The third day of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in San Antonio is in the book.  Here are some quick takeaways:

Tipping off

Transcendent moment: Iowa dominated from start to finish in trouncing Kentucky 86-72 Tuesday in the second round. Connecticut shook off a slow start — by its standard — and cruised past Syracuse 83-47.

The victories set up a showdown that has been much anticipated since the NCAA released its tournament bracket a little more than a week ago — Connecticut vs. Iowa.

Well, more like Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers vs. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

The two are perhaps the nation’s most-heralded freshmen. Clark, a 6-foot guard, led NCAA Division I in scoring, was fourth in assists and has a dozen 30-point games this season. Bueckers, a 5-11 guard, was named to the Associated Press’ All-America first team.

If the former Team USA teammates can continue their hot play — Clark had 35 points, seven rebounds and six assists vs. Kentucky, and Bueckers tallied 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals vs. Syracuse — might their impending matchup have an similar impact on women’s college basketball and the WNBA as the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird duel did on men’s college basketball and the NBA?

Johnson led Michigan State to a 75-64 win over Bird and Indiana State in the 1979 national championship game. The contest remains the highest-rated TV college basketball game ever, setting the stage for the phenomenon that is “March Madness” and sparking a rivalry that lifted the NBA to new heights.

“I think me and Paige would give you the same answer: It’s not Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers; it’s Iowa vs. UConn,” Clark said after Tuesday’s game. “Going up against her would obviously be a great opportunity. But we would both say we’re not going to win it alone, no matter who wins that game.” 

Big day for Big Ten: Often battling with the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC for a place in women’s college basketball’s pecking order, the Big Ten took a big step in elevating its status on Tuesday.

Iowa topped Kentucky and Michigan defeated Tennessee as the Big Ten advanced two teams to the Sweet 16. The list can grow as Maryland, Indiana and Northwestern play Wednesday for a berth into the regional semifinals.

If Maryland (vs. Alabama), Indiana (vs. Belmont) and Northwestern (vs. Louisville) prevail, the Big Ten could make up nearly a third of the final 16 team remaining.

Michigan is in the Sweet 16 for the first time.

“I think it’s just great for our university, great for the state of Michigan, it’s great for little kids growing up in Michigan, and it’s great for the rest of the country to see that Michigan is not only a football and men’s basketball school, but a women’s basketball school,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said.

Shooting stars

Queen Egbo, Baylor: 12 points, 13 rebounds, 7 rebounds

Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech: 21 points, 12 rebounds

DiJonai Carrington, Baylor: 21 points, 8 rebounds

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina: 19 points, 7 rebounds

Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut: 19 points, 5 rebounds

Leigha Brown, Michigan: 23 points

Jakia Brown-Turner, North Carolina State: 19 points

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky: 28 points, 8 assists

By the numbers

15: Michigan Naz Hillmon’s double-doubles this season in only 21 games. She tallied 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Wolverines defeated longtime power Tennessee 70-55 and earned their first trip to the Sweet 16.

27: Consecutive appearances to the Sweet 16 for Connecticut. The Huskies earned their last trip to the regional semifinals on Tuesday by routed Syracuse 83-47.

46-4: The margin by which Baylor outscored Virginia Tech in the paint during the Bears’ 90-48 triumph on Tuesday. Through two contests, Baylor is averaging 95.5 points.

Quotable quotes

 “I think this year I’ve gotten a lot of individual accolades, and they’re always great. But seeing the work that my team has put in throughout the year and to finally be recognized as a team is the best accolade that I could ever get.” — Michigan junior forward Naz Hillmon

“This is awful. This is gut-wrenching. I’m watching all these NCAA games and my heart goes out. A team loses and (you) just hate it for them because you know they’re going back in the locker room and that’s it. We were that team today. I didn’t have a speech prepared. It’s just really hard because we love this team.” — Tennessee coach Kellie Harper on season-ending loss to Michigan

“I’ve been doing this 36 years, and that was as impressive a performance defensively from start to finish that I’ve been a part of. Good golly, our kids were ready to play defensively.” — Baylor coach Kim Mulkey