Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - INSTANT REACTION: Iowa & Caitlin Clark advances to the National Championship Game with win over UConn

Starting point is 00:00:00 Instant reaction after Iowa pulls off the victory against UConn 71-69. The Hawkeyes will play for a national title on Sunday. We break down the victory against the Huskies today. Locked on, Hawkeyes. You are locked on, Hawkeyes. Your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day.

Starting point is 00:00:36 Hey, welcome in. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you find podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube. Make sure you hit the subscribe button. Helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. If you're listening on the podcast side, five-star reviews.

Starting point is 00:00:55 It helps us out immensely. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKDOWN for $20 off your first purchase. Hawkeye fans, you're looking for tickets for that national championship game on Sunday. 2 o'clock Central Time, 3 o'clock out East as the Hawkeyes will face off against South Carolina. Rematch of last year's epic Final Four matchup where Iowa handed South Carolina their only loss of the season. Moved on to the championship game. And the path, as we anticipated, has been incredibly difficult and arduous for this Iowa team. And yet, here they are once again, playing for a national title. This is a team that I had my doubts about.

Starting point is 00:01:37 This is a team where I wasn't exactly sure. This was a game where I wasn't sure where Iowa was going to be. And winning it in the fashion that they did. 71-69, a first half where they struggled mightily, a first half where they weren't able to throw it in the ocean. Gatlin Clark 0-6 from downtown, some careless turnovers, 12 overall in the first half. It was just sloppy basketball. And though they started to get revved up in the second quarter again, it was a big third quarter that really proved to be the difference in this basketball game as I was able to pull out the victory. As we go through and take a look at it and look at this though, overall, 71-69. A tough,

Starting point is 00:02:17 physical, grinded out type of team against a team that is incredibly talented, immensely talented. And though they are banged up and injured and only played six players in the game, it's not that we're talking about a bunch of walk-ons that are out there, right? I mean, these are still girls that were highly coveted by everybody in the country. We're not talking about some great teamers from back in the day, right? These are elite-level players. And Paige Beckers is a stud. KK Arnold, wish she would have stayed in the Midwest and made her way down from Wisconsin down to Iowa City. Edwards inside. I mean, what

Starting point is 00:02:54 we saw from Ewell and her defense, this is an elite level team. But to win in that fashion, to win in that style of game, this is something throughout most of the tenure of Lisa Bluter that wasn't going to happen. Even the last couple of years, these types of games were not games that Iowa could win. And now they can. And now they have. And they've done it multiple times. And they've done it against good opponents. And that gets you excited. Because this was not Iowa's A game. I don't even know if it was Iowa's B game, but there's an old adage out there. Win your clunkers, and Iowa won their clunker in this one. We'll talk about the late game situation. We will get into that, but as we run

Starting point is 00:03:37 through here, instant reaction style, a couple of other notes. Mention the first half, and there was a portion of it where you got to give credit to the defense. I mentioned Mule and what she was doing defensively, face guarding. And we've seen plenty of people try to do that, have success for a while. The one thing about Kaitlyn Clark is she normally figures it out. She understands what the defense is doing, either the physicality or the athleticism, what they're doing, junk defenses, all the different things that she's seen over the course of not just her four-year career in Iowa City, but throughout Kaitlyn Clark's

Starting point is 00:04:13 career, she's dribbled a basketball. We know the stories of her playing on the AAU team with a bunch of boys and winning a championship there. She knows this. She's seen everything. And she is so smart and such a heady player that she will usually figure out pretty early in the game, this is what they're doing. This is how I'm going to combat that. It was more difficult here. And the credit is the UConn game plan, what they did, coupled with having the actual ability to

Starting point is 00:04:42 have the players that can do that and play that kind of defense. And we saw that throughout the course of the game. But she figured it out, got rolling a little bit in the third quarter. And though not a great game from what we're used to from Kaitlyn Clark, statistically, 21 points, a season low, nine rebounds, seven assists. Iowa found a way to do it. And they found a way to do it by getting stops defensively, making plays when they were there, and a whole lot of Hannah Stolke.

