"My heart aches for that kid": Lisa Bluder empathizes with Molly Davis' injury ahead of Iowa's National championship faceoff against South Carolina

Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder is gearing up for the final challenge on the road to a national championship.

Following a thrilling 71-69 victory over the UConn Huskies, Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes take on the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks in the tournament final.

However, there's one thing Bluder still ponders: the situation surrounding Iowa guard Molly Davis, who has been sidelined since injuring her knee during the regular season finale against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The fifth-year senior missed the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA tournament, and her status for the upcoming game against South Carolina is uncertain.

Bluder talked about Molly Davis' situation ahead of the NCAA tournament final. Initially, Davis' injury was not considered to be season-ending. But Bluder has opened up about how she feels for Davis and wants to "get her on the floor for a couple of seconds".

"My heart aches for that kid (Molly Davis). Basketball is so important to her. And to have this happen to her, honestly, we thought she was gonna be back. We thought she was gonna be back a couple of weeks ago."

"For her to be able to not bring any added attention to herself. .... it's amazing how she's handled this, and I know how much it's hurting her. And I would love to get her on the floor for a couple of seconds."

Before her injury, Molly Davis was averaging 6.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. She also recorded a field goal percentage of 53.9%.

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Molly Davis sheds tears during courtside moment with Lisa Bluder

Ahead of Iowa's Final Four game against the UConn Huskies, Molly Davis was in the open practice session working on her shooting. Lisa Bluder came over to have a chat with Davis, after which the fifth-year senior broke down into tears.

"Molly Davis was taking shots in Iowa's open practice, but then Lisas Bluder walked over to chat with her. It didn't look like she shared good news with her, but I've not heard an update on her status", KCRG-TV's Chelsie Brown tweeted.

Do you think Lisa Bluder will give Molly Davis limited playing time against the undefeated South Carolina? Let's know your thoughts in the comments section below.