DALLAS — Iowa and South Carolina faced off Friday in what was one of the most highly anticipated matchups in women's Final Four history, garnering viewers from across the country – about 5.5 million viewers, to be exact.
The game on ESPN averaged 5.5 million viewers throughout the game and peaked at 6.6 million viewers, the most ever for an NCAA women's national semifinal game, according to Sports Media Watch.
To put those numbers in perspective, Sports Media Watch said the ratings for this game were up 72% from last year's game between UConn and Stanford.
The matchup, in which Iowa spoiled South Carolina's perfect season, was the most-watched NCAA women's game since 2004 and the third most-watched ever.
Furthermore, the game was ESPN's most-watched college basketball game, men's or women's, since Duke and North Carolina faced off in 2008.
Outside of college football and the NFL, the game was the most watched sporting event on ESPN since the Celtics and Heat played in Game 7 of the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
The first game of the night, LSU and Virginia Tech, averaged 3.4 million viewers, an increase of 57% from last year's early slot.
Iowa and LSU play for the national championship Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on Local 5 (ABC).