CLEVELAND — Nobody told the UConn women they were an underdog on Friday, as they came to play against the reigning national runner-up Iowa Hawkeyes, a No. 1 seed.
At halftime, the No. 3 seed Huskies led 32-26. Ultimately, it wasn't enough. After an admirable comeback attempt by UConn, Iowa won 71-69. A UConn offensive foul in the final seconds sealed the Huskies' fate.
In a hard-fought game, Iowa (34-4) was erratic early, turning the ball over often in the first quarter. Iowa guard Caitlin Clark had perhaps the worst quarter of her NCAA Tournament career, scoring just two points, as UConn led 19-14 after the first 10 minutes. At halftime, Clark had six points; in her previous game against LSU she scored a total of 41. Clark finished with 21 points.
UConn (33-6) got early contributions from freshmen KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade, as well as multiple three-pointers from senior guard Nika Muhl. Muhl’s defense on Clark was outstanding, as she frustrated the back-to-back Naismith National Player of the Year recipient in the first half and for stretches of the second half as well.
Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder called a timeout with 6:41 left in the second quarter, after UConn jumped to a 25-16 lead. Senior forward Aaliyah Edwards blocked a shot as play resumed, but less than 30 seconds later, Muhl picked up her second foul, changing the tempo of the game.
UConn’s defense continued to be excellent, forcing Iowa’s 11th turnover before Bueckers came down the court and hit a three-pointer to give UConn a 12-point lead after a 7-0 Connecticut run. For the next several minutes, neither team could connect, but the Huskies kept up their stifling defense. Iowa turned it over 12 times in the first half.
Iowa started to rally in the second quarter by forcing a second foul on Edwards. An Iowa three pointer with just over two minutes left cut the lead to six, but Arnold came down the court and hit a quick layup, extending the lead back to eight.
UConn took a 32-26 lead into halftime behind 10 points from Arnold, seven points from Bueckers and six points from Muhl.
The teams traded baskets to begin the second half until Clark nailed her first three of the night, cutting UConn's lead to two. A possession later, Iowa tied the game.
Clark picked up her second foul around the six-minute mark in the third quarter, and UConn took a four-point lead into the under-five timeout. Momentum began to shift late in the third quarter, however. Not long after Arnold picked up her fourth foul, Iowa took the lead at 47-45. It was Iowa's first lead since 2-0.
At the end of three quarters, the score was tied at 51; Iowa outscored UConn by six in the quarter. Iowa jumped out to a five-point lead to begin the fourth quarter after Clark hit her second three pointer of the game.
The Huskies, limited by injuries to eight players, looked fatigued, as they cooled down from the field, just around the time that Iowa extended its lead to nine with 5:42 remaining. It was a 21-point turn around from when UConn led by 12 in the first half.
UConn, a resilient group all season, cut the lead to four on a Bueckers three around the four-minute mark. They cut it to four points again with 2:38 to go. Bueckers missed a three pointer with a minute remaining that would have cut it to a one-point game.
A Muhl three with 39 seconds to go did in fact make it a one-point game, and Iowa proceeded to turn the ball over giving UConn a chance. In a one-point game with 10.8 seconds remaining, the Huskies had one more shot to win.
It wasn't their night, however. A controversial offensive foul by Edwards with 4.6 seconds, followed by a Clark free throw and a jump ball that gave Iowa the possession, were the deciding factors.
Final score: Iowa 71, UConn 69.
Bueckers and Edwards both finished with 17 points. Arnold had 14 and Muhl had nine.
Edwards and Muhl will move on to the WNBA. Bueckers will be back in Storrs next season, and hopefully UConn's five injured players who would have seen major minutes this tournament will be healthy enough to join her on the court.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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