Caitlin Clark Reflects on Legendary Iowa WCBB Career: 'Nothing Was Ever Given'
Apr 7, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Caitlin Clark #22 and Kate Martin #20 of the Iowa Hawkeyes walk off the court after losing to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. Iowa beat South Carolina 87-75. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Iowa star Caitlin Clark wasn't hanging her head following her team's 87-75 defeat to South Carolina in the 2024 national championship.
She already took a longer view of her college career, telling reporters she achieved her goal of reaching the Final Four.
Caitlin Clark on if she could have imagined these last 4 years when she first arrived at Iowa. pic.twitter.com/G98QUgJEDv
"Looking back now, I think I would just be proud of the way I worked for this moment and earned it," she said. "Nothing was ever given. I was in the gym all the time. I matured a lot mentally and physically. People believed in me, people pushed me, people held me accountable. And those are the things that I'm thankful for and that's why I'm here right now."
Clark said this season "was probably more special than last year," adding she's "proud of myself" and "proud of my teammates."
"Yeah, I'm sad we lost this game. But I'm also so proud of myself. I'm so proud of my teammates. I'm so proud of this program."
Words cannot express my love for my teammates, coaches, fans and our university - Thanks for making my dreams come true. Wearing Iowa across my chest the last four years has been an honor. This place will always be home🖤
Clark laid out why she and her teammates have nothing to be ashamed of from Sunday.
South Carolina was simply the better team. The Gamecocks didn't go 37-0 coming into Sunday by a fluke. They maintained a perfect record through one of the toughest schedules in the country before March Madness got underway.
In Raven Johnson, Dawn Staley had a perimeter defender to keep Clark in check, and 6'7" center Kamilla Cardoso exploited the weakness the Hawkeyes have had inside after Monika Czinano and McKenna Warnock graduated. South Carolina had a 51-29 edge in rebounding and a plus-16 advantage in points in the paint.
Winning a national title would've been the crowning achievement in a legendary career for Clark. Falling short doesn't erase what she and Iowa accomplished over the last two seasons, and the full weight of her legacy won't be known for some time.
Iowa's Gabbie Marshall Talks Controversial UConn Foul, Says She Deleted Social Media
Apr 7, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 05: Gabbie Marshall #24 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts in the second half during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
After a controversial offensive foul on UConn's Aaliyah Edwards helped Iowa seal a trip to the national championship Friday night, Hawkeyes guard Gabbie Marshall, who drew the foul, said she has received hate comments following the game.
"I've gotten a lot of hate comments," Marshall said, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "I don't know. I'm not the one that made the call. So I'm not sure why they're mad at me personally."
Marshall said she had to go as far as deleting social media as the comments came in. She also spoke candidly about how conversations about the foul have taken away from her and her teammates' performances.
"I've deleted social media," Marshall said. "I feel like it just kind of overlooked the fact that I played my butt off the whole game trying to guard her, trying to get over screens the whole game and feel like that one play just consumed everything. That's all anyone's talking about. They're not talking about the fact that it was a great game between two great teams."
I hate this. #Hawkeyes senior Gabbie Marshall has gotten angry messages directed at her about the screen call last night so she has decided to delete social media. "That one play consumed everything." Video by @SEhrhardtKCCI@KCCINewspic.twitter.com/ZCRwuNpOfq
Marshall had an outstanding game in the 71-69 win. She had five points and five rebounds, but her biggest contribution was her defense against UConn star Paige Bueckers, who Marshall held to her lowest scoring total of the tournament.
The offensive foul Marshall drew in the final seconds of the game will certainly be a point of conversation, but Iowa is now hoping the attention will shift to an exciting matchup between the Hawkeyes and South Carolina on Sunday.
Caitlin Clark, Iowa vs. UConn Sets ESPN Record as Most Watched Basketball Game Ever
Apr 6, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 05: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies look on in the second half during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
An exciting Final Four matchup between No. 1 Iowa and No. 3 UConn now holds the record for the most-watched basketball game ever on ESPN.
