Caitlin Clark propels Iowa to Final Four with win over LSU.

In a revengeful showdown, Iowa avenged their loss to LSU as Caitlin Clark's 41 points powered them to a 94-87 Elite Eight triumph, securing a spot in the Final Four. Last season's national championship loss to Angel Reese & Co. fueled Iowa's determination, especially evident in their top-seeded performance this time. Caitlin Clark's dominant display underscored their resolve.

Clark went 13-of-29 from the field, hitting 9-of-20 three-pointers. Despite LSU guard Hailey Van Lith's tight defense, particularly on Clark's trademark deep three-pointers, she could only shrug as they consistently found the net.

It marks Clark's 13th 40-point game in her illustrious career, with her nine three-pointers equaling an NCAA tournament single-game record. Iowa secures their third-ever Final Four appearance, a first in consecutive seasons. Next, they'll challenge third-seeded Connecticut, who defeated top-seeded Southern California 80-73 in Portland on Monday.

In addition to her scoring, Clark facilitated her teammates' involvement with 12 assists, surpassing the NCAA Tournament career record of 137. The game's pivotal moment occurred in the third quarter, following Flau'Jae Johnson's spinning layup just before halftime, tying the score at 45. Johnson led the Tigers with 23 points, shooting 10-of-18 from the field, along with six rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and one steal.


Iowa began the third quarter with an 8-0 run, with Clark sinking four threes, building an 11-point lead, 69-58. Meanwhile, LSU struggled, shooting 5-of-26. Despite outscoring Iowa 29-25 in the fourth, LSU fell short. Reese's strong start helped LSU win the first quarter 31-26, but an ankle injury sidelined her in the second quarter.

After returning to the game, Reese struggled to find her rhythm against Iowa's defense, shooting 1-for-13 to finish 7-for-21 with 17 points and 20 rebounds. Despite LSU's dominance on the boards with a 55-37 advantage, they shot only 38.6% from the field. Van Lith went 2-of-10 for nine points, while Williams scored 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting. In contrast, Martin and Affolter of Iowa shot 50%, scoring 21 and 16 points respectively. Iowa now awaits the winner of No. 1 USC and No. 3 UConn for their Final Four opponent.

Source Fox Sports : Iowa's Caitlin Clark dazzles with 41 points to beat LSU, Angel Reese to reach Final Four
Source Washington Post : Caitlin Clark hits a new level in leading Iowa past LSU, into Final Four