The Iowa ladies’s basketball crew’s 2022-23 season was one of the thrilling sporting experiences Hawkeye followers have been handled to in a very long time. Whereas Lisa Bluder’s squad has been enjoying high-level basketball for many years, their journey to the Ultimate 4, upset of a seemingly unbeatable South Carolina crew, and nationwide championship look captivated the sporting world and jumpstarted nationwide curiosity within the ladies’s sport. Whereas Iowa followers would sometimes spend their days in April pouring over soccer apply studies and debating how the outgoing males’s gamers may fare within the upcoming NBA draft, many Hawkeyes discover themselves questioning (probably for the primary time) whether or not they can stand to attend till subsequent November to look at the ladies’s crew step on the basketball court docket once more.

The Hawkeye ladies have earned America’s consideration; the one query now could be what the crew does with it subsequent. Iowa’s magical run got here to a deflating finish of their seventeen-point loss to LSU within the title sport, however there’s actual cause for optimism heading into subsequent season. Nationwide participant of the 12 months Caitlin Clark might be again to strike concern into the guts of defenses throughout the nation, seniors Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall are making the most of their COVID years to return for his or her fifth seasons with this system, and promising younger expertise like Hannah Stuelke can have had one other 12 months to develop underneath Iowa’s veteran teaching employees. The Hawkeyes fell simply in need of a nationwide title, however their unbelievable efficiency over the past month of the season should have left the crew with perception of their potential to succeed in the summit subsequent season. But the Hawkeyes will face stiff competitors each nationally (LSU, Connecticut, Utah, South Carolina) and inside their very own convention (Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland) of their quest to change into champions. What wouldn’t it take for the Hawkeye ladies to lift not simply one other Massive Ten banner subsequent season, however a nationwide championship one as nicely?

1. A wholesome Caitlin Clark

“All issues are potential when Caitlin Clark has the basketball.”

Any case for Iowa having an opportunity to win an NCAA title begins and ends with Caitlin Clark, arguably probably the most unstoppable offensive drive to ever play ladies’s faculty basketball. Clark shattered information all season lengthy, together with breaking Glen Rice’s scoring file for probably the most factors in a single NCAA Match no matter gender (191). Her emblem threes are iconic, her passes defy physics, and her potential to make huge performs within the clutch is the stuff legends are product of. She is a one-woman wrecking crew who can elevate each the ground and the ceiling of her crew by a number of tales. She is Pete Maravich at LSU if Pistol was enjoying profitable basketball. At 21 years outdated, she is already one of many biggest athletes to ever hail from the state of Iowa. She is the perfect participant within the nation, and it might not be significantly shut. Given her unbelievable aggressive drive, it additionally wouldn’t be stunning if Iowa’s loss to LSU propels Clark to return as an much more harmful participant subsequent season, if such a factor is even potential.

For Iowa, crucial issue that may decide their championship potential subsequent season is Clark’s potential to remain wholesome and preserve her vitality degree excessive heading into March Insanity. Caitlin was already the main target of each protection she confronted this 12 months, however her late-season heroics will make opposing coaches and gamers much more decided to sluggish her down in 2023-24. Clark can anticipate to see extra bodily defenses, more durable fouls, and as many double groups as an opponent can throw at one participant. This degree of defensive consideration, mixed together with her excessive offensive utilization fee, might threaten to put on her down over the course of the season and depart Clark working at lower than full effectivity come match time. Accordingly, Iowa might want to discover methods to attain factors and win video games that don’t require their star participant to drop 40 each single evening.

2. Figuring out a dependable secondary scorer

The lack of Monika Czinano to commencement is among the most necessary storylines to observe heading into subsequent season. Czinano was an ultra-reliable scorer by means of whom the Hawkeyes might run their offense when Clark wanted a break, and her low-post scoring effectivity (Monika shot an unbelievable 67% from the sector over her profession) prevented defenses from overloading the perimeter to promote out in opposition to Clark. Her unbelievable chemistry with Clark solely served to make every participant all of the extra harmful.

