Jeff Linder

Gabbie Marshall’s block and Sydney Affolter’s three-point play ignited Iowa in a late-game surge against West Virginia, and on to Albany for the Sweet 16.

Defense — and free throws — saved the day, and No. 2 Iowa fought past West Virginia, 64-54, in an NCAA women’s basketball second-round game before a sellout crowd of 14,324 Monday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

NCAA women’s basketball: Iowa’s 92.8-point scoring rate leads the nation; so does West Virginia’s plus-8.8 turnover differential. The Hawkeyes and the Mountaineers collide Monday with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.

The most decorated outgoing class in Iowa women’s basketball history will make its Carver swan song Monday night, when the second-ranked Hawkeyes face West Virginia in an NCAA second-round game. The sentimentality will subside sometime well before tipoff.

Time, TV and notes for Monday’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament second-round game game between No. 2 Iowa and West Virginia.

Hannah Stuelke didn’t play in the second half of Iowa’s 91-65 first-round NCAA women’s basketball tournament win over Holy Cross. The Hawkeyes’ second-leading scorer and an all-Big Ten second-teamer, Stuelke confirmed afterward that she was suffering from “probably” a migraine.

A stretch without Caitlin Clark, a 10-0 gem late in the first quarter, sprung Iowa out of a small early hole, and the second-ranked Hawkeyes subdued Holy Cross, 91-65, in the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament before a sellout crowd of 14,324 Saturday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

West Virginia Coach Mark Kellogg went viral — and roused Iowa fans — with his comment last Sunday after the NCAA women’s basketball tournament pairings were released.

Iowa guard Molly Davis is “attacking rehab” as the Hawkeyes prepare for their NCAA women’s basketball tournament opener against Holy Cross.

The wide-eyed, 16-seed Holy Cross Crusaders get their view at women’s basketball royalty when they tackle No. 2 Iowa in an NCAA tournament first-round game Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Time, TV and notes for Saturday’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament first-round game game between No. 2 Iowa and Holy Cross.

Iowa City West won four relay titles — 4x100, 4x200, distance medley and shuttle hurdle — on its way to a Class 4A fifth-place team finish at the state meet last year. Of the 62 points that West accumulated at state last year, 48 1/4 are back for 2024.

The Gazette’s 2024 boys’ track and field watch list of top area teams and individuals. Lisbon won the 1A title last year, Williamsburg shared the 2A crown and both will be strong again.

For the third time, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is an Associated Press first-team All-American selection in women’s basketball. She is a unanimous first-team selection (the only one) by the 35-person AP media panel.

Girls’ track and field: Led by Iowa State recruit Gracie Federspiel and the Stahle girls, Solon is well-stocked to contend for a third straight 3A state title.