Caitlin and Iowa had a less than stellar first half with too many turnovers. This was due in large part to UConn's intense efforts to keep the ball out of Caitlin's hands, trapping constantly and jumping passing lanes. Despite this, UConn only had a six point lead at halftime. Iowa made some significant adjustments at halftime. Kate Martin, Sidney Affolter and even Gabbie Marshall brought the ball up throughout the 2nd half. This allowed Caitlin to conserve her energy and for Iowa to get their half-court offense sets running better. Iowa also brought Hannah Stuelke up to the high post. The move from low post to a mid and high post sets was a key factor in Iowa's win. This allowed Hannah to use her speed and dribble drive to get past UConn's defender for easy baskets. Working from the high post also made it difficult for UConn to provide help defense because this would leave Iowa's shooters unguarded. UConn had no answer for this, and Hannah led all scorers with 23 points. She was 9 for 12 from the field and 5 for 7 from the charity line. Were these 2nd half adjustments really the difference? Iowa was held to 26 points in the 1st half by UConn's swarming defense. They had 45 points in the 2nd half which is this high scoring offense's season average. Caitlin also scored 15 points in the 2nd half, nearly matching her season average. Geno simply got outcoached by Lisa Bluder and the better team won.

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Great analysis!! I missed part of the game so appreciate comments like these. Uconn had 18 fouls called while iowa had 9, so some may argue that as showing bias, but others have said its due to their style of play and that Iowa plays a lot more clean game. What do you think in that sense?

@davidprice6902

2 ай бұрын

@@maxoptimized The game was physical, and the refs let them play. I did not notice any particularly egregious calls. Regarding the controversial foul, it probably would not have been called if she had simply slid over like she did. it was the forearm shiver that got called. An obvious foul.

@MLK8532

2 ай бұрын

Now iowa got whooped. No 1 threw game like LSU or got cheated like ucoonn. SC DOMINATED so not close enough for BS!!!

@davidprice6902

2 ай бұрын

@@MLK8532 Iowa's five starters scored 75 points while South Carolina's five starters scored 50, but South Carolina's reserve players added 37, while Iowa's bench did not score at all. It cannot be overlooked that this is a TEAM sport. Caitlin, Gabbie and Kate Martin played all 40 minutes. Sidney Affolter played 35. Only Hannah Stuelke got significant time on the bench as she played 27 minutes. South Carolina had nine players who logged double digits in minutes. They had fresh legs on the court the entire game. Iowa shot very poorly in the 2nd half which happens when your legs get weary. It was a great game, very entertaining. Congratulations to both squads for a very entertaining contest.

@MLK8532

2 ай бұрын

@@davidprice6902 excuses delivered now that the big ..... hype is audi 5k!! Out of there w/LOSS OKAY BOYEE

I love it, when the bracket came out everyone said they DIDNT want Iowa to win because they made their bravket so tough. Bottom line is that it was a good call.

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Have a feeling they may lose against S Carolina today but we'll see...What do you think?

@helgar791

2 ай бұрын

Everyone but ESPN who was salivating at an Iowa vs USC final.

Good call. And in this day and age of horrible reffing on all levels, we should celebrate this official who had the guts to make the right call (for once).

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Very true, agreed was a foul. A lot people were saying edwards was getting away with it throughout the game so guess the officials finally decided to call it

@ppumpkin3282

2 ай бұрын

If you're not calling it consistently its a bad call.

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Thats my thought too, while I agree it was a foul, its crazy how refs can just switch it up. They just need AI to ref at this point because we cant rely and when a ref picks and chooses when to call a foul.

I want you to overlook the screener being set for a moment. Forget about elbows too. It's still an easy call...foul. Most people are overlooking the clearest pieces of evidence. First, basketball players are only entitled to "their space". Second, a complementary notion is the concept of "verticality". Go to the moment of contact between the screener and defender and pause the video. I want you to notice the screener's legs and feet. If there's contact because the screener's feet are outside the width of the shoulders, there should be a foul. Second, check if the screener's legs are balanced. If the legs aren't equally balanced then the player is leaning outside of her space. Therefore, the player isn't vertical either. The UConn player violates both of these concepts. Considering the screener isn't set with her her left elbow slightly outside of her body frame, she committed three if not four violations on the same play! I'm not saying it's a flagrant foul worthy of technical foul free throws but it's an egregious foul. By contrast, check out Caitlin Clark's "The Shot" against Indiana where the screener (#25 Monica Cziano) sets not one but two strong, textbook screens on the game-winning play.

THE GAME WAS RIGGED, IT WAS OBVIOUS.

As a longtime UCONN graduate I agree with that opinion- letting a National SemiFinal game come down to one lousy call isn’t a risk you should be taking.

You definitely have to do the National Championship regardless of outcome!

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

For sure, will try to work on it tonight!

An obvious foul no matter what Pope Geno might think

You can call this but to call it in this moment was a weak move - plus not calling it would not have been an automatic „gift“ for UCONN in teems of outcome as they were down and would have had to connect on a shot. However, the play in thissituation was not ideal and the call was on Paige too for not moving closer past Aliyah to not make her have to adjust her screen.

Geno should have selected CC when he had the chance to do so. He probably would have been in the finals. Also he needed to think a little. Going up against a player with this much public momentum uconn should have dotted the Is and croosed their Ts.

@ppumpkin3282

2 ай бұрын

More fake news. Caitlan never applied or showed interest in UCONN, it was never a choice that he made/

gino is whining

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Lol plus im sure gino is no stranger to favorable calls

As a longtime UConn fan I say, who cares? The UConn players ran out of gas. Good teams play well enough so that the referees are irrelevant, so that it never comes down to a last second call. UConn made four vital mistakes in the last minutes that would have secured victory and they failed. Iowa made plays and won. It's that simple.

the game was Caitlined........

Don’t know what was worse this or Taylor deckor reporting

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Haha it always stings the most when its right at the end of the game...Crazy refs can basically decide a game. Not sure why they dont just leave it up to AI at this point so its atleast fair throughout the game.

😮 NO learn the rules of basketball

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Hey I agree it was a foul, but I do wonder if they were being more strict in those type of calls towards Uconn. They called 18 fouls on Uconn and only 9 on Iowa during the game. So maybe a little bias in that sense? Especially with how much better ratings will be if Caitlyn Clark is playing in the Finals. A lot of money at stake, what do you think in that sense?

Not rigged. Conspiracy theories are always out there. Always wrong or just whining.

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Lol to say they are "always wrong" is a conspiracy theory within itself and pretty naive no offense

Apparently, according to some, the last 10 seconds of the game should allow a team that is behind to do whatever they want to win. What a joke. Geno A. was totally classless in his presser, never once congratulating Iowa but instead whining and making excuses. Pathetic. Contrast that to the class of Iowa.

@maxoptimized

2 ай бұрын

Yup, you still gotta call it. If its a really ticky tack call or just blatant ghost penalty then you may have a case, but if its a clear foul better to call than not because they would be complaining in reverse otherwise. Good point about the Gino presser as well, cause even Paige B took the high road on that call.

@ppumpkin3282

2 ай бұрын

You must have watched a different press conference, I heard Coach congratulate Iowa and ddin't complain about the call, neither did the Uconn players.

@bbwolfe6144

2 ай бұрын

@@ppumpkin3282 Did you have your earring aid off?

It was a good call... shoulda been called all game and if it had that person it was called on at the end woulda fouled out in the second quarter... she was throwing hard elbows and moving screens the whole damn game