UConn vs Iowa Predictions, Final Four Picks, and Odds for Friday's Matchup

History is being made during the women’s NCAA Tournament with record audiences tuning in to watch the Iowa Hawkeyes and superstar Caitlin Clark.

And it’s not just basketball fans glued to the Hawkeyes’ run to the Final Four in Cleveland, it’s sports bettors too. 

Sportsbook operators are reporting all-time highs in action on Iowa’s games and expect tonight's semifinal showdown with the UConn Huskies to be another record-breaking handle for Women's March Madness odds.

And why wouldn’t it? You have a battle between the two top players in women’s hoops with Clark trading buckets with Connecticut star Paige Bueckers.

I break down the spread and Over/Under total for this transcendent tilt and give my best Final Four picks for UConn vs. Iowa on April 5.

UConn vs Iowa best odds

UConn Huskies		Iowa Hawkeyes
+2.5 (-105)	Spread	-2.5 (-115)
+124	Moneyline	-148
Over 162.5 (-110)	Total	Under 162.5 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of April 4.

UConn vs Iowa picks and predictions

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers deserve the spotlight in this fantastic Final Four matchup, but there’s another top-tier talent on the court in Cleveland that will be the X-factor for the underdog Huskies.

Senior forward Aaliyah Edwards is a force inside and on the glass, averaging almost 18 points and 10 rebounds on the season. For the NCAA Tournament, the 6-foot-3 Canadian is scoring 16.8 points and grabbing 8.5 boards through UConn’s four games.

Edwards walked away with only six rebounds in the Elite Eight win over USC, battling a towering Trojans lineup. She has a size advantage against Iowa’s four-guard set that only runs as big as 6-foot-2 Hannah Stuelke in the starting five.

The Hawkeyes were pushed around on the boards in the win over LSU, losing the rebound war 54-36 including 23 offensive rebounds from the Tigers. Twenty of those total rebounds came from 6-foot-3 forward Angel Reese, who dominated Iowa’s interior for 10 offensive boards and easy putbacks.

Iowa also allowed Colorado to come down with 16 offensive boards in the Sweet 16 win over the Buffaloes and give up more than 11 offensive rebounds per game on the season.

Edwards isn’t as elite a rebounder as Reese but will exploit those same advantages and have an opportunity to rack up the rebounds in a game promising plenty of pace and shot attempts. 

This is a change in gears for UConn, which had an Over/Under of 135.5 points against Southern Cal (playing well over with an 80-73 win). Friday’s clash with the Hawkeyes has a total of 162.5 points, with both programs pushing tempo and jacking up plenty of shots.

Edwards’ rebounding prop sits at 9.5 O/U with some books juicing the Over, giving the nod to 10+ boards. And considering she’ll be a threat on the offensive glass and score her share of second-chance points, it gives a chance to get creative with the prop markets.

As of Thursday morning, books aren’t offering a double-double prop on Edwards, but you can create your own with bet365’s milestone markets, parlaying Edwards to scored 10+ points and recording 10+ rebounds at EVEN money odds.

On the season, Edwards has recorded a double-double in half of her 36 games overall (13th most) and has stuffed the stat sheet as the stakes got higher, posting a double-double in 11 of her last 17 games heading into Friday’s Final Four.

My best bet: Aaliyah Edwards SGP 10+ Points/10+ Rebounds (+100 at bet365)

UConn vs Iowa same-game parlay

Aaliyah Edwards 10+ points

Edwards 10+ rebounds

Under 162.5 

+240 at bet365

Edwards could pick up 10 points on offensive putbacks alone. Her solo scoring prop for Friday is 17.5 O/U and she’s posted 10 or more points in all but two of her 36 appearances.

Edwards has a size and strength advantage of Iowa’s frontcourt and given the projected pace and tall total, there will be a surplus of shot attempts which means more rebounds.

This is a bit of a contrarian play but a number of NCAAW insiders are calling for final scores short of this total. 

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

UConn vs Iowa spread and Over/Under analysis

• Following UConn’s thrilling win over Southern Cal, sportsbooks opened Iowa as a 2.5-point favorite for Friday’s Final Four clash in Cleveland. Books have drawn support for the Hawkeyes, puffing up the vig on -2.5 to -115 and some books jumping to Iowa -3.

• According to BetMGM sportsbooks, 85% of ticket count and 88% of money is taking Iowa to cover the spread. They’re also seeing one-sided action on the Hawkeyes’ moneyline of -150, with 64% of bets and 62% of handle. Connecticut is a +125 outright underdog.

• The Over/Under total opened as high as 163.5 points and has since been bet down to as low as 161.5 points, as of Thursday. This move comes despite BetMGM reporting a flood of interest on the Over, with 69% of bet count and 72% of handle hoping for a high-scoring finish.  

UConn vs Iowa betting trend to know

Aaliyah Edwards has recorded a double-double in 11 of her last 17 games heading into Friday’s Final Four matchup with Iowa.

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UConn vs Iowa game info

UConn vs Iowa key injuries

UConn: Azzi Fudd (Out), Caroline Ducharme (Out), Aubrey Griffin (Out).
Iowa: Molly Davis (Questionable).

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