Twitter reacts as Iowa topples South Carolina, advances to first national championship game
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There’s so much that can be written about this game. It’s the game that the women’s college basketball season felt like it had been building to all along.
Sure enough, the two titans delivered. Even after Iowa jumped in front, 22-13, after one quarter as Hawkeye superstar Caitlin Clark registered a 11 points and dished four assists, it was always destined to end with drama.
Strangely enough, though, it was the shot that Caitlin Clark didn’t hit and the offensive rebound that Iowa found that proved the game’s ultimate difference.
With Iowa clinging to a 73-71 lead late, it was a miss on a Clark 3-pointer that longtime starter McKenna Warnock went and found. That earned the Hawkeyes the bonus possession it needed to ice the game from there with free throws. When the night was all said and done, Iowa had toppled defending champion and previously unbeaten South Carolina, 77-73.
In a way, maybe that McKenna Warnock offensive rebound is the most fitting end to this trip to the national championship game. Though Clark was magical, finishing with an incredible 41 points on the biggest stage, it was a less heralded player that pushed the Hawkeyes’ into the winner’s circle.
That’s been one of the key storylines for Iowa dating to an embarrassing day in College Park, Maryland, where the Terrapins handed the Hawkeyes their worst loss of the season.
Iowa has rattled off nine wins in a row since, capturing the Big Ten Tournament crown for a second consecutive season. Along the way, the performances of Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and McKenna Warnock have supplemented what Iowa’s two biggest stars, Caitlin Clark and Monika Czinano, have provided. Now, Iowa moves onto a stage it has never graced before.
Iowa advances into the national championship game where it will meet the LSU Tigers. As expected, Hawkeye fans were ecstatic after a moment they’ll never forget. Here’s a look at the social media reaction to Iowa advancing to its first national championship game.
Hawkeye fans understood the assignment
Hawkeye fans 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 the assignment… #Hawkeyes x #WFinalFour pic.twitter.com/Eet2uWq0Ed
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 31, 2023
Biggest game of our lives
The biggest Iowa basketball game of my lifetime is about 30 minutes away
I’m going to ask you all just this once,
CAN I GET A GO HAWKS?!
GO HAWKS!
Say it back you cowards😈😤💛🖤— B1G Mhawk (@B1G_Mhawk) April 1, 2023
The McCaffery family in the house!
The McCaffery family is here to watch #Hawkeyes WBB. pic.twitter.com/CllNgCxvVL
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) April 1, 2023
Ratings 📈
Time for the highest rated women's college basketball game of all time LFG HAWKS! #WFinalFour pic.twitter.com/b9ofEfTM80
— Heavens Caitlin! (@HeavensFX) April 1, 2023
Full court send
FULL COURT SEND#WFinalFour x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/hdDhgazTVz
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 1, 2023
The Law Firm
THE LAW FIRM 👩⚖️#WFinalFour x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/OCEAf7RCc4
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 1, 2023
The Clark factor
Caitlin Clark scored or assisted on 19 of Iowa’s 22 first quarter points.
86%
— Kennington Lloyd Smith III (@SkinnyKenny_) April 1, 2023
Wave it off
SOUTH CAROLINA: we haven’t lost a basketball game in over a year
CAITLIN CLARK: pic.twitter.com/G2tENF3St2
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) April 1, 2023
Clark from downtown
Caitlin Clark doing Caitlin Clark things 🤩@CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/zwIiPzP0M7
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 1, 2023
Life changing stuff
I don’t mean to be dramatic but watching Caitlin Clark play in person is a life changing experience
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) April 1, 2023
Clark crosses 1,000
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ points and counting!
Caitlin Clark is a certified bucket-getter 🪣 pic.twitter.com/R2fsyzI9vD
— ESPN (@espn) April 1, 2023
More on that milestone
Of note, Caitlin Clark now owns Big Ten season records in:
Points (1,003)
Assists (317)
3-pointers (130)She surpassed Gustafson in points (1,001) and Mitchell in 3s (129) in that first half.
