Iowa beats LSU, UConn upends USC to advance to Final Four

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark reacts to the crowd before cutting a piece of the net after Iowa defeated LSU in the Elite Eight on Monday in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark reacts to the crowd before cutting a piece of the net after Iowa defeated LSU in the Elite Eight on Monday in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

The Women's Final Four field is set.

Caitlin Clark's sensational performance led Iowa past LSU in a thrilling Elite Eight matchup and UConn outlasted USC in the late game to secure the last spot in the Final Four field.

Iowa and UConn will now face off in the national semifinal on Friday, with South Carolina and NC State facing off in the other semifinal in Cleveland.

Elite Eight Monday results

No. 1 Iowa 94, No. 3 LSU 87

No. 3 UConn 80, No. 1 USC 73

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER68 updates
  • Women's Final Four Field set

    Here are the matchups

  • This is UConn's 23rd Final Four appearance under Geno Auriemma. WOW

  • The loss ends one of USC's best seasons in decades.

  • Final: UConn 80, USC 73

    No. 3 UConn outlasts No. 1 USC to advance to the Final Four, where it'll face Iowa. Paige Bueckers once again led the way for the Huskies, posting 28 points and 10 rebounds.

  • UConn has taken complete control. Now up 76-67 with 55 seconds to play. Huskies went on an 11-0 run to regain the advantage.

  • Paige Bueckers is starting to take over in crunch time for UConn. She knocked down back-to-back shots to put the Huskies up 70-64. She's got 26 points. 2:53 to play with a spot in the Final Four on the line

  • We've got a tie game in Portland! USC's McKenzie Forbes knocks down a 3 to knot it at 59-59 with 7:32 to play. Forbes has 21 points.

  • End of 3rd: UConn 55, USC 51

    Kayla Padilla hit her first bucket of the night right at the buzzer for USC. That cut UConn's lead — which hit 12 points briefly in the third — to just four points with 10 minutes to go.

    Looks like we're in for a good finish in Portland.

  • Aaliyah Edwards seems to be having trouble with her face mask. Had it off early in the third before putting it back on, and then just ripped it off briefly before hitting a pair of free throws.

    UConn leads 47-40 midway through the third.

  • UConn just came out of halftime on an 8-0 run with a huge Nika Mühl 3-pointer to grab a 41-33 lead early in the third.

  • Halftime: UConn 33, USC 33

    USC went on quick 6-0 burst to tie the game up at halftime. Paige Bueckers has 15 points, and JuJu Watkins has 13 at the break.

  • Paige Bueckers with a deep contested 3 for the Huskies. They're holding onto a slight lead late in the second quarter now

  • It's almost halftime in Portland, and Caitlin Clark is still signing autographs and meeting fans in Albany.

  • JuJu Watkins just scored her 899th point of the season, which set a new NCAA Division-I freshman record. She passed San Diego State's Tina Hutchinson, who set the mark in the 1983-84 campaign.

  • UConn has taken a 24-19 lead thanks to a 8-0 run capped by a Qadence Samuels 3

  • End of 1st: USC 17, UConn 15

    USC leads UConn 17-15 after the first quarter.

    Paige Bueckers has seven points for the Huskies, and McKenzie has eight for USC.

  • USC jumped up 15-6 in the first, but they've not scored since. Aaliyah Edwards just tied it back up for UConn on a huge reverse layup late in the quarter.

  • The 3-point lines at the Moda Center have been fixed. It's very clear on one end of the floor, where there's a huge gap between the line and the white paint on the court.

  • Now let's go west to the Moda Center in Portland, where UConn and USC will fight it out for the last Final Four spot

  • Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes beat LSU in a rematch from last year's title game. They're headed to the Final Four in Cleveland later this week.

  • Final: Iowa 94, LSU 87

    The Hawkeyes exorcised some demons and are through to the Final Four. They'll face the winner of the second game of the night between USC and UConn. Caitlin Clark finishes with 41 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds.

  • And that'll do it. Iowa beats LSU 94-87 to reach its second straight Final Four.

    Caitlin Clark finished with 41 points on nine 3-pointers, 12 assists and seven rebounds.

  • Flau'jae Johnson talks to Angel Reese before Reese hugs assistants and the crowd gives her an ovation after her fifth foul. Then Hannah Stuelke draws a fifth foul and hits the bench to the same cheers and chants of "Hannah" from the Iowa band.

