Colorado Aims to Down Another Top Seed
The Colorado Buffaloes will try to play spoiler to another top seed when they take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Friday.
The Buffs are riding high after upsetting No. 3 Duke in overtime at Cameron Indoor Stadium, earning their spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003.
Colorado is now looking to down another top seed in No. 3 Iowa, which outlasted Georgia after easing past Southeast Louisiana in round one.
This will be the Hawkeyes’ second appearance in the Sweet 16 in three years after making it in 2021, where they bowed out to UConn. This time, however, their odds of moving on are higher.
According to College Women’s basketball lines, Iowa is a 5½-point favorite in the matchup.
Also check on these NCAAB betting lines.
Colorado Gets the Upset
The Colorado Buffaloes didn’t have the strongest offensive performance in their Round of 32 win, but their defense came to play when it mattered most.
Colorado finished the game shooting 36.5%, but it held Duke to 31.7% shooting and 21.7% from beyond the arc for 53 points.
The Buffs closed the game on a 15-3 run over the end of the game and into overtime, not allowing the Blue Devils to score any field goals in extra time.
Colorado also turned over the Blue Devils 21 times, leading to 15 points, while only allowing two Duke players to reach double digits. The Blue Devils’ leading scorer finished with 14 points.
The Buffs will need that strong defense once again when they face the high-octane Iowa offense.
Iowa Offense the Difference
Just like it has all season, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ offense found a way to get past a stifling Georgia defense in the Round of 32.
Though Iowa hit under its averages in both scoring and field goal percentage, its ability to rely on multiple scorers and share the ball got the win.
The Hawkeyes average 87.5 points on 50.9% shooting, but against the Bulldogs, they finished shooting 44.8% for 74 points.
Despite their lower shooting, the Hawkeyes still earned the win with Caitlin Clark leading the way, finishing with 22 points and 12 assists. Though she didn’t have her usual hot shooting day, going 6 of 17, she scored or assisted on 30 of Iowa’s 33 second-half points.
✨ B1G Record ✨
With 12 assists yesterday, @CaitlinClark22 became the new Big Ten record holder for assists in a single season (291). #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/24msszBPpa
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 20, 2023
Monika Czinano, Gabbie Marshall, and McKenna Warnock also finished in double digits, scoring 20, 15 and 14 points respectively, while the Hawkeyes had 21 total assists in the win.
Iowa will need a balanced attack once again in the Sweet 16 as it faces another tough defense in Colorado.
According to Women’s College Basketball odds, the Hawkeyes have +1100 odds to win March Madness.
Colorado vs Iowa Head-to-Head
Colorado and Iowa have met six times, with the series split 3-3. The Hawkeyes have won the last two meetings, with the last one taking place in March 2017 in Iowa City and resulting in an 80-62 Iowa win.
According to NCAA Women’s Basketball odds, Iowa has -140 odds to reach the Final Four while the sportsbook gives Colorado +480 odds to do so.
Colorado vs Iowa Game Information
- Game: Colorado (25-8, 13-5 Pac-12) vs Iowa (28-6, 15-3 Big Ten)
- Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
- Day/Time: Friday, March 24, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Colorado vs Iowa Live Stream: TBS.com
Colorado vs Iowa betting lines
Colorado vs Iowa Picks and Prediction
Friday’s matchup will be a game of a top offense against a top defense when Iowa and Colorado meet.
Though the Hawkeyes didn’t have their best offensive performance against Georgia, it’s hard to bet on Clark having two bad shooting games in a row. The Buffs, meanwhile, were effective defensively against Duke, but their offense wasn’t able to get going. Colorado’s defense may be able to slow Iowa some, but it will still be tough to keep up with the Hawkeyes offensively.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are listed at -260 in our Vegas Women’s college basketball lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Hawkeyes, you have a chance to win $38. The Colorado Buffaloes are +180, offering a chance to win $180 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Iowa Hawkeyes a 72.22% chance to win, with the Colorado Buffaloes at 35.71%.