Per ESPN PR, Friday's game between the Hawkeyes and Huskies was the most watched NCAA women's basketball game ever with 14.2 million viewers on ESPN and peaking at 17 million viewers. It was also the highest audience for any basketball game on record at ESPN and the most-watched college event ever on ESPN+.
ESPN also noted that it was the network's second-best non-football telecast ever.
🏀 Peak 17M viewers 🏀 Highest audience for ANY BASKETBALL GAME on record 🏀 Iowa-UConn was the most-viewed college event ever on ESPN+#MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/P8BUtRyUxH
The record-setting broadcast comes after Iowa's Elite Eight matchup with No. 3 LSU shattered the record for the most-watched women's college basketball game with 12.3 million viewers.
It's no surprise to see Friday's matchup draw historic viewership. It had everything a college basketball fan would want in a game, from star power with Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers to a dramatic finish.
The two teams traded runs late in the game, with the Huskies leading by a big margin in the third quarter before trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter. UConn crawled back into the game to make things interesting down the stretch and came within one point with just seconds remaining.
A costly, controversial offensive foul on UConn's Aaliyah Edwards eliminated the Huskies' attempt at a game-winning shot, and Iowa secured a rebound after Clark missed a free throw at the other end to seal the game.
Now, Iowa will face No. 1 South Carolina in the championship game on Sunday. The undefeated Gamecocks are looking to win their second championship in three years while Clark is aiming to end her career with a victory.
With another exciting matchup on deck, seeing more historic viewership numbers won't be a surprise.
Caitlin Clark Responds to Dawn Staley, Disagrees She Needs Title to Claim GOAT Status
Apr 6, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 06: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes speaks to media during interviews ahead of the 2024 NCAA Women's Final Four National Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 06, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
After Dawn Staley claimed the women's college basketball GOAT needed to have a championship to their name, Iowa star Caitlin Clark shared her opinion on the matter.
Per ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Clark said earning that status doesn't come down to how many games you won, but rather the legacy that you left behind.
"I've played basketball at this university for four years, and for it to come down to two games and that be whether or not I'm proud of myself and proud of the way I've carried myself and proud of the way I've impacted people in their lives, I don't think that's a fair assessment," Clark said.
"I don't want my legacy to be, 'Oh, Caitlin won X amount of games,' or 'Caitlin scored X amount of points.' I hope it's what I was able to do for the game of women's basketball. I hope it is the young boys and young girls that are inspired to play this sport or dream to do whatever they want to do in their lives. For it to come down to 40 minutes and for me to validate myself within 40 minutes, I don't think that's a fair assessment."
Clark's comments came after Staley chimed in on the debate. The South Carolina head coach, who had an outstanding career at Virginia, said she believes a title is needed to earn GOAT status.
"I was really good in college, never won a championship," Staley said. "You've got to win a championship. That's me personally. I had a great career. But it's always, did you win a championship?"
Clark has made a strong case to be considered the GOAT, leading the NCAA in career points with 3,921, winning multiple Player of the Year awards and notching dozens more accolades across her career.
However, the one thing she is missing is a national title. She led the Hawkeyes to the championship game last year, but fell short against LSU. Now, she'll have another chance to claim a title as Iowa faces South Carolina on Sunday.
Clark and Iowa have a big challenge at hand against the undefeated Gamecocks. South Carolina cruised to a win in the Final Four and has plenty of momentum heading into the championship game.
But Clark is looking to close out her career on a positive note, and Staley's comments about needing a championship to become the GOAT could serve as motivation.
Sunday's national championship game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Top Bueckers, UConn; LeBron, Angel Reese, More Question Late Foul
Apr 6, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 05: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles around Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies in the second half during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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.
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.
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.
Women's Tournament 2024: Championship Preview after Final Four Scores
Apr 6, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 05: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts in the second half during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game against the UConn Huskies at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament championship game is set. No. 1 South Carolina will face No. 1 Iowa after a pair of exciting Final Four matchups on Friday night.
The Gamecocks took down No. 3 NC State 78-59 to advance to the national championship game. The Wolfpack kept things close through the first half, but as it has done plenty of times this season, South Carolina used a huge run to pull away and win comfortably. The Gamecocks came out of the locker room on fire, outscoring NC State 29-6 in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.
