Marshall’s block, Affolter’s three-point play put Iowa in front for good, igniting the Hawkeyes to a 64-54 win over West Virginia
Iowa’s Sydney Affolter (3) converts the go-ahead layup with 2:03 remaining in the Hawkeyes’ 64-54 win over West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament Monday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — Call it a season-saving sequence.
Iowa had squandered a 10-point lead, and West Virginia’s J.J. Quinerly was lining up a 3-point shot from the right wing for the lead.
Instead, Gabbie Marshall made the defensive play of the game. Maybe the defensive play of the year.
“I had to do something for my team,” she said.
Marshall blocked Quinerly’s shot, and Sydney Affolter converted a three-point play moments later.
That six-point swing ignited the second-ranked Hawkeyes to a 12-2 run in the final 2:03, and ultimately a 64-54 NCAA second-round win Monday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
“Gabbie made an amazing defensive play,” Affolter said. “Then I saw a lane and I took it.”
Defense ➡️ Offense @GabbieMarshall x @sydneyaffolter1#Hawkeyes
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/vEEwW8UlLW
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 26, 2024
It was Marshall’s third block of the season, the 13th of her career. And it was reminiscent of a key swat she had in overtime against Nebraska in the Big Ten tournament final.
“To have that moment, it was amazing,” Marshall said.
One of five Hawkeyes making her final Carver appearance, Marshall didn’t score a point Monday. But her block — and Affolter’s conversion — was as big of a play as any that Iowa (31-4) mustered all night.
“Gabbie didn’t score, but she never stops working her butt off on defense,” said Kate Martin, another senior.
“That play motivated us. You see that play, and you see that kind of passion in Gabbie, and it’s infectious. Then Syd, she had an opportunity and made a play at the rim.”
Iowa could have been down 55-52 had Quinerly nailed that 3-pointer with 2:12 left. Instead, Marshall made the swat, Affolter made the play on the other end of the court, and the Hawkeyes were up 55-52 at the 2:03 mark.
The remainder of the game was a free-throw fiesta. Iowa made 14 of 15 in the final 4:46, and the back end of Affolter’s three-point play started a 10-of-11 spree from the line in the final 2:03.
That included a late 3-of-4 from Hannah Stuelke, who had missed a pair earlier in the fourth quarter.
Stuelke was a 46-percent free-throw shooter as a freshman. This year, she’s up to 62 percent.
“Going into these big games, I’m going to need to knock down free throws, and I think this is a stepping stone to that for sure,” Stuelke said.
There’s at least one more big game to play, and perhaps as many as four.
Iowa will face No. 17 Colorado (24-9) in a Sweet 16 contest at 2:30 (CT) Saturday at MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y.
No. 6 UCLA (27-6) meets No. 8 LSU (30-5) in the other regional semifinal, at noon.
The regional final is 6 p.m. Monday.
News
Meg Sabotaged R.Stewart’s Yacht In Sardinia After He Refused To Let Her Join: GO TO HELL, OLD MAN!
**Rod Stewart Prioritizes Family Over Royal Invitation for Sardinian Yacht Cruise** In a surprising turn of events, Rod Stewart, the legendary British rocker, declined an invitation from Prince Harry to join his family on a luxurious yacht cruise in Sardinia….
Insane Haz Rushed To SLAP Christie Brinkley As She Kick Him Out Of 2024 Polo Hamptons Match: B!TCH!
**Christie Brinkley Confronts Prince Harry at 2024 Polo Hamptons Match: ‘You’re Not Welcome!’** At the 2024 Polo Hamptons match, Christie Brinkley took decisive action, demanding Prince Harry’s removal due to his uninvited presence. The unexpected incident turned the usually glamorous…
Rare Footage Captured! Usher Humiliated Meg AT 24 BET Award As She Seduce Him! Am NOT Ur Victims
**Rare Footage Captured! Usher Humiliates Meghan Markle at 2024 BET Awards as She Attempts to Seduce Him** Rare footage from the 2024 BET Awards has surfaced, capturing a controversial interaction between Meghan Markle and Usher. The incident, marked by Meghan’s…
Can I Call You a Dad? | Emotional Adoptions
Can I Call You a Dad? | Emotional Adoptions Imagine the pure, unadulterated joy of welcoming a child into your home – a child who will look to you as their guiding light, their protector, and their source of unconditional…
Mom Has To Stop Herself From Laughing As She Films Toddlers On A Mission
Toddlers on a Mission: A Mom’s Hysterical Adventure! Oh my goodness, you guys, you have to see this! I was rolling on the floor laughing the other day as I watched my little ones embark on the most hilarious mission…
Dec Donnelly POKES FUN at Ant McPartlin’s new fatherhood status as the PAIR LAUNCH the first Britain’s Got Talent semi-final
Declan Donnelly poked fun at Ant McPartlin’s new fatherhood status as the pair launched the first Britain’s Got Talent semi-final on Monday night. Ant, 48, and his wife Anne-Marie, 46, welcomed son Wilder – Ant’s first child – on May 14, and he announced the happy…
End of content
No more pages to load