Iowa
Caitlin Clark and Iowa’s magic run out in championship loss to LSU
DALLAS — The final go of Caitlin Clark’s magnificent 2023 NCAA Event run got here with simply over 20 seconds to play within the fourth quarter. It didn’t add to Clark’s 60, typically breathtaking, assists this March Insanity. It was to Molly Davis in the suitable nook. She dished the ball to fellow senior Gabbie Marshall, who missed the final of her 5 3-point makes an attempt.
Marshall’s errant shot landed within the arms of LSU’s LaDazhia Williams. A number of breaths later, Clark walked stoically previous Tigers star Angel Reese, who shook her hand in entrance of her face and pointed at her ring finger. Clark made her technique to the handshake line as crimson and blue confetti rained down from the American Airways Middle ceiling. The scoreboard learn 102-85 in favor of the Tigers for his or her first title in class historical past. Iowa’s virtuosic guard had lengthy dreamed of creating a Remaining 4. She visualized successful a championship. A coronation must wait, not less than one other yr. At 4:53 p.m. native time, Clark and her teammates headed to a dropping locker room.
Towards LSU, Clark tried mustering the identical artistry that had propelled the Hawkeyes to a Massive Ten event title, to a Remaining 4 berth, and previous beforehand undefeated South Carolina in a record-setting immediate basic on Friday night time. Clark was affected person on Iowa’s first possession, discovering her favourite pick-and-roll accomplice Monika Czinano for a layup. Three journeys later, she tried her first shot — a 3-pointer on the left wing. She made it. Iowa led 7-3. LSU coach Kim Mulkey referred to as timeout and tried to calm her workforce and quiet a pro-Hawkeyes crowd.
Clark showcased her wizardry towards Louisville, recording the primary 40-point triple-double in males’s or girls’s event historical past, and once more towards South Carolina, with one other 41-point outing. On Sunday, as compared, she regarded extra mortal than magical. Sure, she nonetheless completed with a game-high 30 factors, capturing a greater share (41) than she did two nights earlier. However the Tigers’ fixed ball strain shrunk Clark’s variety of open appears. Foul hassle restricted her aggressiveness. “I believed they referred to as it very, very tight,” Clark mentioned of the officers.
The junior guard was whistled for her first foul three-and-a-half minutes into the primary quarter. She picked up her second with 6 minutes 26 seconds to go within the second quarter and her third foul precisely three minutes later. She retreated to the bench in frustration. From there, she urged on her teammates for the remainder of the half. Clark, although, for now, is a greater coach on the ground than a coach on the sideline.
GO DEEPER
LSU’s Jasmine Carson discovered her sizzling hand on the excellent time to win a event title
Clark, who swept each main nationwide participant of the yr award, was not alone in spending an elevated period of time off the ground. Czinano and fellow senior McKenna Warnock each picked up two first-half fouls for the Hawkeyes and performed a mixed 25 minutes earlier than intermission. LSU, too, handled foul hassle — its stars Reese (who received the Remaining 4’s Most Excellent Participant award) and Alexis Morris had two apiece — however sizzling capturing from the Tigers’ bench helped them rating 59 first-half factors and take a 17-point lead into the break.
On prime of her prolific playmaking, Clark’s psychological toughness and relentlessness typically separate her from the competitors. Her EYBL coach had mentioned Clark’s “mindset of greatness … is by far the very best I’ve seen of anyone.” Nonetheless, appears of annoyance mounted. Iowa affiliate head coach Jan Jensen mentioned afterward that the Hawkeyes let the foul hassle “get to us a bit of bit.” Gamers ought to alter to a stricter whistle, Jensen mentioned, however “only a few folks can lose a Caitlin or lose a Monika and never skip a beat.” Iowa definitely couldn’t towards LSU.
Heading into the title sport, Mulkey, who received her fourth championship, mentioned she didn’t know if she’d ever seen a participant that would “do what Caitlin does.” The LSU coach acknowledged she anticipated Clark to “get her factors.” Within the third quarter, Clark scored 9 on three made 3-pointers. It was one other whistle, with 1:04 to go within the interval, that proved way more consequential than any single basket.
With Iowa trailing by 9, Czinano picked up her fourth foul. In its fast aftermath, Clark was referred to as for a technical. She mentioned she didn’t say something to the officers. Referee Lisa Jones mentioned afterward that Clark had “failed to right away go the ball to the closest official after the whistle was blown.” Mentioned Iowa coach Lisa Bluder: “It simply will get out of hand at that time.”