Nonetheless, it’s not clear that Iowa has a secondary scorer who can exchange Czinano on their roster. Martin and Marshall are each invaluable position gamers and lethal shooters, however neither can create their very own shot in opposition to top-tier defenses the way in which Czinano might on the block. Molly Davis averaged 17.8 factors per sport over three seasons at Central Michigan earlier than transferring to Iowa and is able to scoring greater than she confirmed final season (3.8 factors per sport), however her 5’7” body leaves her severely undersized in opposition to larger guards. Hannah Stuelke confirmed actual promise as a first-year participant (particularly together with her potential to run the ground), nevertheless it’s unclear whether or not she will be able to attain Czinano’s degree of offensive manufacturing as a sophomore. Kylie Feuerbach and Sydney Affolter have flashed scoring potential, however in restricted roles. Taylor McCabe was a prime 100 recruit within the class of 2022 who can gentle it up from deep, however she averaged solely 7 minutes per sport over 18 contests and shot underneath 20% from two final season and can possible be a rotation participant subsequent season. Incoming recruit Ava Jones may need had a shot to play a co-starring position if not for a tragic accident that almost took her life and left her basketball profession in critical jeopardy.

In actuality, Iowa’s finest hope at discovering a secondary scorer is probably going within the switch portal. Iowa’s fan help, nationwide profile, and star level guard ought to make them a horny vacation spot, however that might additionally require a scholarship participant selecting to maneuver on from the crew throughout the offseason, as the ladies are at present out of obtainable scholarships for 2023-24. If Iowa can not discover a secondary scorer within the switch portal, it might must depend on a “by-committee” strategy subsequent 12 months.

3. Discovering a low-post enforcer (or two…or three)

Czinano’s departure is not going to solely deprive Iowa of a dependable offensive weapon, however its finest publish participant as nicely. Czinano was a strong rebounder who set wonderful screens and was greater than prepared to wrestle opponents within the paint. But Iowa’s relative lack of measurement within the publish put them at a drawback in opposition to among the sport’s bluebloods. Over two Ultimate 4 video games, the Hawkeyes misplaced the offensive rebounding battle 35-9, and each South Carolina and LSU have been capable of frustrate Iowa gamers with their size and physicality within the inside.

Until Iowa can get some further measurement within the portal, Stuelke and rising junior Addison O’Grady ought to have the primary crack on the job. O’Grady took a little bit of a step again throughout her sophomore season, but additionally made some vital performs over the course of the NCAA Match. She and Stuelke ought to profit from having one other 12 months underneath the tutelage of low-post guru Jan Jensen. Rising juniors AJ Ediger, Sharon Goodman, and Shateah Wetering also needs to compete for minutes within the publish, and ahead Jada Gyamfi might be within the combine; she redshirted final season after averaging solely 3.4 minutes over eight video games, however was the 76^th-ranked recruit within the 2022 class, and positively has the pedigree to develop right into a formidable publish participant.

4. Bettering on protection

Iowa’s defensive statistics are skewed due to their tempo of play, however there’s no strategy to sugarcoat them having the 331^st-ranked protection out of 361 groups. Iowa’s publish gamers struggled to cowl opponents who might assault them off the dribble, and the barrage of three-pointers the Hawkeyes surrendered to LSU is not going to be forgotten anytime quickly. Iowa additionally allowed opponents to make two-point baskets at a fee of 45.7%, which ranks 212^th within the nation. Iowa doesn’t must lock down opponents each sport to make one other match run, particularly given how nicely the crew scores. However the Hawkeyes misplaced each sport final 12 months through which their opponents scored 85+ factors in regulation and gained each sport through which their opponents scored underneath 83. Bettering even a couple of factors per sport on the defensive finish might be the distinction between profitable or dropping a handful of necessary contests subsequent 12 months. Given Iowa’s defensive struggles, incoming recruit Kennise Johnson Etienne, who has a fame as a lockdown defensive participant on the perimeter, might play an necessary position on subsequent season’s crew.

5. Studying find out how to deal with being the hunted as an alternative of the hunter?

Iowa’s place within the nationwide highlight is a double-edged sword; Caitlin Clark and her teammates have earned the adoration of individuals throughout the nation, however they can even have a goal on their again in a method they by no means have in program historical past. The Hawkeyes will get their opponent’s finest shot in each sport subsequent season, and the crew could face rising nationwide skepticism if it ever performs beneath the expectations set by their unbelievable Ultimate 4 run. The state of Iowa will depart and die on each one among Caitlin Clarks jumpers, which is an immense burden to shoulder for a complete season. For Iowa to win a nationwide championship subsequent season, it might want to be taught to handle sky-high expectations and keep the bond and crew tradition that propelled them on final season’s run regardless of enjoying underneath a microscope. Happily for Hawkeye followers, Clark, Bluder, and the remainder of this system seem to have the main target and disposition to climate no matter turbulence comes their method. Whether or not or not Iowa manages to hoist a nationwide championship banner subsequent 12 months, the sensible cash would say to not guess on the Hawkeyes coming aside underneath strain.