Fair or not, everyone’s lasting memory of Iowa’s season last year was the upset loss to 10 seed Creighton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The victory at home against Michigan to secure a share of the Big Ten regular season title was incredible. Iowa’s run to win the Big Ten Tournament was awesome. And yet people judge a team most for their performance in the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa has had more incredible moments this year. Beating undefeated #2 Ohio State in Columbus. Beating #2 Indiana at home on a buzzer-beater from Caitlin Clark. Blowing out Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament final as part of another title-winning run.

With a victory over Georgia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Iowa would have the opportunity to make more and better memories and return to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the past four NCAA Tournaments. But with a loss, another NCAA Tournament upset would define an otherwise stellar season.

The game started fast on both ends in front of a large -- and loud -- crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa missed its first couple shots, but then got into the game with a pair of three-pointers from Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin and a couple good looks inside. Defensively, Iowa played a triangle-and-two defense to start, which did a good job at forcing Georgia into a lot of jump shots. The Bulldogs made most of those jump shots, though. Iowa still led 12-8 at the under-5 timeout.

Georgia forced some turnovers out of the timeout and went on a 7-0 run to take a 15-12 lead. Clark answered with a three-pointer to fire up the crowd again. Iowa got the better of play for the rest of the quarter, and briefly led by four before a late Georgia steal and score made it 19-17 Iowa heading to the second quarter.

The Hawks started the second quarter on fire from three-point range. Gabbie Marshall and McKenna Warnock each made two threes as part of a stretch of four consecutive threes for Iowa, and Georgia called a timeout with 7:28 left in the quarter and Iowa leading 31-21.

Georgia responded with a 5-0 run of its own out of the timeout, before Marshall hit another 3-pointer to give Iowa a 34-26 lead at the under-5 timeout. After the timeout, Iowa struggled to take care of the ball (three turnovers) or make shots (0/3) and Georgia went on a 9-0 run, capped off by a Bulldogs three with just over three minutes to go in the quarter that gave them a 35-34 lead.

Iowa finally made baskets to briefly take a 4-point lead. But Georgia answered again with a shot in the paint at the buzzer to cut Iowa’s halftime lead to just one point, 41-40.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first five minutes of the third quarter, but Iowa was able to hold onto a narrow 49-46 lead. The Hawkeyes were still shooting well from three-point range, but continued to struggle with turnovers. Of note, Clark picked up two quick fouls in the quarter and had three fouls with 15 minutes still to play in the game.

Georgia responded again out of a timeout and soon retook the lead in the game, 52-51. Toward the end of the quarter, Iowa was finally able to get stops on defense and hit three straight shots to retake the lead. Carver got loud again as the Hawks briefly took a 58-52 lead on a McKenna Warnock jumper. Georgia made a pair of free throws to end the quarter, but Iowa led 58-54 heading to the fourth quarter.

Both offenses were sluggish to start the fourth quarter. Georgia was able to get stops or force turnovers, but couldn’t make jump shots on the other end and was never able to tie the game. Finally Iowa’s offense got into a rhythm again, and put together a 6-0 run thanks to a pair of Clark free throws, a Warnock layup, and a Monika Czinano layup. Georgia called timeout with 6:49 to play and Iowa leading 64-56.

As they did all game, the Bulldogs responded well out of the timeout. They buried a three on their next possession to cut Iowa's lead to five points. Both teams then traded baskets and Iowa held a narrow 66-61 lead with 3:50 to play.

Georgia hit another shot out of a timeout to cut Iowa's lead to three points (66-63). Iowa responded with two Czinano free throws. Iowa then got a steal on a Czinano tipped ball, but she was whistled for a foul at the other end. Georgia hit another three-pointer to make the score 68-66 with 2:19 to play.

Iowa worked the ball into Czinano on the next possession, but her shot rimmed out. Georgia had a chance to tie or retake the lead, but the Bulldogs turned it over instead. Iowa had two good looks on offense on the next possession, but neither went down.

On the other end, Georgia dribbled into trouble and passed the ball directly to Clark. Clark then ran off block, before driving into the paint and hitting a tough runner off the backboard to put Iowa up 70-66 with 43.6 to play.

After another Georgia timeout, Iowa made a big defensive stop, with Kate Martin tipping an entry pass and the ball landing in the hands of Czinano.

The game still wasn’t over, as Clark threw a bad pass that was intercepted by Georgia’s Diamond Battles. Battles dribbled the length of the floor, but Iowa was able to get back well on defense and contest her layup attempt. Iowa rebounded the missed layup and dribbled out more clock before getting fouled with 13 seconds left. Iowa was not yet in the bonus, though, so the Hawkeyes weren't able to head to the free throw line yet.

Iowa inbounded the ball again and was able to dribble another 10 seconds off the clock before Marshall was hit in the face on a foul in the corner. The Bulldogs were whistled for an intentional foul after video review, and finally it was chips and salsa time. Clark sank both free throws, and with Iowa retaining possession with its 6-point lead, the game was essentially over.

That didn’t stop a frustrated Georgia team from trying to take some more flesh with it. Clark received the inbounds pass and was shoved down as she was fouled. Georgia was whistled for another intentional foul, this time without a review. Clark went back to the line and sank both free throws again before Iowa ran the last couple seconds out to finish off a 74-66 victory.

Caitlin Clark led Iowa with 22 points, though she shot just 6/17 from the floor and 4/10 from 3-point range. Her passing brilliance was on display again, though, as she racked up 12 assists. At one point in the second half, Clark had scored or assisted on 25 consecutive Iowa points. Clark also led Iowa with three steals.

Monika Czinano didn't have her most efficient shooting performance (9/16) with Georgia's physical interior defense, but she finished with 20 points, along with 9 rebounds.

Gabbie Marshall finished with 15 points on 5/9 shooting (5/8 from distance). Her 3-point shooting in the first half -- when she had 12 points on 4/4 shooting from deep -- was a critical part of Iowa's offense.

McKenna Warnock was the final Iowa player in double figures in scoring, with 14 points on 5/11 shooting, along with 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

Kate Martin had only 3 points on 1/4 shooting, but she had 5 assists made several key plays throughout the game, including the tipped pass that Czinano hauled in for a steal late in the game).

Also of note -- Iowa relied very heavily on the starting five in this game. All five starters played 37+ minutes (Clark played all 40 minutes), with Clark, Warnock, and Martin playing every minute in the second half.

Iowa had a very depleted bench for this game, with Hannah Stuelke reportedly turning her ankle in practice yesterday and Molly Davis appearing to suffer a leg injury on a scramble for the ball early in the game. Davis returned to the bench after a brief examination in the locker room, but only re-entered the game for the final four seconds. Her status for the Sweet 16 game in Seattle has not yet been disclosed.

A full box score is available here.

Sunday's win means that Iowa is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2021 and for the third time in Iowa's last four NCAA Tournament appearances. The Hawkeyes will play the winner of tomorrow's Duke-Colorado game in the Sweet 16 in the Seattle 4 Regional. Date, start time, and TV info for that game are not yet available.