NCAA Tournament, Bueckers is averaging 28 PPG in comparison to her season average of 22 PPG.  In the most recent matchup vs No.1 USC, Bueckers notched a double-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds while shooting 3-of-6 from 3-point range. 

Iowa vs. UConn Women's Basketball NCAA History

Heading into the Final Four game on April 5 UConn holds the advantage in the series between these two teams at 6-3, including a 3-0 edge in the NCAA Tournament.

Here's a look at the previous NCAA Tournament meetings of Iowa vs. UConn. 

  • Second Round in 1997: UConn 72, Iowa 53 
  • Second Round in 2002: UConn 86, Iowa 48
  • Sweet 16 in 2021: UConn 92, Iowa 72

Women's Final Four UConn vs. Iowa Odds To Win 

Iowa is a 2.5 point favorite over UConn (Via FanDuel) 

The Iowa vs. UConn Over/Under is set at 162.5 points. 

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Women's Basketball On A Mission 

Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes are making their return to the Final Four with unfinished business to settle. Iowa made it to the 2023 NCAA Championship Game last year where the Hawkeyes lost 102-85 vs. LSU. This was Iowa's first Final Four appearance since 1993. 

Clark and the Hawkeyes are now making their second consecutive trip to the Final Four following their 94-87 win over LSU in the 2024 Elite Eight.

A win over last year's NCAA Champion is surely motivating but it does not stop there for this Iowa team. This may be Iowa's best shot at a National Championship behind the surge of Caitlin Clark for the next decade, which removes falling short as an option for this 2023-24 Iowa team.

Clark is in her senior season and is the projected No.1 Draft Pick for the 2024 WNBA Draft in April. Despite all the records Clark has broken this year, including the all-time scoring record, bringing a championship to her home state of Iowa remains on the list. 

Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers Will Be A Battle 

Bueckers and Clark have not faced off since 2021 when they were both freshman. Both point guards are some of the best scorers in the nation with Clark at No.1 and Bueckers at No.11 in her first season back following injury.

Seeing these two 6-foot-0 guards go head-to-head will be an offensive clinic and a display of how far developed women's basketball has become on the biggest stage.

However, when you have two dynamic scorers such as Clark and Bueckers, other players will become pivotal in who wins as we saw in the battle of Juju Watkins and USC vs. UConn. 

Watkins is another top scorer in the NCAA, ranked No.2, in her Elite Eight game vs. Bueckers and UConn she scored 29 point to Bueckers 28. What helped put UConn over the top was the production of Aaliyah Edwards, another key player to watch, that helped seal the deal for UConn. 

If Clark and Bueckers trade baskets in their matchup the win will come down on defense and the help of other stars such as Aaliyah Edwards (UConn) and Kate Martin (Iowa). 

When is the Women's National Championship?

The winners of the Final Four will face off in the National Championship on April 7 at 2:00 pm CT. 

When Is The WNBA Draft 2024?

The WNBA Draft is scheduled for April 15 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York.  

This marks the first time the WNBA Draft will be a seated event with fans in attendance since the 2014-2016 drafts held at Mohegan Sun Arena. 

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