Starting point is 00:05:10 Now, coming into this game, we talked about some of the individual matchups. We mentioned, of course, Paige Beckers and what she does as a facilitator and the playmaker for UConn against Kaitlyn Clark, Gabby Marshall. How about the defense from Gabby throughout in this one, including one that will go down for a long time. And we will talk about the moving screen at the throughout in this one, including one that'll go down for a long time. And we will talk about the moving screen at the end of the ball game. Don't worry, we will get there. But my biggest concern coming into the game when we were talking about all these individual matchups and all the players that they were going to throw at Caitlin

Starting point is 00:05:37 Clark and what they were going to do, I had my concerns inside with Edwards going up against Hannah Stolke. And there's not a doubt in my mind. Edwards is likely going to be an early pick in the WNBA draft. Hannah Stolke not just outplayed her, at times she dominated her. We know Hannah Stolke when everything is going right. Incredibly athletic. Look, this was probably one of the few players on this Iowa roster that would have been recruited

Starting point is 00:06:06 by Gina Wariema. There's not a whole lot. Look, he gets the pick of the litter, right? We talked about it earlier in the week. And could he play Paige Beckers together with Katen Clark? I think he could figure that out. That aside, there aren't a whole lot of players on this Iowa roster that would have been recruited by UConn.

Starting point is 00:06:22 But Hannah Stolke is one of them. She was a top 40 player nationally. I think ESPN had her 47th in the country in their top 100 girls rankings. She's an immense talent. She's physical, but she has the speed, the versatility to play. And you saw that in that matchup against Edwards. And when she gets a step on players, what she can do, she was outstanding. And without her play, Iowa doesn't come back and win this game.

Starting point is 00:06:46 Down double digits, down by a dozen against UConn. You're down 28-16. You don't want to say hope is lost, but boy, from Kaitlyn Clark and not just having the legs in the first half, short on a bunch of shots. And she wasn't alone. A lot of the players were just short on their shots. They were right on line. Gabby had two of them in the first half. There was one from Feerbach before she hit one a little bit later in that first half. We saw this a bunch where the shots were right on. They're just short. Is it legs?

Starting point is 00:07:14 Is it fatigue? Is it the big spotlight? Don't exactly know what it was, but then they settled in. And again, they did it with the defense, which is just incredible from this team that they were able to do that. And they did it again in the third quarter. But as you're going through the course there, they make that run at the end of the half. Could have been a little bit better. You could have got a two for one there. Instead, you didn't. Hold for a shot. Don't get a good one there. And give it back. And UConn gets a shot at the buzzer. But still, with all that being said, Iowa goes into the locker room. They're down 32-26. As poorly as Iowa played, I think we all felt good. And then the third

Starting point is 00:07:50 quarter happened and that's when the shooting started to warm up. Iowa scores 25 points in that quarter and then eventually gets there. But yes, it is time now to get to what many people consider the play of the game. The moving screen call against UConn. Did they get it right? Did they get it wrong? We'll talk about it as we continue. It's an instant reaction podcast, Lockdown Hawkeyes. We're back with more here in a moment. Today's episode of Lockdown Hawkeyes is brought to you by the GameTime app.

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Starting point is 00:09:47 Locked On College for $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Trent Cotter back with you again on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. As I've told you throughout the course of the last couple of days, I've had a little bit of sickness, a little illness here. So I had an extra drink there. And power is through here, this instant reaction podcast.

Starting point is 00:10:15 Let's talk about the play that will be remembered for a very long time for a lot of people in a lot of circles. And it's the moving screen. time for a lot of people in a lot of circles and it's the moving screen it is this difficult conversation what a foul is what a whistle is in the final moments of the game you want the players to decide the game you don't want it in the hands of the referees. And I get that. As I've told many people before, everyday listeners, you know this. I'm not someone that likes to make excuses about referees. I think it's a loser way out. And it's something that I try to stay away from.

Starting point is 00:10:57 But there are going to be those plays. There's going to be those moments that are going to dictate one way or the other the way that it goes. And this was one of them. UConn would have had an opportunity to get a shot off to potentially win the basketball game. But it was a moving screen. And at the first view, in that real tight angle from behind the play, on that tight camera angle, it looked pretty ticky-tacky.

