ESPN REPORT: The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball is fired because of…

After Utah State’s first-round departure from the Mountain West tournament on Sunday night, women’s basketball coach Kayla Ard was fired. According to Ard, she was informed of the decision shortly before she arrived for her postgame media availability.

The athletic director of Utah State, Diana Sabau, released a statement saying, “We appreciate everything Kayla and her staff have contributed to Utah State.” “However, it is in the best interest of the program to make a change.”

Over the previous two seasons, Utah State won nine games in total. In 2023–24, the team finished 5–25 overall and 2–16 in the Mountain West.

Editor’s Selections

Women’s Bracketology: All eyes focused on the ultimate forecast 1dBefore Charlie Creme Ard’s postgame news conference following the Aggies’ 85-49 loss to Boise State in Las Vegas, Ard claimed that Sabau had informed her of her termination.

When a reporter questioned Ard about her plans for the upcoming season, she said, “I’m not going to be rebuilding. My last game as a Utah State coach was just now. They’re heading in a different direction, which I respect. I also hope they hire a really good coach. I spoke with Diana about this.

“I’m assuming that’s going to be the last question?” she asked in closing.

Throughout her four seasons, Ard led the Aggies to an overall record of 24-90, including a 10-62 record in league play.

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Which are the best pairs in the NCAA women’s March Madness bracket?
engage in play
Andraya Carter explains how “certified bucket” getters dominate Regional 3 of the women’s NCAA tournament. (0:40)

ESPN on March 18, 2024 at 10:20 a.m.
The 2023–24 women’s college basketball season has been characterized by star power, with Caitlin, JuJu, Paige, and Angel receiving a lot of attention.

But let’s honor the duos that have shaped the competition over the last five months and will leave their imprint on the women’s NCAA tournament.

For its ranking of the top 10 duos participating in the Big Dance, ESPN took into account a variety of combinations, including guard-post tandems, backcourt siblings, and post pairings. There are numerous ways in which teammates can contribute both individually and in tandem.

These players have shared the floor together for varying amounts of time — Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards are seniors at UConn, while Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow are in their first year playing together at LSU since Morrow transferred from DePaul.

How will the remainder of March unfold in terms of that synergy? On Friday, the first round begins. Prior to that, Michael Voepel, Alexa Philippou, and Charlie Creme analyze the top tandems in the NCAA tournament field.

UConn Huskies G Paige Bueckers and F Aaliyah Edwards

Editor’s Selections

Women’s bracket winners, losers and a difficult path for Iowa 23hMichael Voepel

South Carolina and the 67 teams trying to ruin the Gamecocks’ perfect season 23hAlexa Philippou

Women’s bracket predictor: Charlie Creme picks every line of the NCAA tournament
23hCharlie Creme
The Huskies’ onslaught of injuries has put even more pressure on their senior duo to show up each night. Bueckers and Edwards have done just that, guiding UConn to an undefeated run through the Big East. Bueckers has shined in her first season back from an ACL injury, showing remarkable efficiency (61.1 effective field goal percentage). Edwards, who broke her nose in the Big East tournament but is expected to play moving forward, is also having a career season despite having more on her shoulders than ever with a depleted frontcourt rotation.

Something to note: Both have experience with deep March runs, as they were part of UConn’s Final Four team in 2021 and national title game appearance in 2022. The Huskies are the 3-seed in Portland 3. — Philippou

Stats: Bueckers: 21.3 PPG, 3.7 APG; Edwards: 17.8 PPG, 9.3 RPG
When they play: Saturday vs. 14-seed Jackson State (1 p.m. ET, ABC)

G Caitlin Clark and F Hannah Stuelke, Iowa Hawkeyes

Perhaps it’s easy to say anyone paired with Clark would make a good duo, but that ignores just how important Stuelke is to the Hawkeyes. Clark’s assist numbers wouldn’t be what they are without the 6-foot-2 sophomore at the finishing end of so many of them. Stuelke scored 47 points against Penn State on a night when Clark had 15 assists. Iowa needed someone to replace Monika Czinano, and while Stuelke isn’t the same type of player, she filled the role of inside presence and finisher well. As good as Clark is, Iowa wouldn’t be a No. 1 seed — the top team in Albany 2 — without the play of Stuelke. — Creme

Stats: Clark 31.9 PPG, 8.9 APG; Stuelke 14.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG
When they play: Saturday vs. 16-seed Holy Cross-UT Martin winner (3 p.m. ET, ABC)

play 1:15
Why Albany 2 Region could be the toughest in the women’s NCAA tournamentAndraya Carter, Rebecca Lobo and Charlie Creme break down why Albany 2 Region will be so difficult.

C Audi Crooks and F Addy Brown, Iowa State Cyclones

There are many exceptional first-year players this season. But no rookie combo has had a bigger impact on a team than Crooks and Brown, who lead the Cyclones (a 7-seed in Portland 4) in scoring and rebounds. Crooks is an Iowa native, whereas Brown is from Kansas. They soon jelled for an Iowa State squad that needed a lot from them, propelling the Cyclones to a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 and the league tournament title game. — Voepel

Stats: Crooks: 18.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG; Brown: 13.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.9 APG
When they play: Friday vs. No. 10 Maryland (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

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Sorensen: ‘LSU has one of the toughest routes’ in the danceSEC Now’s Steffi Sorensen provides her views on the Tigers’ tough challenge ahead, including injury recoveries and challenging NCAA Tournament opponents.

F Angel Reese and G Aneesah Morrow, LSU Tigers

When the 6-1 Morrow decided to join the 6-3 Reese at LSU this offseason, the tongue-in-cheek response was, “How is any team going to get a rebound against those two?” But it was not a joke. Reese rated third in the country in double-doubles while Morrow was sixth. In total, they scored 43 points during the season, and LSU, the No. 3 seed in Albany 2, had the second-best rebounding margin in the nation, trailing only UCLA. Reese and Morrow were a formidable duo once they figured out their positions, albeit it took some time for them to do so given the talent Kim Mulkey had at her disposal. — Crème

Statistics: Morrow 16.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG; Reese 19.0 PPG, 13.1 RPG
When they play: Friday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN against 14-seeded Rice

F Maddy Westbeld and G Hannah Hidalgo are Fighting Irish from Notre Dame.

Women’s Competition Issue

Choose the winners of each game in the 2024 women’s NCAA tournament to complete your bracket. Take on the Women’s Tournament Challenge.

Hidalgo and Westbeld have been indispensable members of an Irish team decimated by injuries. Hidalgo is the best defender and top scorer for Notre Dame. The team’s best rebounder and most accurate 3-point shooter is Westbeld. Possibly even more significant, for a team that now only has six players, they have missed just one game together. While Westbeld’s ability to step it up late in the season has been crucial to Notre Dame’s eight-game winning run, Hidalgo has been the driving force behind the Irish (a No. 2 seed in Albany 1) in her first campaign. When the two combined to score all but one of the Irish’s second-half points in a victory over NC State in the ACC tournament championship game, it was impossible to find a clearer illustration of their significance. — Crème

Statistics: Hidalgo Westbeld 14.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG; 23.3 PPG, 4.6 SPG
When they play: 15-seed on Saturday ESPN, Kent State, 2:15 p.m. ET

G Celeste Taylor and G Jacy Sheldon of the Ohio State Buckeyes

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