A phenomenal Final Four matchup between Iowa and UConn ended in the Hawkeyes' favor by a 71-69 score on Friday in Cleveland.

This was an intense and quality back-and-forth matchup between two elite teams. But many were also left wondering what might have been after a crucial offensive foul call against the Huskies in the final seconds killed their final chance at victory.

To set the scene, UConn had the ball down 70-69 in the final moments after KK Arnold's steal on Hannah Stuelke.

The Huskies called a play for superstar Paige Bueckers to get a look, and Aaliyah Edwards set a screen on Gabbie Marshall to free her up. However, officials called an offensive foul on Edwards, giving the ball back to Iowa at a crucial moment with 3.9 seconds left.

UConn never got the ball again.

A foul put Caitlin Clark on the line for two shots. She hit the first and missed the second, but Sydney Affolter grabbed a huge offensive rebound with 1.1 seconds left. Iowa was able to run out the clock from there without further drama.

As for the rest of the game, Clark overcame a slow shooting start to post 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Stuelke's 23 points led all scorers. For UConn, Bueckers and Edwards led the team with 17 points apiece.

The Hawkeyes trailed by as many as 12 points in the second quarter due to a host of turnovers and missed shots, but they cut away at the lead to trail by just six at the break (32-26).

Iowa then caught fire in the third quarter, with Stuelke scoring 11 of the Hawkeyes' 25 points. Clark also hit a four-point play during the frame.

The two teams were tied at 51 going into the fourth. Clark put Iowa into the lead early on with seven points in the first two minutes. Iowa also led by as much as nine (66-57) after a Marshall jumper.

But UConn kept fighting back and trailed by just four (70-66) following an Edwards layup with 1:54 left. One minute later, a Nika Muhl steal and three cut the Iowa lead to one.

The Arnold steal set up the potential for a classic finish. However, that was never realized. Many people provided their opinions on the matter.

Right or wrong, the call doesn't take away from excellent performances on both sides. In the end, Iowa is going back to the national championship to face undefeated South Carolina for a 3 p.m. ET game on Sunday. That one is a rematch of last year's Final Four, when the Hawkeyes beat the then-undefeated Gamecocks 77-73 behind Clark's 41 points.