Starting point is 00:11:21 In fact, I said to myself and to one of my buddies I was watching the game with, it was me, my buddy Brendan, his wife Katie, and my wife. And we're watching the game together tonight as the kids were playing downstairs. And so I think we got one there. But the more you see the play, you go back and watch it from the actual camera angle, the TV camera angle, there's no doubt. You slow the thing down. I mean, it was just an absolute beheading

Starting point is 00:11:45 and the rules are very clear on a moving screen and i don't believe i saw any kind of caveat that said only for the first 39 minutes and 50 seconds of a game i don't believe i saw that i could be wrong but i certainly never saw it in any of the notes but basically what it says is two elements of that screen that weren't there two elements of the play that absolutely positively tell you it was exactly that it was a moving screen and as you go through and you look at the simple nature of this one and the way that this plays out, I think it's easy to understand. The referees got it right. Initially, I thought it was weak.

Starting point is 00:12:31 Initially, I thought Iowa got with one, and I knew the conspiracy theories and the guys with the tinfoil hat were going to come run it out, right? We were going to see them again, and it was going to be maybe ugly. Instead, here we are. Here we are today, and they got it right. If you want them to decide, not decide the game. You don't want the referees to make the decision.

Starting point is 00:12:56 You want it in the hands of the players. The players got to play straight up too. And that screen impacted the play so much. Now, another thing to consider, and another thing that I think we need to realize and listen to and look at, was just this. Hannah Stolke was playing great defense there.

Starting point is 00:13:16 So she was involved there on the switch. And as Beckers was starting to turn the corner, was going to get the ball back, it looked like on the right wing, she was right there with him defensively. And because of that, there's no guarantee that Paige Beckers is going to hit the shot. There's no guarantee that UConn's going to score a bucket. It just isn't there.

Starting point is 00:13:37 We all, I think, would have loved to see the way that it would have played out. And as it played out and the way that it went, how this eventually would have gone. I think we all understand that. But it was a moving screen. Both things could be right. Both things can be in the same conversation. It was a moving screen. No doubt. Is it called often? No. But it also impacted the game and impacted that play so immensely that the ref had to blow their whistle. Because if that moving screen would have led to UConn getting an easy layup and the win there, our guy fans would be screaming too.

Starting point is 00:14:16 Absolutely. Now, before that, the late game situation, as the ball was out near half court. So Hannah Stolke's dribbling it around, trying to hand it to Kate Martin. It was deflected. She thought it was going to be an over and back. So instead she flips it, turn over.

Starting point is 00:14:31 UConn gets a three there. The thing is Kate Martin could have just used her body to shield the basketball, grabbed it, and it would have been over the back because over and back, a violation of backcourt violation because the ball was tipped. Another late game, five seconds left on the shot clock. Kaitlyn Clark could have kept it herself.

Starting point is 00:14:52 I thought that's what she was going to do. And that set up, obviously, the play that we're talking about at the end. I'm watching it again. And, of course, you can go on social media and see this a thousand different times. She moved outside. She leaned to her left. She lowered her shoulder. And she trapped her hip.

Starting point is 00:15:10 You can't do that. The tight angle from behind, you don't see the whole part of it. You only see her upper body. All you see is Edwards' upper body on that play. And then late in the game, Iowa up two. Kaitlyn Clark misses the second free throw. And there's Sydney Affolter. We talked about her being the difference. Being the game. Iowa up two. Kaitlyn Clark misses the second free throw, and there's Sidney Affolter. We talked about her being the difference, being the glue, being the

Starting point is 00:15:30 X factor, if you will. A big three-pointer, an offensive rebound that proved to be the difference, and Iowa, love them or hate them, they're on to the national championship game. And I will tell you what, Hawkeye fans, it's easy to love this team. Hannah Stolke, Caitlin Clark, Gabby Marshall, Kate Martin, the whole crew, they're going to be long remembered. This is going to be a group that I talk about. Me growing up, you look over my shoulder here,

Starting point is 00:16:00 I got the picture of B.J. Armstrong and Roy Marble and Ed Horton, those were my guys growing up. And now it's my daughter's girls out there and watching this team and the excitement that you see coming out. And we can enjoy it too, and we definitely are. And now we know it'll come to a close on Sunday as Kaitlyn Clark will put on an Iowa Hawkeye uniform for the final time. It'll be against South Carolina.

