Yahoo Sports UConn vs. Iowa: Predictions and odds for Women's NCAA Tournament Final Four game
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The Women's March Madness Final Four is only hours away, and both matchups are must-see games with a bid to the national championship on the line.
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes have advanced to the Women's NCAA Tournament Final Four after beating LSU 94-87 in a rematch of last year's championship game in the Elite Eight. The Hawkeyes will now compete against the UConn Huskies in Cleveland in a highly anticipated game to earn a spot in the finals, with Clark looking for her first national championship.
Clark's exceptional performance against LSU proved to be too much for the Tigers. Clark scored 41 points, made 12 assists, and grabbed seven rebounds, earning her the title of Most Outstanding Player in the regional tournament. During the Elite Eight game, Clark broke several NCAA tournament records, including most career assists, surpassing Temeka Johnson. She also surpassed Diana Taurasi and Taylor Robertson for the most career three-pointers made in NCAA tournament history and became the first player in NCAA tournament history to have three career 40-point games.
On the other hand, Paige Bueckers led the UConn team to a well-deserved 80-73 victory over USC in the Elite Eight. In the Elite Eight matchup, Bueckers took the lead by scoring 28 points, helping secure a spot in the national semifinals for the 23rd time. Aaliyah Edwards also played an essential role in this triumph, contributing 24 points and six rebounds in the victory over the Trojans.
Bueckers hopes to lead the Huskies to their 12th national championship under Geno Auriemma but must get past Clark and the Hawkeyes first.
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UConn vs. Iowa predictions
FOX Sports: UConn 76, Iowa 74
Staff writes: "The Huskies' record against the spread is 21-14-0. UConn is winless ATS (0-2) when playing as at least a 2.5-point underdog this season. There have been 22 Huskies games (out of 35) that went over the total this year."
Action Network: Pick USC +3.5
Dano Mataya writes: "Meanwhile, USC won the PAC-12 tournament, which is one of the strongest conferences in the country, and that holds tremendous value. No player draws more fouls or gets to the free throw line more than USC freshman JuJu Watkins. Taking over eight free throws per game, she has incredible feel and natural ability to draw fouls. I don’t see that changing against UConn, and if she is able to get any UConn starter into foul trouble, the Huskies are in serious trouble. Take the points with the Trojans."
The Athletic: Pick Iowa
Grace Raynor and Sabreena Merchant writes: "Assuming Clark will get hers, the onus is on Bueckers to match her production. The UConn senior has never been as prolific a shot-hunter as Clark, but she has averaged nearly 28 points since the start of the conference tournament. Bueckers rises to the occasion in March, and her teammates have done enough to complement her for the Huskies to advance this far. Aaliyah Edwards will be a load for Hannah Stuelke. The rest of UConn’s rotation will have to make quick decisions with the ball; either shoot on the catch or get off of it so that Bueckers and Edwards can continue to bend the defense. Iowa and UConn both rated as top-five offenses during the regular season, per Her Hoop Stats, so this should be a fun one. The Huskies have a better defense on paper, but there is no challenge quite like defending Clark. The way she is rolling, it’s hard to bet against her putting together a storybook finish to her collegiate career."
ESPN: UConn has a 60% chance to beat Iowa
According to ESPN's Matchup Predictor, the UConn Huskies have a 60.6% chance of beating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four.
UConn vs. Iowa: Odds, spread and lines for March Madness
The Hawkeyes are favorites to defeat the Huskies in Saturday's Final Four March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.
Odds as of Wednesday.
Spread: Iowa (-3.5)
Moneylines: Iowa (-170); UConn (+142)
Over/under: 135.5
How to watch UConn vs. Iowa: TV, streaming and schedule
When: Friday, April 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio
Cable TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+
Stream the game: Catch the highly anticipated LSU-Iowa rematch with an ESPN+ subscription
How to watch NCAA Women's Basketball March Madness 2024
All games will be broadcast across ABC and ESPN. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.
Stream through HULU with Live TV
Stream through DirecTV Stream
How to watch March Madness: Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn vs. Iowa: Predictions, picks, odds for Women's Final Four
