Iowa’s 71-69 win against UConn in Friday’s NCAA Final Four game drew 14.2 million viewers, the most in women’s college basketball history, according to ESPN.
The matchup produced the highest audience for a basketball game — college or professional — and the second-best non-football telecast ever on the network.
Friday’s figure is higher than every World Series and NBA Finals game last year. ESPN said the game peaked at 17 million viewers.
Iowa vs. UConn bested a viewership record set just days prior when the Hawkeyes defeated LSU in the Elite Eight on Monday with 12.3 million viewers.
Caitlin Clark, the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, once again had a big game to lead the Hawkeyes over the Huskies. She dropped 21 points — under her typical 31.7 points per game average — but was complemented by sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke’s game-high 23 points.
South Carolina’s dominant 78-59 win against NC State in the previous Final Four game peaked at 9 million viewers. ESPN said the 2024 Final Four’s 10.8 million average viewership is up 138% year-over-year.
South Carolina has not lost a game this season.
“South Carolina has been the top of the top,” Clark said after Friday’s win. “They’re in a different league. We’re going to do everything we can to try to be right there with them.”
The Hawkeyes and Gamecocks will meet for the national championship Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