Star center Kamilla Cardoso led the way for South Carolina with 22 and 11 rebounds. The senior has had an outstanding postseason showing and is looking to close out her career on a positive note.
Now the Gamecocks will look for their second national championship in the last three seasons and their third in program history.
They will have to get through a tough Iowa team first.
The Hawkeyes' 71-69 win over No. 3 UConn was much less comfortable than South Carolina's win. The Huskies did a tremendous job containing Caitlin Clark for most of the game and held her to single-digit scoring through the first half.
Clark found some life in the second half and ultimately propelled her team to the win behind 21 points. Her co-star Hannah Stuelke also had a big performance with 23 points on an efficient 9-of-12 from the field.
Now, Iowa will play in the national championship game for a second year in a row, and it will be looking for different results this time around.
No matter who South Carolina would have been matched up with, it would have been the Gamecocks' game to lose. South Carolina has been dominant all year and hasn't let up in the tournament, winning each of its games by double digits aside from the Sweet 16 matchup with No. 4 Indiana.
The Gamecocks are a defensive powerhouse, allowing just 56 points per game, which ranks second among Power 6 schools. But as most champions, they possess a strong offense as well, scoring 85.6 points per game, which trails just Iowa and LSU.
South Carolina doesn't necessarily have a player that can take over the game the way Clark does, but the Gamecocks rely on the committee and stout defense to win games, and it works.
For Iowa, its X-factor is clearly Clark, who has been the best player in the country this year and is hungry for a championship to close out her tremendous career. Clark's scoring has been undeniable throughout the tournament, but UConn showed that she can at least be contained on Friday.
The Huskies often looked to double teams and face-guarding Clark 30 feet from the basket, which limited her to her lowest point total of the postseason. If South Carolina can replicate that defense it could walk away with a championship.
But luckily for Iowa, Clark is a gifted passer as well. If her teammates can get open when the Gamecocks inevitably bring the double team on Clark, she likely will find them.
Friday's Final Four matchup was promising for Iowa. Stuelke's ability to step up with Clark having a slow start paid dividends, and the Hawkeyes will need some assistance from her again in the national championship.
The Hawkeyes have the best offense in the country by a long shot, scoring 91.9 points per game. Their defense is a different story, though, giving up 71.5 points per game. It's unlikely Iowa will be able to fully contain South Carolina's offense, but it will need to play its best defense of the season while hitting shots at the other end to hand the Gamecocks their first loss of the year.
Ultimately, Sunday's contest should be one of the most exciting games of the year. Clark is looking to put the cherry on top of her legendary career, while South Carolina is looking to continue its new tradition of hanging national championship banners. It's the final women's basketball game of the season, and fans are in for a show.
Sunday's game will tip-off at 3 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. The matchup will be broadcast on ABC.
Video: Iowa's Caitlin Clark Inspires Kristin Juszczyk-Designed Jacket for Final Four
Apr 6, 2024
ALBANY, NEW YORK - APRIL 01: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on before a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Iowa women's basketball star Caitlin Clark was the inspiration behind the latest jacket designed by Kristin Juszczyk, the wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
She revealed the jacket on Friday in honor of Clark leading the Hawkeyes to a Final Four appearance.
This isn't the first time that Juszczyk has been inspired by Clark, gifting a custom signature vest to the NCAA's all-time leading scorer ahead of her final regular-season home game on March 3.
Kristin Juszczyk designed a custom Caitlin Clark vest ahead of Clark's senior day and breaking of the NCAA scoring record.
"It's so special to me to be able to create, especially for a woman of her caliber," Juszczyk said, per Yahoo Sports' Cassandra Negley. "She's such a trailblazer in her league and it's special to be able to see her selling out these arenas and breaking all these records."
Clark's impressive 2023-24 campaign continued in March Madness, helping the Hawkeyes avenge their loss to LSU in the 2023 title game by defeating the Tigers in the Elite Eight. In 41 minutes, the senior finished with 41 points and 12 assists while shooting 9-20 from behind the arc.
As for Juszczyk, she signed a licensing deal with the NFL after her custom-made jackets were worn by stars such as Taylor Swift and Simone Biles before subsequently going viral.
