vandy125 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 40 minutes ago, caulfield12 said: Well, Iowa's 3 turnovers down the stretch almost led to blowing a 9 point (a Gabby Marshall toe on the line way from a 10 point advantage) lead...I can't imagine how upset with the refs Iowa fans would have been if the situation was reversed and Clark wasn't able to get a last shot off. Marshall did a good job of "selling" the impact from Edwards, and you can argue that Bueckers was covered well on the sidelines anyway, but she always could have gotten fouled or even hit the shot with her ability. Bueckers had badly missed another three in the closing minutes before that play...IMO Edwards was having her way with Iowa in the paint for much of the second half, the play should have been to get it into her for a 2 pointer or a foul with only a 1 point deficit. Really felt a bit like the refs might have wanted Iowa in the title game against South Carolina. Gamecocks had already handily beaten UConn when they were in disarray earlier in the season. The point spread was 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 points (favoring Iowa), so that final missed free throw from Clark wiped out a TON of pro-Iowa bets, and that's obviously where the majority of action was on the betting markets. Hopefully the final on Sunday is at least a close game and not the blowouts like last year (thanks refs again!) and the S.Carolina/NC State blowout on Saturday night. Did you see how much she moved on that screen? The huge step to the side and the lean with the elbow? ESPN didn't want to show that view because they're based in Connecticut. Why would we follow ESPN's take as White Sox fans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn12 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 Oh, I'm SURE this will be a fairly called game Sunday night... ? Somehow, Iowa has only committed 63 fouls in 5 games. By way of comparison, their opponents have committed 90. 106 FTA for Iowa, vs 60 FTA for their opponents. Time to overcome more than just the 5 Hawkeyes on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 2 hours ago, Capn12 said: Oh, I'm SURE this will be a fairly called game Sunday night... ? Somehow, Iowa has only committed 63 fouls in 5 games. By way of comparison, their opponents have committed 90. 106 FTA for Iowa, vs 60 FTA for their opponents. Time to overcome more than just the 5 Hawkeyes on the floor. To be fair, Iowa doesn’t exactly try on defense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CentralChamps21 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 With the women gaining so much in TV viewership and ticket sales, I wonder if there will be any discussion about merging the two Final Fours into a single event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 10 minutes ago, CentralChamps21 said: With the women gaining so much in TV viewership and ticket sales, I wonder if there will be any discussion about merging the two Final Fours into a single event. The women's event being able to stand on it's own makes it more likely to remain separate because they can profit from both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chitownsportsfan Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 4 hours ago, vandy125 said: Did you see how much she moved on that screen? The huge step to the side and the lean with the elbow? ESPN didn't want to show that view because they're based in Connecticut. Why would we follow ESPN's take as White Sox fans? I thought Iowa got a favorable whistle all game (mostly just Clark getting away with push offs) but that also was an offensive follow. If you look at the wide angle shot she clearly is moving and the defender did a good job selling it. I'm not really a fan of SC or Clark I was hoping for Uconn. Clark does too much dumb s%*# imo. Great player, still does way too many heat checks and moronic passes. I do like the center for Iowa, she's one of the few women's players that has the coordination and strength to make tough shots inside while covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 1 hour ago, chitownsportsfan said: I thought Iowa got a favorable whistle all game (mostly just Clark getting away with push offs) but that also was an offensive follow. If you look at the wide angle shot she clearly is moving and the defender did a good job selling it. I'm not really a fan of SC or Clark I was hoping for Uconn. Clark does too much dumb s%*# imo. Great player, still does way too many heat checks and moronic passes. I do like the center for Iowa, she's one of the few women's players that has the coordination and strength to make tough shots inside while covered. Hannah Stuelke...she's a gifted track and field athlete and has beaten every single opponent down the floor in transition this year. Very smooth, but lacks the turnaround/fade away and 10-15 feet jump shooting skills still. She just attacks the basket and gets out in front on nearly every break. With Clark, there was another pretty clear push off against their PG