Paige Bueckers, No. 1 UConn Top Caitlin Clark, No. 5 Iowa to Reach Elite Eight

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Many tuned in to Saturday’s women’s Sweet 16 to get their first glimpse of what should be a longtime rivalry between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.

Most walked away as Christyn Williams fans.

Williams dropped 27 points to take the starring spotlight away from the fantastic freshmen, leading Connecticut to a 92-72 victory over Iowa. 

The Huskies made their 15th straight Elite Eight and are one win from their 13th consecutive Final Four. UConn will match up with the winner of Baylor-Michigan, which is set for 3 p.m. ET Saturday.

Bueckers finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a stellar all-around performance. The National Player of the Year favorite did most of her damage in the second half, coming alive as a scorer after Williams picked up the slack in the first half to give UConn a 14-point advantage going into the break.

In fact, the Huskies’ all-around brilliance may have been the biggest story. Evina Westbrook finished one rebound short of a triple-double with 17 points and 10 assists. Aaliyah Edwards added 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting.

The Huskies defense also did a great job of keeping Clark in check. The guard finished with 21 points and five assists but shot 7-of-21 from the field and turned the ball over five times.

McKenna Warnock added 20 points for the Hawkeyes.