Clark was compelled to be much more cautious than she had been. The Tigers outscored Iowa by eight factors from that second ahead.
When Czinano fouled out with 6:05 to play, she walked to the bench with a resigned expression. Earlier than gameplay resumed, Clark went over to her and the 2 associates exchanged a hug. It was transient, although — Clark mentioned she didn’t wish to begin crying. But it was essential to Clark to understand her frontcourt complement. “I like her a lot, and I’m so happy with all the pieces that’s she capable of do,” Clark mentioned. At one level exterior of the locker room, they shared an extended embrace. Clark wiped off tears with a towel as Czinano, one of many nation’s best offensive gamers, wrapped her arms round her teammate.
Emotions of gratitude have been extra prevalent than emotions of frustration — particularly a couple of title-game file 37 fouls — in Iowa’s locker room afterward. Marshall stood in entrance of a large tarp that learn “Seattle 4 Regional Champions” and answered questions on how a lot the workforce’s departing gamers (Czinano and Warnock) meant to her. Senior ahead Kate Martin spoke of the excessive factors of her workforce’s Remaining 4 run. Clark, whose transcendent play introduced file eyeballs to the game, mentioned one other impact she had: “I would like my legacy to be the influence that I can have on younger children and the folks within the state of Iowa. I hope I introduced them a number of pleasure this season.”
It’s larger than basketball. It all the time has been. 💛@CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes
— Iowa Girls’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) April 3, 2023
Regardless of Sunday’s loss, she unquestionably did. The Hawkeyes set a program file for many wins in class historical past (31). They returned to a Remaining 4 for the primary time since 1993. Bluder picked up her 850th profession victory as Clark re-wrote each the varsity and NCAA file books by all of it. “This workforce has brightened the lives of so many individuals of all ages,” Bluder mentioned.
Main as much as the Candy 16, Bluder expressed warning about what number of Hawkeyes followers would journey to Seattle, however crowds there have been decisively of their favor. Iowa supporters then traveled to Dallas in droves, desirous to see faculty basketball’s greatest present in motion. These in attendance lingered after the ultimate buzzer on the season had sounded, staying not less than lengthy sufficient to see their Hawkeyes say goodbye.
Minutes into the LSU’s jubilant celebration, whereas Mulkey fought again tears of her personal and Tigers gamers lifted one another in delight, Clark and her teammates gathered in entrance of their opponent’s bench for one final on-court huddle. Bluder instructed her gamers how proud she was of them and to point out their gratitude for many who had cheered them on. They broke a workforce huddle a closing time. Clark, then, turned to face her Iowa devoted and gave a thumbs up.
“I’m simply going to take pleasure in what we did,” she mentioned. A college’s profile, and spirits, had been lifted. A sport’s reputation had grown. “I really feel just like the sky’s the restrict for myself and this program,” she mentioned.
Extra magic — each particular person performs and moments — certainly awaits.
(Photograph of Caitlin Clark: Maddie Meyer / Getty Photographs)
Iowa
How To Watch Pop Tarts Bowl: Iowa State vs. Miami, Bowl Game TV Schedule
The Miami Hurricanes are back in action for the final time this season as they look to prove that they were one of the best teams in the league this season as they face the Iowa State Cyclones in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando.
What is better for the Canes is that most of their starting player from this previous season will be participating instead of opting out.
That means the No. 1 offense in the country will be on full display with Heisman finalist and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Winner Cam Ward taking the field with All-American Xavier Restrepo and the rest of the electric offense for the Hurricanes.
This will be the final game of a great, yet disappointing season for the Hurricanes but the morale is high as year three of the Mario Cristobal Era comes to a close.
Who: Miami vs. Iowa State
When: 3:30 p.m. on ABC
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Series: First contest between the two teams.
Last time out, Miami: Miami came up short of reaching the ACC Championship Game after failing to stop the electric offense of the Syracuse Orange and losing 42-38 in the final game of the regular season.
Last time out, Iowa State: The Cyclones got blown out in the Big 12 Championship game against winners Arizona State 45-19 as they struggled to find offense all game long.
