Iowa women's basketball survived a scare against a tough West Virginia team where Caitlin Clark put the team on her back and willed them to victory. Clark was one of three players to score in double digits, however heading into the fourth quarter, she was the only one with 10 points or more.
The Hawkeyes made up for a quiet night from their bench who did not contribute to the score and a rare off night from senior Gabby Marshall who also did not score and went 0-3 from beyond the arc. Iowa struggled from long range going just 5-22 with all five threes coming from Clark.
Hopefully with a few days off this team will be able to bounce back from a rough showing against West Virginia. Iowa is set to play 5-seed Colorado who took down 4-seed Kansas State on thier won court. This will be a tough matchup as the Buffaloes have size and speed and play a tight tough defense, and will look to have an answer for Clark.
How to watch Iowa vs. Colorado in the NCAA Tournament Round 1
Date: Saturday, March 30
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC
Streaming: NCAA March Madness Live I fuboTV
Iowa vs. Colorado NCAA Tournament Round 1 odds
Iowa is a 7.5-point favorite in this game, and coming in as a favorite is no surprise. However, with how favored they were in the first two rounds, some probably would have thought they would be a heavier favorite. Oddsmakers are also expecting a high-scoring game with an over/under set at 160.
Iowa vs. Colorado NCAA Tournament Round 1 prediction
Clark will be coming off a 32-point performance coming into this game. While her scoring is always a priority, Colorado is going to zero in on her, so her ability to get shots for her teammates will be crucial in this game. Clark only had three assists in the West Virginia game and will need to up that stat in their Sweet 16 matchup.
I am going with Iowa in this one because the Hawkeyes can get Colorado in foul trouble and get to the line, which could force the Buffaloes to back off and give space defensively. I think Clark again will put the team on her back and avoid an early exit because to this team, leaving before hoisting the trophy is an early exit.