Iowa women’s basketball sets another ratings record in Final Four win over UConn

By Jacob Lev, CNN

(CNN) — Days after the Iowa Hawkeyes set the all-time ratings record for a women’s college basketball game in their Elite Eight win over the Louisiana State University Tigers, the team set yet another record.

The Hawkeyes’ 71-69 victory on Friday over the UConn Huskies in the Final Four averaged 14.2 million viewers, making it the most-viewed women’s basketball game and the largest viewership for an ESPN basketball broadcast, according to the sports network.

Friday’s game peaked at 17 million viewers, making it ESPN’s second-best non-football telecast ever.

Monday’s Elite Eight matchup saw more than 12 million viewers tune in to watch the much-hyped rematch of 2023’s women’s national championship game, which saw Iowa avenge last year’s loss and advance to its second straight Final Four.

The audience for that game peaked at 16.1 million viewers, according to ESPN.

The average women’s NCAA tournament game’s viewership rating is up by 127% year over year for ESPN, according to Disney, the sports network’s parent company, CNN previously reported.

The Hawkeyes will take on the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday for the women’s NCAA tournament national championship in Cleveland, Ohio.

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