After waiting for their name to be called on Selection Sunday, sixth-seeded Iowa women's basketball (22-10, 10-8 Big Ten) opens its quest for a third consecutive national championship game appearance with a tough first-round NCAA Tournament matchup against 11th-seeded Murray State (25-7, 16-4 Missouri Valley) from the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.
Murray State finished its conference season with a 16-4 record, claiming a share of the Missouri Valley crown. The Racers then proceeded to win the conference's postseason tournament with an 83-62 win over Belmont. The Racers score a national-best 87.8 points per game, led by senior forward Katelyn Young, who averages 22.2 points per game on 55.6% shooting.
Iowa has navigated the ups and downs of a campaign that included an early five-game losing streak in Big Ten play before the Hawkeyes responded with a 10-3 record to enter March Madness. While Iowa fell short of claiming its fourth-consecutive Big Ten Tournament crown, their stellar play, led by senior guard Lucy Olsen's 18.0 points per game on 44.1% shooting, impressed the selection committee enough to secure the No. 6 seed.
The winner of Saturday's matchup will face either No. 3 seed Oklahoma (25-7, 11-5 SEC) or 14th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast (30-3, 18-0 ASUN) in a round of 32 clash from Norman, Okla.
Here's how to watch the Iowa women's basketball vs. Murray State game today, including time, TV schedule, and streaming information:
What channel is the Iowa vs Murray State game on today? Time, TV schedule
TV Channel: ESPN
Start time: 11 a.m. CT
Iowa vs. Murray State will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Broadcaster Kevin Fitzgerald and color commentator Kim Adams will call the game from the booth at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.
Iowa fans can tune into the Hawkeye Radio Network to follow along with play-by-play voice Rob Brooks and color analyst Kathryn Reynolds.
Where to watch Iowa vs Murray State on livestream
Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new customers.
Iowa vs Murray State predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, March 22.
Odds: Iowa -9.5
Money line: Iowa -500 / Murray State +375
Over-under: 165.5
Iowa 86, Murray State 74: While Murray State's fast-paced offense keeps them in the game for much of the contest, the scoring abilities of Lucy Olsen, Hannah Stuelke, and Sydney Affolter will be too much for the Racers to overcome down the stretch, allowing the Hawkeyes to pull away with a double-digit victory.
Iowa 2024-25 schedule
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