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Women's NCAA Tournament: Colorado-Iowa Sweet 16 draws record numbers

Nearly seven million watched the Buffaloes battle the Hawkeyes

Anthony Kazmierczak

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives to the basket as Colorado Buffaloes guard Kindyll
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives to the basket as Colorado Buffaloes guard Kindyll / Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA

A record 6.9 million people tuned into ABC Saturday afternoon to watch Caitlin Clark
and Iowa battle Colorado from Albany’s MVP Arena. Clark had 29 points and 15 assists
to lead the top-seeded Hawkeyes to an 89-68 win over the fifth-seeded Buffaloes. It was
the most-viewed NCAA Women’s Sweet 16 game on record, and second most-viewed
women’s game since 1995.

Colorado-Iowa averaged a 3.6 rating and was the second-most watched sporting event
on Saturday behind the men’s regional final between Clemson and Alabama, which did
a 3.8 and 7.79 million viewers. To put things into further perspective, the most watched
college football game on ABC last fall was Colorado-Oregon, which secured a 5.2 and
10.03 million viewers.


Per an ESPN press release, the 2024 NCAA Women’s Sweet 16 averaged 2.4 million
viewers, an increase of 96% year-over-year, making it the most watched Sweet 16 on
record. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Tournament has amassed a record 6.7 billion
minutes watched through the Sweet 16.


Monday’s rematch between LSU and Iowa drew 12.3 million viewers, making it the
most-watched women’s basketball game of all-time. The previous high of 11.83 million
was set during the 1983 national championship between USC and Louisiana Tech.

The tournament continues Friday evening on ESPN with the Final Four. Third-seeded
NC State, who handed Colorado their first defeat this season, face top-seeded South
Carolina at 7 p.m. ET, followed by third-seeded UCONN-Iowa at 9 p.m. ET.

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Anthony Kazmierczak
ANTHONY KAZMIERCZAK

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