Caitlin Clark, Iowa outduel UConn, return to NCAA title game

CLEVELAND — Caitlin Clark’s remarkable college basketball career will continue to the women’s NCAA championship game for a second consecutive year, after the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the UConn Huskies 71-69 in the Final Four on Friday night at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

Clark scored 21 points to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Iowa will face No. 1 overall seed South Carolina for the title Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC). The Gamecocks (37-0) beat NC State 78-59 in Friday’s first semifinal.

“I’m just really grateful. I used every single second of my college career over the course of the last two years,” Clark said of going to back-to-back title games. “To be able to go out on top would be super special, but we’re going to have our hands full. South Carolina has been the best all year and kind of been at a different level than anybody else.

“We’re going to do the best we can. Just go out and give it your all. There’s only 40 minutes left of my college career.”

The fact that she has one more game is because of an overall team effort from Iowa, Clark stressed.

Sophomore post player Hannah Stuelke led the Hawkeyes (34-4) in scoring with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting. It was only the second time this season that Clark did not lead Iowa in scoring; in both games, it was Stuelke who stepped up. Stuelke had a career-high 47 points on Feb. 8 against Penn State, but given how high the stakes were Friday, this was likely the best game of her career. She earned high praise from Clark.

“Confidence is everything,” Stuelke said. “Especially hearing Caitlin Clark talk about me like that, it gives me a confidence boost. I think anyone would say that. But they just fed me the ball very well. And the ball was going in for me tonight.”

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder added of Stuelke, “I’m just so pleased with her growth tonight. She just took, as a sophomore … another big leap tonight.”

Senior guard Kate Martin contributed 11 points and eight rebounds as Iowa won the rebounding battle 37-29. Hawkeyes guard Gabbie Marshall drew a key late offensive foul against Aaliyah Edwards with 3.9 seconds left that helped seal the victory.

Clark’s signature 3-point shooting was off in the first half as she was 0-for-6 from long range and Iowa trailed 32-26 at halftime with the star limited to six points on 3-of-11 shooting overall.

The Hawkeyes had more turnovers (12) than field goals (11) in the first half, evidence of how good the Huskies’ defense was, especially Nika Muhl’s work on Clark. Iowa’s 26 points tied its season low, matching its first-half output in a second-round victory over West Virginia.