  • Ted Lasso is enjoying himself in Albany

  • Angel Reese just fouled up on an offense foul at the rim. The LSU star ends her night with 17 points and 20 rebounds.

  • Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA tournament assists record tonight, too.

  • And there's a ninth 3-pointer from Caitlin Clark. That matched the record for most made in a single NCAA tournament game, and tied her career high. She's up to 37 points now, and the Hawkeyes lead 80-69 with 4:49 to go.

  • LSU opened the fourth quarter on a quick 5-0 burst to cut the deficit briefly, but Caitlin Clark just buried her eighth 3-pointer of the night to give the Hawkeyes a double digit lead again.

  • Iowa scores the last four points of the third, outscores LSU by 11 in the quarter to take a 69-58 lead into the fourth. Can LSU mount another run?

  • End of 3Q: Iowa 69, LSU 58

    It's good, you guys.

  • There's Angel Reese. Her first field goal of the half off a turnover cuts Iowa's lead to 65-54. Sparks a 6-0 LSU run to get within 65-58.

  • Iowa's lead is now 65-52, the largest of the game. LSU's still looking for an answer to the Caitlin Clark onslaught. Angel Reese hasn't scored a field goal since the first half. 2:45 left in the third quarter.

  • The biggest critique of Clark and all of this Iowa team is their defense. But it's been solid for them this tournament, and they're playing well on that side of the ball tonight. Gabbie Marshall is strong on the perimeter. Clark has had big moments. The bigs are faring OK against Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow, even with Hannah Stuelke in foul trouble. Stuelke has only played 13 minutes and it's nearly the fourth quarter.

  • Another one. Caitlin Clark has four 3-pointers in the third quarter. Iowa's up 61-52. She's taken over. 31 points, 7 of 14 from 3.

  • Clark's dealing. She just drained another from the parking lot. Iowa leads, 58-49.

  • Another deep Caitlin Clark 3 with Hailey Van Lith draped on her puts Iowa up, 55-49. After a nip-and-tuck first half, a two-possession lead feels big.

  • We're underway in the second half. Clark opens with a deep 3, just like the start of the first.

  • Flau'jae Johnson challenged four Iowa defenders to tie the game before the half.

  • Caitlin Clark leads all scorers with 19 points and five assists. She's done work inside and out while shooting 3 of 8 from three and knifing through the LSU defense to score at the rim.

    Angel Reese has been a force for LSU on both ends. She leads the Tigers with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. She's getting putback layups on offense while challenging Iowa shots in the paint on defense.

    Iowa's shooting 7 of 16 (43.8%) from 3 against LSU's 4-of-11 (36.4%) effort. LSU holds a 23-16 advantage on the boards.

  • End of 2Q: Iowa 45, LSU 45

    Again, it's as advertised folks.

    Caitlin Clark: 19 points, 5 assists

    Angel Reese: 12 points, 8 rebounds

  • Flau'jae Johnson continues to be so important for LSU. She spins through the defense to tie the game before half. Johnson has eight points (4 of 6) with two assists. It hasn't been so much how many points she puts on the board, but when she does it.

  • Twenty minutes in, and we're no closer to determining a winner. A sensational half of basketball from both teams has the game tied at 45-45 at halftime.

  • Wow, Caitlin Clark with some sensational ball work to cut through the LSU defense for a layup. Ties the game at 41-41.

  • What a battle. Angel Reese and LSU are controlling the paint on both sides of the court. Caitlin Clark and Iowa are keeping pace from the perimeter.

    Reese has 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Clark has 15 points and four assists while shooting 3 of 8 from 3. LSU leads, 38-37 with 3:02 left in the first half.

  • Angel Reese was on the bench being looked at by trainers. After she fouled Clark, she fell into the area near the ESPN camera under the basket. She didn't put weight on the leg limping off the court toward the bench and grabbed her foot when she sat down. After a few minutes, she's back into the game.

  • And she's fine. Reese scored a layup in traffic immediately after checking back in. LSU leads, 36-32.

  • Angel Reese is checking back in. Brief injury scare, but she's back on the court.

  • Angel Reese limped to the sideline stationary bike after appearing to tweak her ankle and receiving brief treatment on the sideline. She's now walking back and forth near the sideline.