2024 National Championship Preview: (1) Iowa vs. (1) South Carolina
Here comes the fun
After a bunch of talk about how parity is here to stay in women’s basketball, combined with the year-over-year chaotic nature of the men’s game these days, it is admittedly pretty funny to be right here, right now. For the first time since 2015 and the second time ever, both the men’s and women’s national championships will feature a pair of 1 seeds. For the first time in my entire lifetime, both the men’s and women’s national championships involve the game that every neutral fan wanted to see three weeks ago upon bracket reveal. (Even in 2015 I’d argue most wanted Kentucky/Duke.)
So, yeah, this is going to be fun. No further notes, just get me to 3 PM, baby. Also, if you’re reading for the first time, subscribe here. You can use your one free article on this post if you’d like.
On with the show.
When Iowa has the ball
The first and biggest thing to look for: what Iowa did last year. Instead of being afraid of Aliyah Boston as a rim-protecting presence down low, Iowa mostly chose to attack instead of their steadier diet of kickout threes to open shooters. Most people think of Iowa as jumpers first, everything else second, but the Hawkeyes are a tremendous rim gravity team almost regardless of who’s got the ball in their hands.
Obviously, the person with the ball in her hands who matters most is Caitlin Clark. Almost from the tip, Iowa tried to exploit Clark in 1-on-1 ISOs. You can see her matchup, Kierra Fletcher, realizing almost precisely as it happens that she doesn’t have the lateral speed to keep up once Clark gets downhill.
Later in the game, Iowa began running more pick-and-rolls with Clark as the ball-handler. Unsurprisingly, given their roster construction, South Carolina is a team that almost exclusively plays a heavy drop coverage. They’ll do so again today. Last year, Iowa didn’t really attack it all that much early on, but as the game went on, Lisa Bluder spammed P&R over and over. It crescendoed with Clark rejecting a late-game pick once she saw then-backup Kamilla Cardoso getting a step too far out of position.
Whether Iowa chooses to attack the rim from the perimeter quite like that again is TBD.
More analysis, including several additional videos, behind the paywall. Just $18/year through tomorrow night: