IOWA CITY — A strong finish allowed the 2nd-ranked Iowa Hawkeye women to survive a test from West Virginia last night. Sydney Affolter’s three-point play triggered an 8-0 run as the Hawkeyes claimed a 64-54 win in the NCAA women’s tournament second round, as you heard on AM-1300 KGLO. West Virginia had erased a 10 point fourth quarter Iowa lead to tie the game. The Hawkeyes won despite shooting only 36% and making only five of 22 from three point range.

That’s Iowa coach Lisa Bluder. Iowa averages more than 92 points per game but was forced to grind it out against the Mountaineers.

Caitlin Clark set the Division I single-season scoring record as she finished with 32 points as the Hawkeyes had to battle through another second round nail biter.

Clark finished with five three pointers but she was the only Hawkeye to make a shot from behind the arc,

It was the final game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena for Clark and the other Iowa seniors.

West Virginia held the Hawkeyes in check all night and ended the season with a record of 25-8.

That’s West Virginia coach Mark Kellog who talks about the defensive effort by his team.

Iowa plays Colorado in Albany New York on Saturday in the Sweet Sixteen. Tipoff for that contest is scheduled for 2:30, with the pre-game at 2:15 on KGLO.

 

 

IOWA CITY — Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder on Monday was named a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award from the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Bluder was a semifinalist a season ago and was the recipient of the award in 2019. The 2024 Naismith Trophy for Women’s Coach of the Year will be awarded on Wednesday, April 3, at a press conference at the Key Bank Club in the Cleveland Browns Stadium during the Women’s Final Four.  Fans will once again be able to support their favorite finalist through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote, which runs today through next Tuesday, April 2, at naismithfanvote.com. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall final vote. Fans may also vote by visiting the Twitter pages @naismithtrophy, @MarchMadness and @MarchMadnessWBB to vote for their favorite men’s and women’s coaches. The four finalists were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners, all of whom base their selections on outstanding coaching performances during the 2023-24 college basketball season.

 

 

AMES — The Iowa State men are closing in on their first trip to the Final Four since 1944. The 2nd-seeded Cyclones will play 3rd-seeded Illinois Thursday night in Boston in the semifinals of the East Region. In his third season as head coach, T.J. Otzelberger is taking the Cyclones to a second Sweet Sixteen.

Otzelberger says support from the fans and the administration is a big part of their success.

Defense has been a staple of ISU teams under Otzelberger but this team has balance on offense and that makes the Cyclones difficult to guard.

Tip time for Thursday night’s game has been set for 9:09 PM Iowa time.