Mon., Dec. 23
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA
11 a.m. on ESPN
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State
2:30 p.m. on ESPN
Tues., Dec. 24
Hawai’i Bowl
South Florida vs. San Jose State
8 p.m. on ESPN
Thurs., Dec. 26
GameAbove Sports Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Toledo
2 p.m. on ESPN
Rate Bowl
Rutgers vs. Kansas State
5:30 p.m. on ESPN
68 Ventures Bowl
Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green
9 p.m. on ESPN
Fri., Dec. 27
Armed Forces Bowl
Navy vs. Oklahoma
12 p.m. on ESPN
Birmingham Bowl
Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech
3:30 p.m. on ESPN
Liberty Bowl
Arkansas vs. Texas Tech
7 p.m. on ESPN
Holiday Bowl
Syracuse vs. Washington State
8 p.m. on Fox
Las Vegas Bowl
Texas A&M vs. USC
10:30 p.m. on ESPN
Sat., Dec. 28
Fenway Bowl
North Carolina vs. UConn
11 a.m. on ESPN
Pinstripe Bowl
Nebraska vs. Boston College
12 p.m. on ABC
New Mexico Bowl
TCU vs. Louisiana
2:15 p.m. on ESPN
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Miami vs. Iowa State
3:30 p.m. on ABC
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Colorado State vs. Miami (OH)
4:30 p.m. on CW Network
Military Bowl
NC State vs. East Carolina
5:45 p.m. on ESPN
Alamo Bowl
Colorado vs. BYU
7:30 p.m. on ABC
Independence Bowl
Army vs. Louisiana Tech
9:15 p.m. on ESPN
Mon., Dec. 30
Music City Bowl
Missouri vs. Iowa
2:30 p.m. on ESPN
Tues., Dec. 31
ReliaQuest Bowl
Alabama vs. Michigan
12 p.m. on ESPN
Sun Bowl
Louisville vs. Washington
2 p.m. on CBS
Citrus Bowl
South Carolina vs. Illinois
3 p.m. on ABC
Texas Bowl
LSU vs. Baylor
3:30 p.m. on ESPN
Thurs., Jan. 2
Gator Bowl
Ole Miss vs. Duke
7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Fri., Jan. 3
First Responder Bowl
North Texas vs. Texas State
4 p.m. on ESPN
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech
7:30 p.m. on ESPN
–
Sat., Jan. 4
Bahamas Bowl
Buffalo vs. Liberty
11 a.m. on ESPN2
READ MORE FROM MIAMI HURRICANES ON SI:
2025 Miami Hurricanes Football Offseason Tracker: Coming and Going
Everything Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal Said After Pop-Tart Bowl Announcement
Welcome to the ACC Bill Belichick, Mario Cristobal Time is Ticking: Just a Minute
Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.
Iowa
Iowa Republicans set up a shell game to mask the costs of tax cuts | Opinion
It is not “taxpayer relief” to use previously paid taxes to pay help pay for budget shortfalls caused by a “tax cut.”
This month, the state Revenue Estimating Conference reported new estimates showing Iowa revenue will drop by $602 million (6.2%) compared with fiscal year 2024. Further, state revenue is expected to drop by a further $428 million (4.7%) in fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025. Republicans attribute the fall in estimated revenue to the start of their 3.8% flat income tax rate next year. Republicans have promoted reducing the state income tax — which Sen. Jack Whitver derisively calls a “confiscation” — down to zero.
But Republicans have amassed a $2 billion budget surplus, $961 million in its reserve accounts, and $3.75 billion in the Taxpayer Relief Fund, which was supposed to be used to reduce taxes. All told, about $6.75 billion. One good question is: Why?
Republicans enacted a long-term commitment to reduced revenues due to the flax tax at an extremely volatile time during and after the COVID-19 epidemic. The federal government’s $5.2 trillion infusion into states and their economies was the largest fiscal stimulus package ever. One-time federal financial supports reduced state costs and artificially bolstered revenues. Recently, Pew Charitable Trusts observed: “The combination of temporary funds propping up budgets and the adoption of new recurring expenditures or tax cuts has left many states in a precarious position. Policymakers now must grapple with the possibility that their states’ finances are structurally imbalanced and vulnerable to deficits as one-time funds dry up but new commitments remain.”
Not wanting to “waste a good crisis,” as they say, Republicans rushed to enact a flat tax during an extremely uncertain economic time when the level of likely future tax revenues was cloudy at best.
As the COVID economic booster begins to fade, several states have experienced significant decreases in tax revenue as compared to their 15-year trend. Iowa was among states experiencing a negative difference in the fourth quarter of 2023 — mind you, before the flat income tax kicked in. Iowa experienced a 6% decrease in revenue from its historical trend, the fourth-highest difference among states that went negative, according to Pew.
Researchers explained: “State tax collections have been on a downward trajectory since their mid-2022 peak, reflecting, in large part, a decline from the unexpected highs of the pandemic revenue wave. … One question is whether states will be able to afford the budgetary commitments they made in the past three years — such as tax relief and pay raises for public employees — over the long term.”
