Best College Basketball Prop Bets for Iowa vs. South Carolina in National Championship
By Peter Dewey
A national champion will be crowned on Sunday afternoon when the Iowa Hawkeyes take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in a rematch of last season’s Final Four where Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes stunned South Carolina to advance to the championship game.
Clark and Iowa came up short in that contest, but the team has a chance to avenge that loss on Sunday.
BetSided’s Iain MacMillan previewed this matchup here, but I’m going to take a look at the prop market for two plays that bettors should consider in this meeting.
With the Gamecocks aiming to finish an undefeated season against the best player in women’s college basketball, here’s a player prop for each side in this matchup:
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Iowa vs. South Carolina Prop Bets
- Ashlyn Watkins OVER 9.5 Rebounds
- Caitlin Clark UNDER 32.5 Points
Ashlyn Watkins OVER 9.5 Rebounds
Ashlyn Watkins is averaging 7.4 rebounds per game for the Gamecocks this season, but she’s been massive on the boards in the last two tournament matchups, grabbing 14 and 20 boards in those games.
Watkins doesn't start, but she played 29 minutes to starter Chloe Kitts’ 12 in the Final Four, and Dawn Staley has played here 23 or more minutes in three of South Carolina’s five tournament games.
A versatile defender, Watkins should see a lot of time against an Iowa team that can really spread the floor around Clark. With Kamilla Cardoso injuring her ankle against NC State, don’t be shocked if Watkins leads the Gamecocks in rebounding in the title game.
Caitlin Clark UNDER 32.5 Points
This may seem like a crazy bet, but Clark (31.7 points per game on the season) has failed to clear 32.5 points in four of her five games in this NCAA Tournament.
UConn did a good job slowing Clark down – forcing the ball out of her hands – and one has to think that Staley has learned from last season’s Final Four loss to play Clark differently.
Usually, Clark is in the mid-20s in shot attempts., but that has gone down in the tournament. She’s taken 22 or fewer shots in four of five games, including just 18 against UConn.
Clark is lethal to go off at any time, but I think we’re underestimating how good this South Carolina team is on defense. I’ll take the UNDER here, as Clark could still have a great game without scoring 33 points.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.