who had four fools in the middle of the lane that wasn't called. That said...every single one of those UConn players was a Top 20-25 rated player nationally coming out of high school. Hannah was in the 40s. That's #2 on the roster. Kate Martin is their third most important player and won't even sniff the WNBA. Finally, Gabby Marshall is one of the best defenders in the conference and always takes the best opponents even at 5'9" to let Clark conserve her energy for offense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39882596/top-recruit-sarah-strong-commits-uconn And now UConn just signed the #1 player in the country for 2024-25. Meanwhile, Iowa has a Top Ten player nationally at Davenport North (the next year's class) who will likely end up chasing bigger money at South Carolina or LSU (see Proctor, Kadyn TWICE). But is what it is. Just like the football team...Iowa will typically rely on developing Top #40-120 players. Something like this current title chase in women's bb is unlikely to ever repeat again in my lifetime. Certainly never again in football or men's bb. So, at any rate, it was definitely a lot of fun while it lasted and a memory that won't soon be forgotten. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39889095/iowa-again-draws-record-ratings-final-four-win-uconn If UConn somehow loses this game, SC/Iowa is going to beat them in the ratings...which would be the first time that ever happened in history... Purdue/UConn will hold them off though, if that's the ultimate match-up. The Iowa-UConn matchup (14.2 million) is also one of the most-viewed games in any sport other than college football and the NFL over the past couple years. Last year's NCAA men's basketball title game between San Diego State and UConn averaged 14.79 million. The Hawkeyes game, which saw the audience peak at 17 million, will likely go down as one of the top 50 primetime telecasts of 2024. It would have finished 32nd on last year's list. It is also ESPN's second-highest audience for a non-football broadcast. The United States-Portugal match during group play in the 2014 men's soccer World Cup averaged 18.22 million. The last NBA game to draw at least 14 million viewers was Golden State's title-clinching victory over Boston in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals (14.22 million). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 (edited) https://www.yahoo.com/sports/march-madness-wraps-players-zakiyah-200315293.html Edited April 7 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 As expected, so far we’re not allowed to breathe in the general vicinity of Clark without it being a foul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 (edited) It's over...finally. Clark had to have another great game like last year and came up short. B/B- for her grade. Tired legs from Friday...forcing things, Iowa just missed way too many open shots in the third and were chasing all half to get back in it. Bad group of offensive possessions when they cut it down to 5-6 points. SC responded so well in the first quarter when Iowa exploded out of the gate and built an early 11 point lead. To sum up, too much depth, athleticism and overwhelming offensive rebounding to contend with, ultimately. Oh and 37-0 bench scoring doesn't help much, either. https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39838971/caitlin-clark-iowa-scoring-record-legacy-college-career-ends This is how much Clark means to Iowa. Without her, they're not even listed in the Top 25 AND even honorable mention for the 2024-25 season at ESPN. 5 USC 6 UCLA 21 Nebraska 22 Ohio State 25 Illinois Honorable mention: Michigan OUT: Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, MSU Edited April 8 by caulfield12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 Now that it is all over.... I do think we should all be thankful for the exposure to the WNCAA that Caitlin and the media brought in. Her run this season was great for folks to jump in and follow along with, and there is no doubt that she is a fantastic player. BUT, I wish she had done a little less whining all season, a little less 'heat check' ridiculous shots. I clearly had a reason to not be a fan in this game, but overall, it has been great. And Dawn Staley is a national treasure. To not only make a run to the title with a completely new starting 5, but to do it FLAWLESSLY is something that can't be understated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 (edited) 52-29 rebounding advantage. 