Iowa moves on to Elite Eight with big second half against Colorado

SEATTLE — Iowa’s assigned practice time will come early Saturday.

The Hawkeyes can’t wait.

“I’m so excited to go to practice tomorrow,” Monika Czinano said.

They’ll be planning and preparing for something big.

Caitlin Clark spearheaded a telling 13-0 third-quarter run, propelling third-ranked Iowa to an 87-77 NCAA women’s basketball regional-semifinal win over No. 21 Colorado on Friday at Climate Pledge Arena.

Defending and rebounding were key. So were relaxing and breathing.

“We just took a deep breath and calmed down,” McKenna Warnock said.

Iowa (28-6) advances to the Elite Eight for the fifth time in program history, the first since 2019. The Hawkeyes will face Louisville (26-11) — a 72-62 winner over Mississippi — in a regional final at 8 p.m. (CT) Sunday.

The victor advances to the Final Four next week in Dallas.

But first comes practice, and the Hawkeyes are eager for it.

“I want to keep playing, sure, but I want to keep coming back to practice, too,” Clark said. “We don’t want it to end, we love each other so much.”

As always, Clark was a whiz. The junior All-American posted 31 points and eight assists. And she was at the forefront of the Hawkeyes’ game-breaking run.

Clark was quick to point out that it started at the defensive end.

“We had eight stops in a row. That’s was led us,” she said.

Colorado (25-9) recovered from an early 10-point deficit and took a 40-39 lead into intermission behind its “Great Dane,” Frida Formann. The Denmark native had 19 points at halftime.

The Buffaloes enjoyed their final lead, 42-41, on Formann’s basket — her final points of the game.

Iowa’s big run started with baskets by Kate Martin, Clark and Warnock, putting the Hawkeyes in front, 47-42, and forcing a Colorado timeout.

They weren’t done.

Clark located Czinano for a basket, but Czinano was whistled for her third foul moments later.

No matter.

Clark nailed a 3-pointer, then followed with a steal and layup. It was 54-42 with 5:02 left in the third quarter and CU Coach JR Payne used her second timeout in 2 minutes.

“I think if we go back and watch it, they were hitting us downhill in transition and had a lot of really just clean easy looks there,” Payne said.

The Hawkeyes led by as many as 15 points late in the third quarter, but Colorado had one final push, getting within 78-74 on Jaylyn Sherrod’s steal and score with 1:49 left.

But Czinano scored on a hook shot late in the shot clock to make it 80-74, then the Hawkeyes got a stop to regain control.

“I’m going to be honest. I didn’t know we were down to 3 on the shot clock,” Czinano said. “I know it went in, and I’m happy it did.”

Martin hit five straight foul shots, and that was checkmate. Martin finished with 16 points. Czinano added 15, Warnock 12.

The Hawkeyes prevailed despite allowing 21 offensive rebounds.

“We had to do better on the boards,” Czinano said. “Any time you give up that many, it’s going to be a problem. I knew we could do it; we just needed to lock down a little more.”

Iowa sidestepped early foul trouble for Clark (she picked up her second with 0:05 left in the first quarter) and Czinano (her fourth with 0:33 left in the third).

Addison O’Grady was the Hawkeyes’ most important reserve, logging 10 minutes and tallying four points and two rebounds.

“I’m proud of her,” Czinano said. “She played great.”

Formann, Aaronette Vonleh and Jaylyn Sherrod all fouled out for Colorado.

Vonleh scored 14 points. Quay Miller registered 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Iowa 87, Colorado 77

NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal, at Seattle

COLORADO (77): Aaronette Vonleh 7-13 0-00 14, Quay Miller 5-16 0-0 12, Jaylyn Sherrod 5-11 1-6 11, Tayanna Jones 1-5 2-2 5, Frida Formann 8-15 1-2 21, Tameiya Sadler 3-11 1-2 9, Kindyll Wetta 2-5 0-0 5, Brianna McLeod 0-0 0-0 0, Charlotte Whittaker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-76 5-12 77.

IOWA (87): McKenna Warnock 4-6 3-4 12, Monika Czinano 7-9 1-1 15, Kate Martin 3-8 8-11 16, Caitlin Clark 11-22 5-6 31, Gabbie Marshall 3-6 0-0 7, Hannah Stuelke 0-0 0-0 0, Sydney Affolter 0-0 0-0 0, Molly Davis 1-2 0-0 2, Addison O’Grady 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 30-55 19-24 87.

Colorado 22 18 13 24 — 77

Iowa 23 16 25 23 — 87

3-point goals: Colorado 10-31 (Miller 2-7, Sherrod 0-3, Jones 1-2, Formann 4-9, Sadler 2-8, Wetta 1-2), Iowa 8-19 (Warnock 1-3, Martin 2-3, Clark 4-9, Marshall 1-4). Team fouls: Colorado 24, Iowa 16. Fouled out: Vonleh, Sherrod, Formann. Rebounds: Colorado 40 (Miller 14), Iowa 32 (Czinano 7). Assists: Colorado 21 (Sherrod 9), Iowa 18 (Clark 8). Steals: Colorado 6 (Vonleh 2), Iowa 6 (Clark, Marshall 2). Turnovers: Colorado 11, Iowa 13.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com