How the women's 2024 NCAA championship game matchup was set - ESPN

CLEVELAND — In Friday night's epic showdown between Iowa and UConn, featuring tremendous performances from both sides, an illegal screen call decided the game.

With three seconds to go, officials whistled UConn's Aaliyah Edwards for a screening foul as she tried to pry teammate Paige Bueckers open for a game-winning shot. Instead, Iowa took possession holding a one-point lead and salted away a 71-69 victory.

The Hawkeyes and star point guard Caitlin Clark, who finished with 21 points, will face undefeated South Carolina for the national championship. The Gamecocks took care of NC State 78-59 earlier Friday to move to 37-0.

ESPN's Katie Barnes, Charlie Creme and Jake Trotter break down how each women's Final Four game was won and look ahead to Sunday's championship matchup (3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App).

Caitlin Clark and Iowa hang on to beat UConn and advance to face South Carolina in the NCAA women's final.

What was key in Iowa's win?

Perseverance. UConn had a tremendous game plan and made Clark's life miserable for 40 minutes. But Iowa kept finding ways to score outside its usual method. The Hawkeyes didn't panic, didn't get flustered. Clark said all season that she trusts her teammates and that is what she did tonight, specifically Hannah Stuelke. Facing double-teams, aggressive face-guarding and strategic help side defense by the Huskies, Clark looked for Stuelke and the sophomore delivered with the best game of her career, sans her 47-point effort earlier this season against Penn State. Her 23 points came with an efficient 9-of-12 shooting. Nika Mühl harassed Clark into matching her lowest point total of the season and Iowa still found a way. — Creme

What surprised you the most about this game?

How Mühl was able to