— Chad Leistikow (@ChadLeistikow) April 1, 2023
Beauty to end the first half
Love this full court set from @IowaWBB to end the half. pic.twitter.com/JBfEods4aD
— Reid Ouse (@reidouse) April 1, 2023
Argument over
Nobody can argue Aliyah Boston over Caitlin Clark after tonight.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) April 1, 2023
Bluder coaching circles
Iowa has the much better gameplan so far. Bluder running circles around Staley so far.
If I’m South Carolina I’m launching a 3 every time down and getting offensive rebound 50% of the time with size.
— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) April 1, 2023
Living up to the billing
If this is the most-watched women's basketball game in history, it's absolutely living up to the billing.
Iowa and South Carolina separated by one point at halftime.
20 minutes. A lifetime of memories. A shot at a national championship.
— Mitch Fick (@MCFick) April 1, 2023
Another satisfied customer
Iowa vs South Carolina as advertised through one half. 🍿
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) April 1, 2023
LOGO CLARK
LOGO CLARK. @CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Qwau2bKP3J
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 1, 2023
Feels like a road game
I would say this is a road game for South Carolina
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) April 1, 2023
Most entertaining game from either bracket
Iowa-South Carolina most entertaining March Madness game from either bracket.
— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) April 1, 2023
It's tough to deal with
The only reason this game is still close is because South Carolina has multiple players that are a foot taller than Iowa’s tallest players
— Hawkeye Recruiting (@Iowa_Recruiting) April 1, 2023
I mean...
South Carolina owns a 49-22 rebounding advantage tonight with 26 offensive rebounds.
— Rob Anderson (@_robanderson) April 1, 2023
HER
CAITLIN CLARK IS INDEED HER! ✨ @CaitlinClark22
A NCAA Tournament Semifinal Record: 41 points! pic.twitter.com/hKzlzj9lbe
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) April 1, 2023
Just BELIEVE
"All you need to do is BELIEVE in order to SHOCK THE WORLD." – @CaitlinClark22#WFinalFour x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/SkMiAaRuot
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 1, 2023
Going to the 'SHIP!!!
Iowa is going to the 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏#WFinalFour x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/yXVcMXeY85
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 1, 2023
Can you believe it?
South Carolina out-rebounded Iowa, 49-25, and the biggest play of the game was an Iowa rebound. @MckennaWarnock
— Charlie Creme (@CharlieCreme) April 1, 2023
Patrick Mahomes sounds off
Let’s gooooo!!! @CaitlinClark22 💪🏽💪🏽
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) April 1, 2023
THE FIRST
CAITLIN CLARK IS THE FIRST PLAYER IN WOMEN'S NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY WITH BACK-TO-BACK 40-POINT GAMES 😱 pic.twitter.com/KdqSPhMCm8
— ESPN (@espn) April 1, 2023
THIS TEAM
CAITLIN CLARK, LISA BLUDER, AND THE IOWA HAWKEYES HAVE TAKEN DOWN UNDEFEATED SOUTH CAROLINA AND ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🐥
THIS TEAM. THIS TOURNAMENT. THIS SEASON
— Barstool Iowa (@BarstoolUIowa) April 1, 2023
Wouldn't be Iowa without...
Caitlin Clark has scored more points in postseason play (235) than Iowa Football scored all season (230).
That is insane.
— Mallory Hartley (@malloryhartley) April 1, 2023
Gabbie delivered
99.9% of humans on the earth don’t even have the physical capacity to do what Gabbie Marshall did last night.. let alone the switch to actually do it.
I wish we had GPS data on her because she basically ran change of direction sprint intervals for 2 hours straight.
— Tyler Kluver (@TylerKluver) April 1, 2023
It's the Outback Bo...
Iowa vs LSU Sunday in the Outback Bo…
I mean NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
— austin (@AustinJRoberts) April 1, 2023
One of the biggest upsets
Iowa just pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Final Four History. Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes are headed to the Championship against LSU.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) April 1, 2023
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