Jeff Linder

NCAA women’s basketball tournament notes: Monika Czinano is perfect from the field, perfect from the line in Iowa’s first-round win over Illinois State. Now she just needs the ball more.

Iowa did what a 2-seed should, routing Illinois State in the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, 98-58.

NCAA women’s basketball notes: Iowa allowed 70.8 points per game this season — about 10 points per game better than last year — and was at its best in the Big Ten tournament.

Eighth-ranked Iowa is “champing at the bit” for a potentially lengthy run in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

First-round NCAA women’s basketball tournament games at Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena are sold out; about 2,000 tickets remain for Sunday’s second round.

Associated Press unanimously tabbed Iowa’s Caitlin Clark as a first-team All-American. Iowa State’s Ashley Joens is a second-teamer; Iowa’s Monika Czinano earned honorable mention.

Illinois State rode a weekend full of defense to earn the MVC tournament title and an automatic NCAA bid. The Redbirds face No. 8-ranked Iowa at 3 p.m. Friday.

The Iowa-Iowa State hype can wait; there are storylines aplenty for the Iowa City subregion in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

Iowa earned a No. 2 seed and drew Illinois State in the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament

Iowa appears destined for a 3 seed for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, but matchups are more important than numbers, according to ESPN’s Charlie Creme.

John Steppe and Jeff Linder discuss Iowa's run to the Big Ten women's basketball tournament title and the Hawkeyes' NCAA Tournament outlook on this episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast.

The first draft of The Gazette’s 2022-23 Iowa high school girls basketball preseason rankings.

Cedar Rapids Washington’s Hannah Stuelke is named Miss Iowa Basketball 2022 and headlines a list of eight area first-team IPSWA all-state players.

Girls state basketball: Will Xavier Coach Tom Lilly step aside and leave on top? No way. “I’m coming back,” he said.

The Gazette’s girls’ basketball Super Ten rankings: Cedar Rapids Xavier begins, ends 2021-22 at No. 1.