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Starting point is 00:17:45 All right, so we're battling. Th for being with us here today. All right. So we're battling. Throat's getting a little sore. And here's South Carolina. No excuses, right? Play like a champion. And that's what I was going to try to do on Sunday. South Carolina a year ago came in undefeated.

Starting point is 00:18:01 Felt like they were unbeatable. Was it just Leah Boston and Beal and the whole crew there? The depth that they had, it was a mountaintop that seemed impossible. And now here's this retooled South Carolina team with Cordoza, who left the game with an injury, came back and was really good. She's 6'7", by the way.

Starting point is 00:18:24 Iowa's starting center is listed at 6'2", and Hannah Stolke. All right. But this is a team that's a lot better on the outside, a team that is much better on the perimeter, shooting the basketball. The game plan that Iowa used and employed a year ago, as Coach Fitz put that one together, she came to Lisa Bluter and said, all right, this is what we're going to do.

Starting point is 00:18:45 We're going to sag off the shooters. We're going to try everything we can do inside against Boston Company and make it work. That worked a year ago. It's not going to work this year. So this is going to be a complete retooling and figuring out what they're going to do. They're fast.

Starting point is 00:19:02 They're aggressive. They slash. They can get to the rim and they can shoot the ball from the outside. It's going to do. They're fast. They're aggressive. They slash. They can get to the rim, and they can shoot the ball from the outside. It's going to be tough. We will preview the matchup a little bit more tomorrow on Saturday. We will get that to you,

Starting point is 00:19:16 hopefully in the late afternoon, early evening, and get you set up for the title game. But we do know it is another big, big mountain that Iowa's got to climb. And as we said before the LSU game, as we said against the matchup against UConn, there's things that concern you. There's things that make you nervous. There's parts of each individual team that you can look at and say,

Starting point is 00:19:39 I was in trouble. But the equalizer continues to be 22. And 22 wasn't at her best tonight at least shooting the basketball how often does that happen two games in a row? rare I know Don Staley is going to have the motivational edge here Don Staley is going to use last year's loss as motivation

Starting point is 00:20:02 Don Staley maybe is going to use some other things as motivation. But Iowa's got the shot now. Iowa has an opportunity. And there are plenty in WNBA circles, college basketball circles, that believe that Kaitlin Clark could not be considered the greatest player without a championship. She's 40 minutes away. 40 minutes away from taking that bit of ammunition away from them. I would argue taking an Iowa program that never played for a national championship

Starting point is 00:20:37 to back-to-back national championship games in its own right is pretty incredible. You look at her roster, what Iowa has compared to the other rosters that we're talking about at this elite level, it's not even close. And Iowa's playing for a title again. Let's hope it goes better than it did a year ago. South Carolina's big and aggressive and tough, and it's going to be difficult. But Iowa has 22. Will it be enough?

Starting point is 00:21:07 We'll find out on Sunday afternoon. Thanks for making Locked On, Hawkeyes, your first listen every day. With you each and every day throughout the course of the week. And here over the weekend, a little instant reaction. And we got you covered. Also coming up this weekend, we got a whole lot more. We will break things down as we will do a crossover edition again with South Carolina. We'll talk to Mr. Lyon over there and break things down with the Gamecocks and the Hawkeyes getting together for the second time in a year. We'll do that

Starting point is 00:21:34 and then an instant reaction podcast after the national championship game. It's a busy weekend. Happy to be with you each and every day. And as always, thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Hit the subscribe button if for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Hit the subscribe button if you're on YouTube. It helps us immensely. If you're listening on the podcast side, hit us up with a five-star review and a big thank you and a tip of the ball cap to you.

Starting point is 00:21:56 We will talk to you again tomorrow. Get ready for Iowa, South Carolina. The Hawkeyes are playing for the national championship once again. We'll talk to you then. Go Hawks.

Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - INSTANT REACTION: Iowa & Caitlin Clark advances to the National Championship Game with win over UConn

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