Ladies and gentlemen, gather round, as the Iowa Hawkeyes fly in to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Something's got to give as these two top seeds collide.
When glancing at the Hawkeye lineup, it's hard not to get lost in Caitlin Clark's stellar performance over the last month: averaging 29.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game. Also, keep an eye on Kate Martin, who's been packing a punch with 14 points and 8.4 rebounds per game lately.
Switching sides, the Gamecocks haven’t been idle. They've got their own heavy hitter in Kamilla Soares Cardoso, who's been contributing 15.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game over the past month, not to mention MiLaysia Fulwiley with her decent 12.6 points per game.
In the history books, the Hawkeyes have bragging rights, outscoring the Gamecocks 77-73 in their most recent clash. But history's just that – history. This is now and the Gamecocks have been showing some feathers recently, even pulling off a strong 78-59 win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
Looking back at the Hawkeye's recent results, they've had a bit of a nail-biter, narrowly defeating Connecticut Huskies 71-69. However, their last few victories have had a bigger spread, such as their comfy win over Colorado Buffaloes 89-68.
So, where does that leave us? Get your popcorn, folks, because this one is going to be close. Given South Carolina's recent surge, odds lean in favor of the Gamecocks. However, by taking into account both team's recent result and player stats, one can believe that the Hawkeyes still have a fighting chance to steal the win from the beaks of the favored.
Albert’s Prediction: Iowa Hawkeyes by 3