South Carolina women’s basketball Insider Analysis: Iowa

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– In 2017, Mississippi State raced out to a 12-2 lead, but South Carolina won comfortably. So when it was 10-0 and then 13-2 Iowa, there was no reason to panic, was there?

It’s easy to say in hindsight, but that fast start seemed to hurt Iowa in the long run. The Hawkeyes seemed to expend all their energy in the first quarter and were running on fumes by the fourth quarter. 

That includes Caitlin Clark, who was 5-8 for 18 points in the first quarter but 5-20 for 12 points the rest of the game. 

“They wore her down quick, huh?” a staff member told me after the game. 

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– A lot of South Carolina people were worried that the officials would favor Iowa, since they did it last year and throughout this tournament. 

When Clark shoved Bree Hall to the ground with both hands and the official beside the play shrugged and told the bench he didn’t see anything, it was clear South Carolina needed to win by a lot because the officials were going to help Iowa. 

So that’s what South Carolina did. They relentlessly got the ball in the paint until the officials had to start making calls. When Iowa cut it to five in the fourth quarter, it was three fouls at the rim and the resulting free throws that sealed the win. 

– The game turned because of the play of Tessa Johnson (19 points) and MiLaysia Fulwiley (nine points, four rebounds, four assists). By the way, they are freshmen. 

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