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ESPN
Apr 6, 2024, 06:55 PM ET
CLEVELAND– After Iowa won to advance to the ladies’s NCAA title video game, where it will deal with South Carolina, almost every concern directed to coach Lisa Bluder and Hawkeyes Caitlin Clark and Hannah Stuelke at their postgame press conference included some variation of “This is the match everyone desired.”
Yes, Sunday’s championship game (3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App) is The Rematch. Last season, behind 41 points from Clark, Iowa distressed greatly preferred and then-undefeated South Carolina in the nationwide semifinals. Here they are a year later on, the Gamecocks unbeaten once again and attempting to end up being the 10th females’s group to run the table.
It’s the dominant group vs. the dominant gamer. The unbeaten season vs. the storybook ending to among the sport’s most amazing professions. Iowa once again stands in the method of South Carolina putting the ending up discuss an ideal season.
How will Sunday play out? ESPN’s Andrea Adelson, Katie Barnes, Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou, Jake Trotter and Michael Voepel break down the national championship and anticipate who will lower the webs in Cleveland on Sunday.
Iowa’s method in 2015 was to lay off South Carolina’s boundary shooters, however the Gamecocks shoot the 3-pointer well now. How will Iowa adjust?
Barnes: Iowa is going to remain in the position everybody protests South Carolina: Pick your toxin. If the Hawkeyes go out to press the 3-point line a bit, they may be susceptible to within looks, where they have significantly less size. Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina’s 6-foot-7 center, feasted versus NC State on Friday, hanging 22 points and 11 boards on the Wolfpack. Ashlyn Watkins came off the bench and got 20 rebounds. Iowa will have a hard time to maintain if those 2 have a repeat efficiency down low, no matter what’s going on at the 3-point line.
Voepel: It sounds simplified, however among the very best aspects of Iowa’s defense in this video game may be its offense. If the Hawkeyes have the ability to keep the video game close, it will stimulate their defense. They likewise have to work together cohesively. And understand that rebounding versus South Carolina is a little like breaking a huge server in tennis: You do the very best you can to maintain and do not get annoyed.
How will South Carolina’s method modification? What might South Carolina do in a different way than it did a year ago?
Voepel: South Carolina coach Dawn Staley stated she wasn’t going to enjoy movie of last season’s semifinal to get ready for Sunday, however she does not require to. She remembers what worked and what didn’t. She likewise saw how UConn protected Clark on Friday: extreme protecting from Nika Muhl, trapping when Clark got her dribble and having posts stand high in the lane to stop her penetration. Staley understands what elements of that method South Carolina likewise can utilize.
