South Carolina Continues Run
Two of the top teams in the NCAA Tournament remain as No. 1 South Carolina and No. 2 Iowa meet in the women’s Final Four on Friday.
Both teams advanced to the semifinals in a similar way, pulling away in the second half to win their regionals.
With their win, the Hawkeyes made the Final Four for the first time since 1993while the Gamecocks won their 42nd straight game to reach their third consecutive Final Four, continuing their quest for back-to-back championships.
According to Women’s college basketball lines, South Carolina is an 11.5-point favorite in the matchup.
Clark, Defense Boost Iowa
Caitlin Clark had yet another electrifying performance to lead Iowa’s offense, but the Hawkeyes’ defense was crucial in their win as well.
CLARK CAN!@CaitlinClark22 is the first player in DI history to tally 900+ points and 300+ assists in a single season#MarchMadness x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/vivUYMQqD4
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2023
Clark went off for 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, becoming the first player in NCAA Tournament history to record a 40-point triple-double. However, Louisville still remained within five at halftime.
Iowa ramped up its defense in the second half, holding the Cardinals to 34.3% shooting following the break after they shot 53.6% in the first half.
The Hawkeyes also clamped down on Louisville’s leading scorer Hailey Van Lith, who scored 10 points in the second half after putting up 17 in the first.
Iowa has the best offense in the country, but its defense was big in the Hawkeyes making the Final Four and will continue to be needed against South Carolina.
According to NCAA Women’s basketball odds, Iowa has +850 odds to win Women’s March Madness.
South Carolina Offense Pulls Through
The Gamecocks have been known for their defense all season, but their offense helped South Carolina grab an eight-point halftime lead.
The Gamecocks shot 50% in the second quarter and 47.6% in the third to take a solid lead, led by leading scorers Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke, who scored 22 and 18 points, respectively.
South Carolina was also helped by a number of second-chance opportunities, as its 25 offensive boards led to 23 second-chance points.
The Gamecocks have appeared unstoppable for a majority of the season, and while their defense has been the main reason, their offense will continue to be a solid complement.
According to Women’s college basketball odds, South Carolina is the favorite to win the championship with the sportsbook giving it -290 odds to win.
South Carolina vs Iowa Head-to-Head
Friday’s matchup will be the first between Iowa and South Carolina.
South Carolina vs Iowa Game Information
- Game: Iowa (30-6, 15-3 Big Ten) vs South Carolina (36-0, 16-0 SEC)
- Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
- Day/Time: Friday, March 31, 9 p.m. ET
- Iowa vs South Carolina Live Stream: TBS.com
South Carolina vs Iowa Betting Lines
South Carolina vs Iowa Picks and Prediction
A highly anticipated college basketball matchup will finally happen Friday when Iowa and South Carolina clash in the Final Four.
Two National Player of the Year candidates will meet as Clark leads Iowa’s top-ranked offense against Boston and South Carolina’s top defense. Despite the Hawkeyes and Gamecocks being top-two seeds, South Carolina is a heavy favorite and its experience of winning last year’s tournament combined with its defense should be enough to advance to another championship. However, Clark and Iowa’s offense should still get rolling enough to keep things closer than the lines suggest.
The South Carolina Gamecocks are listed at -900 in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Gamecocks, you have a chance to win $11. The Iowa Hawkeyes are +450, offering a chance to win $450 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the South Carolina Gamecocks a 90.00% chance to win, with the Iowa Hawkeyes at 18.18%.