Yet, Iowa Republicans want to enshrine their COVID-fueled tax cut into the Iowa Constitution. Last session, Republicans passed a constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the state Legislature to pass a bill that would increase the individual or corporate income tax rate. They are expected to pass the legislation a second time this session, which would likely put it on the ballot for voters in November 2026. What a way to saddle future Iowans with a hasty tax cut enacted during a most abnormal period of artificially high revenue and reduced state expenses.
It is a sure thing Republicans will hoard Iowa’s surpluses and use it to cover predicted revenue gaps before the November 2026 vote on the constitutional amendment to mask from the voting public the true and lasting impacts of their opportunistic push for a flat tax.
In fact, Republicans and Gov. Kim Reynolds passed Senate File 2442 this year, which, among other things, changed the law regarding how the Taxpayer Relief Fund could be used. Tucked away in the second-to-last division of a 35-page bill is a section that provides that, if the actual net revenue is less than budgeted expenses “there is transferred from the taxpayer relief fund to the general fund of the state an amount equal to fifty percent of the difference or the remaining balance of the taxpayer relief fund, whichever is lower.” That is a preemptive coverup of the probable result of the Republican flat tax as conceded by Republicans, themselves.
Iowa Republicans are not using the Taxpayer Relief Fund as it was originally intended. It is not “taxpayer relief” to use previously paid taxes to pay help pay for budget shortfalls caused by a “tax cut.” Most would call that a shell game. It is like giving yourself a “raise” by moving a dollar from one pocket to another. Why not just give those “confiscated” funds back to Iowans directly via refunds? Ah, but that would spoil the game, wouldn’t it?
Unmet needs and underfunded state accounts exist now. That will get worse.
Governor Reynolds states Republicans have a “commitment to shrinking the size and scope of government.” However, should not elected officials be committed first to ensuring that our government is the “right size,” before deciding it should be shrunk? That is, the right size to fully accomplish basic functions that individuals cannot meet themselves —no matter how much of their own money they have in their pockets — such as prevention and mitigation of natural disasters, ensuring safe bridges and roads, making sure promised pensions are not underfunded, cleaning up Iowa’s fouled waters, and helping public schools at least meet their costs of operation.
Tom Walton is an Iowa lawyer.
Iowa
Iowa 95, Utah 88: A Balanced Comeback
Iowa 95, Utah 88: A Balanced Comeback
Nine months ago, Utah ended Iowa’s 2023-24 season in the second round of the NIT. Saturday night, Iowa faced off with Utah again at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and came away with a very solid 95-88 win over the Utes. The Hawkeyes used a dominant second half and a balanced scoring effort from the starting lineup to earn the victory.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
1. The Big Finish
Finishing strong hasn’t always been a strength for this particular Iowa team. The Hawkeyes couldn’t make enough shots (or get enough stops) in their neutral-site loss to Utah State last month and ran out of steam after playing very well against Iowa State for 35 minutes a few weeks ago.
Saturday, Iowa trailed 40-36 at halftime and was down 11 early in the second half after conceding a 9-2 run to the Utes out of the break. The Hawkeyes caught fire after that, rattling off 25 points in the next seven minutes of game action to tie the score at 63-all.
Down the stretch, it was the Hawkeyes who were making shots and getting stops. Iowa outscored Utah 20-13 after the game was tied at 75 with 6:59 to play. Iowa scored 59 points in the second half (to 48 from Utah), led by 16 points from Payton Sandfort, who shot 5-of-8 from the floor and was perfect at the free throw line (6-of-6).
Notably, Iowa scored 59 points in the second half despite shooting just 4-of-6 from 3-point range. After attempting 14 three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes (and making five of them), Iowa adjusted on offense in the second half, attacking the rim more and getting higher-percentage shots — and more trips to the free throw line, where the Hawkeyes went 17-of-24 after the break.
“We were moving the ball and driving the ball [in the second half],” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said after the win. “We settled too much in the first half. Payton said it [and] he was right, we hit a couple early and started settling.”
“[Then] they don’t have to play defense, they don’t get tired, they come down and they carve you up, they run good stuff. So we kept the ball moving the ball side to side, driving the ball, intelligent screening, back-cuts, that was the difference in the game.”
The sellout crowd at the Pentagon had a noticeable (and unsurprising) Hawkeye flavor, which helped fuel Iowa’s second half comeback. That, as well as the veteran core of this Iowa roster that’s had plenty of experience in these situations — both good and bad — at this point.
