Presently, at the Rocket Mortgage Field House situated in Cleveland, Ohio, the Iowa Hawkeyes are poised to confront the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, vying for the NCAA women’s national championship.

Although this match stands as the pinnacle of women’s college basketball, it’s crucial to recognize that ultimately, it’s just a sporting event. Nonetheless, it seems that some individuals are struggling to maintain this perspective.

The phenomenon of fans excessively investing in sports has regrettably become prevalent, particularly in the era of social media. Regrettably, over the past weekend, matters seem to have escalated beyond reasonable bounds. Gabbie Marshall, the standout player for Iowa, found herself compelled to deactivate her social media profiles due to the deluge of threats she received subsequent to the Hawkeyes’ triumph over UConn in the Final Four.

For those not privy to the events, Iowa secured victory over the Huskies with the aid of a contentious foul late in the game. In the dwindling moments, with just four seconds remaining and Iowa holding a slim one-point lead, Marshall successfully drew an offensive foul against Aaliyah Edwards, effectively clinching the victory for the Hawkeyes.

In discussions with journalists prior to today’s championship match, Gabbie Marshall disclosed that she had been inundated with hateful remarks on social media, prompting her to deactivate her accounts as she endeavors to maintain focus on the imminent challenge.

While many expressed discontent with the call, the primary bone of contention seemed to revolve around the timing of the decision rather than its accuracy. Even UConn head coach Geno Auriemma conceded that it constituted an illegal screen. Nonetheless, he opined that such occurrences were prevalent throughout the game, affecting both teams, albeit only the Huskies bore the brunt of the referee’s decisions.

Ultimately, it appears the referees made the correct call. The consequence is an electrifying showdown in the championship match, where Gabbie Marshall, Caitlin Clark, and their Hawkeyes teammates will strive to secure the program’s inaugural national championship, while simultaneously dealing the Gamecocks their first defeat of the season.