The Holy Cross Crusaders take on the Iowa Hawkeyes and Caitlin Clark. Check out our Women's March Madness odds series for our Holy Cross Iowa prediction and pick. Find how to watch Holy Cross Iowa.
The Caitlin Clark show comes back to Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City for one more weekend. The weekend does not figure to end with an Iowa loss. The Hawkeyes are a No. 1 seed in the Women's NCAA Tournament, playing the 16th-seeded Holy Cross Crusaders, a play-in winner over UT-Martin on Thursday night. It's a final weekend for Clark to bask in the glow of appreciation and gratitude for her legendary and iconic career as a Hawkeye. Assuming Iowa wins here, the Hawkeyes' Monday night second-round NCAA Tournament game would be Clark's last home game ever. It's a very emotional and poignant time for Clark and Iowa as they begin their journey to what they hope will be a second straight national championship game. Iowa went the distance last year and played LSU in the title game, but Clark and the Hawkeyes fell just short. Iowa will try to replicate the first five games of the 2023 NCAA Tournament and then change the sixth game's outcome to a win. There is a distinct possibility that Iowa-LSU — the 2023 title game matchup — could be an Elite Eight game next weekend. LSU is the No. 3 seed in Iowa's region, making that matchup possible in the bracket.
Iowa is currently the distant second choice behind unbeaten and No. 1 South Carolina to win the NCAA Tournament. Iowa did, however, beat South Carolina in last year's Final Four national semifinal round. If Iowa and South Carolina do meet this season, it will be in the championship game. The two teams are on opposite halves of the bracket.
Here are the Holy Cross-Iowa Women's March Madness odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Women's March Madness Odds: Holy Cross-Iowa Odds
Holy Cross Crusaders: +38.5 (-114)
Iowa Hawkeyes: -38.5 (-114)
Over: 154.5 (-106)
Under: 154.5 (-125)
How To Watch Holy Cross vs Iowa
Time: 3:00 pm ET / 12:00 pm PT
TV: ABC
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Holy Cross Could Cover the Spread
Which team will cover the spread is not really a question of which team is superior, or how the tactics will shape the game. With a spread this large, the thing you really need to ask yourself is which team would more likely play well in the fourth quarter. Iowa figures to have a very, very big lead in the third quarter of this game. The fourth quarter is likely to be played by backups. When you think about this game a little more, you will realize that Iowa will want to give Caitlin Clark some rest so that she is fresh for the Monday night second-round game which will likely follow this game on Saturday. If Clark rests for all or most of the fourth quarter, that could limit Iowa's offensive production and give Holy Cross the ability to keep the spread under 35 points. Holy Cross hit a lot of shots and looked good against UT-Martin. Naturally, UT-Martin is not Iowa, but the point remains that the Crusaders had really good rhythm. If merely a portion of that rhythm carries into this game, Holy Cross can cover the spread.
Why Iowa Could Cover the Spread
This game is Caitlin Clark's game. She will come out firing. Holy Cross will have no way to stop her. If Holy Cross double-teams her, she will find open teammates. Iowa will score a ton in this game, possibly over 100. Iowa will just keep scoring, and even if Clark sits in the fourth quarter, backup players will be excited to play one more home game in Iowa City. Iowa's energy and focus will not wane even with backups on the floor.
Final Holy Cross-Iowa Prediction & Pick
The Hawkeye backups will play a solid fourth quarter and won't step off the gas pedal. Take Iowa.
Final Holy Cross-Iowa Prediction & Pick: Iowa -38.5
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