Taylor Swift rocking a Travis Kelce jacket for Dolphins-Chiefs 🥶
Clark will attempt to lead the Hawkeyes beyond the Final Four in back-to-back years as they face off against UConn on Friday.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark Named AP WCBB Player of the Year for 2nd Straight Season
Apr 4, 2024
ALBANY, NEW YORK - APRIL 01:Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates after beating the LSU Tigers 94-87 in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Iowa's Caitlin Clark was named Associated Press Player of the Year in women's basketball for the second consecutive season Thursday.
Clark received 35 of the 36 first-place votes to become the fifth woman to win the honor in consecutive seasons. She's the first to pull off the feat since Breanna Stewart won three straight from 2014 to 2016.
Clark led the nation in points (32.0) and assists (9.0) per game this season while becoming the all-time leader in points in NCAA history. She dropped 41 points and 12 assists in Iowa's 94-87 win over LSU to lead the Hawkeyes to the Final Four for a second straight season. The victory also provided a bit of revenge for Clark after her Hawkeyes were defeated by LSU in last year's national title game.
"I think that's the best part about what I get to do. I grew up having those role models and aspiring to be where I am today," Clark said, per Doug Feinberg of the AP. "It's super special to see your impact not only in the state of Iowa but across the country. ... To be able to have that impact on the next generation is really special, and you just hope to dream and aspire to be like you one day and chase after all their dreams."
Clark is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick of the Indiana Fever in this year's WNBA draft.
She, of course, has a little bit of business to take care of first before finishing her college career. Iowa is set to take on UConn on Friday's Final Four, and Clark undoubtedly hopes to end her college career with a championship.
Michael Phelps Reacts to Caitlin Clark Using Olympic Legend as Phone Background
Apr 3, 2024
NEW YORK, USA: September 6: Swimming legend Michael Phelps on Arthur Ashe Stadium during the US Open Tennis Championship 2023 at the USTA National Tennis Centre on September 6th, 2023 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Swimming legend Michael Phelps was thrilled to discover he's the cellphone wallpaper for Iowa star Caitlin Clark.
Clark showed off her screensaver in a video posted by the NCAA's Women's March Madness account. Phelps replied that he's "Honored!!!"
It's not hard to see why Clark would draw inspiration from the 23-time Olympic gold medalist. He's not just the most dominant swimmer of all time but one of the most decorated athletes ever, period.
Phelps' competitiveness is the stuff of legend as well. It was clearly evident when he had his mind on the pool and his thoughts were on nothing else but vanquishing his foes.
It probably won't be long before Clark is gracing the cellphones of numerous younger athletes in the same way Phelps is a source of motivation for her.
Trae Young Jokes About Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Photo as 'Reverse MJ Meme'
Apr 2, 2024
ALBANY, NEW YORK - APRIL 01: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes shoots the ball over Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Tigers during the first half in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Trae Young had some jokes after a pair of photos from Monday's Elite Eight matchup between Iowa and LSU detailed the Tigers' struggles to contain Caitlin Clark.
Young called LSU guard Hailey Van Lith and Angel Reese's reactions to Clark "the reverse MJ meme," alluding to NBA legend Michael Jordan's iconic shrug.
Both reactions were captured after Clark drilled threes in No. 1 Iowa's 94-87 win over No. 3 LSU Monday night. The shrugs were fitting reactions to how a player might feel when trying to contain Clark, who seemingly hits whatever shot she takes.
On Monday, she finished the night with 41 points and 12 assists, hitting nine threes in the game. She is averaging 32.3 points and 10 assists in the NCAA tournament, propelling the Hawkeyes to a second-straight Final Four.
Clark has had an iconic career, setting countless records and becoming the all-time leading scorer in women's college basketball history, but she still has one accomplishment to check off: Winning a national championship.
The Hawkeyes took care of LSU, which beat it in last year's national championship, and now they'll look to advance through the Final Four next week. Iowa will face the winner of No. 1 USC and No. 3 UConn, which matchup on Monday night.
If Clark can continue frustrating defenses as she did on Monday, Iowa could be on its way to its first championship in program history.
