Four takeaways from UVA women’s basketball’s NCAA Tournament upset over Iowa

IOWA CITY, IA - MARCH 23: Guard Kymora Johnson #21 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates a double overtime win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) | Getty Images For the first time since 2000, the Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16. IKTR‼️ Hoos are headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000.

#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @UVAWomensHoops pic. twitter. com/KC0FKXm0IN — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 23, 2026 Led by another remarkable performance from Kymora Johnson and some timely buckets by Paris Clark, the tenth-seeded ’Hoos stunned the second-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes, 83-75 in double-overtime, in front of their sold-out home crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

With its upset victory, Virginia has become the first women’s team to reach the Sweet 16 after starting in the First Four and the first double-digit seed to advance to the Sweet 16 since 2022. Counted out → Still here 😤💃 #Sweet16 #GoHoos 🔸⚔️🔹 #GNSL pic. twitter.

com/zUjNO71D6m — Virginia Women's Basketball (@UVAWomensHoops) March 23, 2026 As the ’Hoos take the women’s college basketball world by storm, here are four takeaways from the latest triumph by the Cardiac Cavaliers: It takes a village Magical March runs are built by unlikely heroes, and the ’Hoos have already seen their fair share of tournament legends step up during their three-game winning-streak in Iowa City. Beginning with Caitlin Weimer’s monster 11-point, 12-rebound double-double and Romi Levy’s clutch 3-point shooting in the First Four win over Arizona State, a new ’Hoo has delivered a signature performance in each game thus far in the NCAA Tournament. After Sa’Myah Smith poured in a career-high 23 points against Georgia in the Round of 64, it was Paris Clark’s turn to take on the secondary scoring role against the Hawkeyes.