“Veteran guys,” said McCaffery on how Iowa was able to turn the game around in the second half. “We’ve got good players, we’ve got good ball-handlers, guys who’ve been through it, [the] crowd was great. I think [it was] a combination of all those things.”
2. Drew Thelwell’s Spark
One player who provided a notable spark in Iowa’s comeback effort was senior guard Drew Thelwell, making his third consecutive start. Thelwell didn’t make a basket in the second half — didn’t even attempt one, in fact — but he scored seven points on 7-of-8 shooting at the free throw line.
Thelwell drew five fouls (more than anyone else on the Iowa roster in the second half), although a few of those came late when the Utes were attempting to extend the game. Still, Thelwell’s ability to attack the defense and the energy he brought were key factors in Iowa’s comeback win.
“[His energy] is infectious,” McCaffery said after the game. “Everyone else goes with him, Brock [Harding]’s kind of that way as well. The energy in the building was phenomenal. Drew was right in the middle of that. His defense, drawing six fouls, those are stats that are critical to a team’s ability to win. You do that by driving the ball and drawing fouls and that’s what he did.”
McCaffery also expanded on what he was looking for when he was pursuing Thelwell out of the transfer portal earlier this year and what he’s brought to this Iowa team. “I was looking for a veteran point guard, who could run a team, who could play off the ball and score, guard his man,” he explained.
“I noticed immediately that this kid could play defense, and wants to play defense and wants to play at both ends, that he understands how to engineer a victory,” McCaffery said. “Drew Thelwell is a winner, that’s what I was looking for and that’s what we got.”
The man that Thelwell displaced in the starting lineup — Ladji Dembele — also had some key plays to spark Iowa’s comeback bid. After scoring zero points and grabbing just one rebound in the first half, Dembele had five points, three rebounds, and a steal after intermission. His two baskets came during Iowa’s surge after falling behind by 11 and helped cut a 7-point deficit to just two.
More importantly, he helped keep Iowa afloat in the second half, with Owen Freeman bolted to the bench with foul trouble (Freeman picked up three fouls in the second half and played under five minutes total after halftime). Dembele played 14:10 in the second half and he finished with a +13 plus-minus rating in those minutes, the highest of any Iowa player in the second half.
McCaffery praised the effort from Dembele and fellow sub Pryce Sandfort. “They’re just rock solid, both of them. All they care about is winning. Pryce, defensively, was tremendous. Ladji, boy was he great. [He] had his two big hoops. But then defensively, on the glass, [he had a] big time offensive rebound late, [a] couple in-traffic rebounds, just his awareness defensively was great.”
3. Balance Carries The Day
Recent years have seen multiple standout individual players that served as the focal points for their respective Iowa teams — Luka Garza, followed by Keegan Murray, and then Kris Murray. Those players were superstars at the college level, racking up All-Big Ten honors, winning Big Ten Player of the Year awards, and vying (or winning, in Garza’s case) for national honors as well.
There isn’t a player quite like that on this Iowa roster — but at its best, this is a team that has a lot of depth and scoring balance, with multiple players that can score and pass and put pressure on a defense. Saturday night saw them at something pretty close to their best, especially in the furious second half comeback effort.
All five Iowa starters finished in double figures in scoring, led by Payton Sandfort with 24 points and a game-high 8 rebounds. Freeman finished second on the team with 16 points, despite missing 75% of the second half with foul trouble. “Owen was really on his way to a big-time game, I felt bad when he got in foul trouble like that,” McCaffery said after the game. Freeman finished with 16 points and 6 rebounds.
Josh Dix and Drew Thelwell each added 15 points, with 10 of Dix’s points coming in the second half. Dix did his damage inside the arc in this game, going 7-of-9 on two-point shots and attempting just one three.
Finally, Brock Harding finished with 12 points, all in the second half. After going 0-for-5 in the first half, Harding went 4-of-8 in the second half, including 2-of-2 from deep. His first three gave Iowa its first lead of the second half at 68-67 and his second triple pushed Iowa’s lead to 88-80 with three minutes to play.
When Iowa is moving the ball well, setting screens, and attacking the rim like the offense was in the second half, this becomes a very difficult team to defend because there’s no one player that defenses can key on and try to slow down. Maintaining that focus and that aggressive mindset on the offensive end was key to Iowa’s win on Saturday — maintaining those same things over the next two-and-a-half months will be key to Iowa’s success in the Big Ten.
NEXT: Iowa finishes off non-conference play with a home game against New Hampshire on December 30 (6 PM CT, BTN).
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