The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks Friday night time within the Remaining 4 to earn a berth within the nationwide championship recreation in opposition to LSU.
They did so by usually sagging off South Carolina’s shooters, daring them to make jumpers in a recreation the Gamecocks shot simply 4 for 20 from past the 3-point line.
Caitlin Clark (22) of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles in opposition to Raven Johnson (25) of the South Carolina Gamecocks throughout the third quarter of the 2023 NCAA Event Remaining 4 at American Airways Heart March 31, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Photos)
Caitlin Clark, who led Iowa with 41 factors, went viral for waving at South Carolina guard Raven Johnson within the first half as Johnson stood broad open above the arc.
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The technique seems to have bothered a number of LSU gamers.
“I watched the sport, and I am watching them guard South Carolina. I do not suppose they’ll guard us that method,” LSU guard Alexis Morris stated Saturday, in accordance with ESPN. “I do not suppose you’ll be able to simply depart me open on the perimeter or depart us open on the perimeter.
“Me, personally, I discover it very disrespectful. So, I’ll take that personally going into that recreation. You are going to have to protect us. That is simply the competitor in me, and the need to win.”
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In opposition to a larger South Carolina group, Iowa made the choice to pack the paint and reside with the Gamecocks’ taking pictures from the skin.
South Carolina shot 31.5% from three throughout the 2022-23 the season.
The South Carolina Gamecocks bench reacts within the closing seconds of the fourth quarter in opposition to the Iowa Hawkeyes throughout the 2023 NCAA Event Remaining 4 at American Airways Heart March 31, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Photos)
“We’re not going to protect LSU the identical method we guarded South Carolina,” Clark stated. “Clearly, with South Carolina, you have to decide your poison. In the event that they had been going to beat us, we had been going to let or not it’s by the 3-point line. It’s a must to decide and select your battles. We will not guard all the things.
“That is the sport of basketball. You will have a scout. You understand participant personnel. What are you going to surrender? That is what we had been going to surrender. We had all of the respect on the planet for South Carolina, and particularly their publish play.”
Alexis Morris of LSU reacts throughout the fourth quarter in opposition to the Virginia Tech Hokies throughout the 2023 NCAA Event Remaining 4 at American Airways Heart March 31, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Photos)
Whereas LSU shot simply 23.1% from three in its win over Virginia Tech within the Remaining 4, the Tigers shot 35.9% from byond the arc as a group this season.
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“That was very disrespectful, and [South Carolina] did not benefit from that,” LSU guard Kateri Poolev stated, per ESPN. “In the event that they do it to us, we will take benefit.”
LSU and Iowa sq. off within the nationwide championship recreation Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