18 offensive. UConn and SC for the national championship next year. Will also be interesting to watch LSU, USC and UCLA in Big Ten, Notre Dame and Texas to see how they all progress with their young leaders. For Iowa, five new freshman incoming and just getting to the round of 32 or even Sweet 16 would be a pretty significant achievement. Edited April 7 by caulfield12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 https://www.yahoo.com/sports/john-caliparis-stunning-move-to-arkansas-shows-how-desperately-he-wanted-out-of-kentucky-064621389.html Calipari out at UK...will sign contract with Arkansas for fIve years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 Caulfield likey basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 54 minutes ago, Milkman delivers said: Caulfield likey basketball. After the White Sox debacle over the last decade, will take any form of winning I can get to take some of the sting away. Love college basketball, but haven’t watched a full NBA game since the end of the Jordan-led Bulls. Waking up to watch the games from 1 am to 530 am before work days here in China…have been doing that 4 of the last 5 weekends, haha. Will never regret it one bit because these types of sports “miracles” happen just once or twice in a lifetime (if you’re not a fair weather fan.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 6 hours ago, caulfield12 said: https://www.yahoo.com/sports/john-caliparis-stunning-move-to-arkansas-shows-how-desperately-he-wanted-out-of-kentucky-064621389.html Calipari out at UK...will sign contract with Arkansas for fIve years. This is just wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 (edited) 11 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said: This is just wild. Not the greatest timing with the title game tonight but he was clearly a dead man walking like Tubby Smith near the end at Kentucky…when a decade earlier he could have run for governor and probably won. That relationship was fractured beyond repair…with only the $33 million buyout keeping the tattered marriage together. Oats Hurley Jay Wright three names being bandied about. Billy Donovan back to collegiate ranks. Hope they get Oberholzer away from Ames, haha. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/replace-john-calipari-kentucky-list-133808617.html This one has Scott Drew as one of the likeliest if they can get past the buyout… Edited April 8 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 (edited) https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39902902/ncaa-women-title-game-most-watched-hoops-game-2019 BRISTOL, Conn. -- South Carolina's victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Sunday's women's NCAA championship game had a preliminary audience average of 18.7 million on ABC and ESPN. The only sporting events in the United States to draw a bigger TV audience since 2019 have been football, the World Cup and the Olympics. The audience numbers are expected to increase when Nielsen releases its final numbers on Tuesday. Nielsen says the audience peaked at 24 million. It's the most-watched basketball game since 2019, when the men's NCAA title game between Virginia and Texas Tech averaged 19.6 million on CBS. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/women-sports-tv-rights-boom-144131791.html Edited April 9 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 (edited) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/college-basketball/article-13286115/Caitlin-Clark-presumed-WNBA-debut-Indiana-Fever-Connecticut-Sun.html Tickets for Caitlin Clark's presumed WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever against Connecticut Sun are already going for over $900 - with one being resold for as much as $9,418! https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/39922948/caitlin-clark-drives-spike-fever-wnba-ticket-interest Edited April 11 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/caitlin-clark-crashes-snl-shame-052209009.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 (edited) https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/caitlin-clark-sign-28-million-212155232.html $28 million, 8 year deal with Nike about to be signed...blows the Ice Cube 3 on 3 baller league $5 million offer out of the water. Joins Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Ellena Delle Donne as the only WNBA players (obviously, all four are white, in a majority African-American sports league) to get own signature/exclusive shoe deals. Per the Wall Street Journal, Clark was in high demand by sportswear giants. Under Armour and Adidas talked about a contract with the NCAA's all-time leading scorer — with Clark very involved in the discussions — but ultimately their offers fell short. Under Armour had reportedly offered Clark $16 million over four years, while Adidas proposed $6 million over four years. Puma was also briefly involved but dropped out after learning Clark was seeking at least $3 million per year in any deal. Nike's original offer to Clark was reportedly worth $3.5 million a year and did not include a signature shoe. It instead pitched Clark to become the female face of the Kobe Bryant line, which relaunched last summer. Eventually Nike added a signature shoe as part of an updated proposal. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/caitlin-clark-sign-28-million-212155232.html Edited April 24 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 https://www.yahoo.com/sports/caitlin-clark-builds-1999-u-110426921.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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