Iowa beats South Carolina!

[Tonyc]

When I see the attention paid to Clark yesterday I can only imagine how tuff UConn will be with a healthy Paige Azzi and Caroline. The attention paid to Clark allowed her team mates to get free and if not Catlin can create her own shot. UConn needs to get healthy and I can, for right now dream about next season. Get healthy Stay healthy and next season will be a dream season

 

[oldude]

Excellent comparison.

 

[Phillyconn]

Not sad to see SC lose. Happy for Iowa. Clark is sooo good. She has a knack for creating space and making off-balance shots. SC couldn't guard her and that surprised me. I just hope that LSU doesn't win tomorrow. I put LSU in the same category as Tennessee and Notre Dame. Go Iowa!

I am. I wanted Paige to win a championship before Clark does.

 

[Phillyconn]

I totally disagree about one of your opinions. Boston a generational talent? Don't see how 8 points in a National Semifinals game when she is in her senior year and her team desperately needs her qualifies her as that. What were her numbers this year? She is now better than everyone else in her generation? Clark? Bueckers? Sabrina by your own addition? Breanna? Wilson? How long is your generation anyway? I see her being good but not great in the WNBA and international play due to lack of foot speed and the fact that she will be going up against bigger more athletic bodies. Overrated and protected by the referees for years in my book. Sorry.

Well, Iowa really packed the lane against SC. If SC had decent 3 point shooters, game over. If we had Boston on our squad we win.

 

[jdote33]

I am. I wanted Paige to win a championship before Clark does.

Same. Kinda want Paige to win before Clark, but I do think Clark is amazing. Also if LSU wins this year... With their recruiting class and just overall growth of their current players, they will be legit rivals with SC.

 

[The deacon]

They did those things and still couldn't keep her from getting the ball. Their choice was let her have a head of steam or defend her in the half court. Clark had a gear no one thought she had until last night.

No one, Rowdy, except the millions who have seen her shift into that gear for the past three years. Most people here on the BY just haven't been watching.

Clark is a flopper and she isn't going to get all of the calls even when there might be something to them. That is one part of her game she needs to throw away, she doesn't need carnival tricks to be great.

Geez, I thought I'd watched the game fairly closely (and numerous other Iowa games). When did Caitlin flop? Her coach has said Caitlin had the tendency to hit the floor more often than she needed to in previous years, but has already cleaned that up. That label is old, and should now be discounted. When she hits the floor, it's because she's hit hard, or when she's airborne for a shot.

 

[fomalhaut]

One again the box score belies the claim that South Carolina is a tremendously deep team. In games against strong opponents, they have a senior and a graduate student (Saxton and Fletcher) who start and play the first few minutes of each half, and then they play virtually the entire rest of the game with six or seven players, unless there is garbage time in a blowout. They have five players who almost never play when the outcome is in doubt.

 

[Heytherego]

Boston declared for the draft incase anyone misses it in the other threads

 

[Longtime fan]

Clark responsible -- via scoring or assists -- for every Iowa point in the 4th Quarter.

Meg Warnock grabs a Clark missed three-pointer for seeming their only offensive rebound and that give possession to Iowa and a string of Clark made FT's. Nothing but net.

Stellar performance.

Yes. Not much more pressure than Caitlin faced at the end of that game. Had to make four straight free throws. Never blinked. She is the best. She just "loaded that Iowa team upon her back" and took the win away from South Carolina. Praise beeeee. I can't imagine she has any gas left in her tank for Sunday. We shall see.

 

[Longtime fan]

I freaking love Nika's game. To me, Nika is a top ten point guard. With that being said, all of Uconn's championship teams had a point guard who can break the press with ease just with their speed, a dominant center, and perimwter defense. Nika unfortunately lacks speed (not her fault), our center lacked interior strength, and Aubrey was our only perimeter defender (Back issues). And that right there was the ball game.

It was also that everyone expected a " Hollywood ending" for AZZi and Caroline. But injuries prevailed. When we saw the never ending line-up of injuries, beginning with the complete demoralization from Paige and Ice Brady going out for the entire season, it became clear that sweet sixteen was a likely " top" for the team that remained. With better health ( AZZI and Caroline, and Aubrey, at the end ) we could have moved up one level. But it wasn't to be. Better luck next year.

 

[Woof 101]

I would like the title of this thread one hundred times if I could.

 

[npignatjr]

Same. Kinda want Paige to win before Clark, but I do think Clark is amazing. Also if LSU wins this year... With their recruiting class and just overall growth of their current players, they will be legit rivals with SC.

And Kim is a hell of a coach

 

[ABCDFE]

And Kim is a hell of a coach

Yes she is. I'm not a huge fan of DS, and can't stand Mulkey's sideline antics, but she's an amazing coach and what she did at at LSU is crazy. My favorite coach outside of UCONN is Vic S at Texas.

 

[VA Huskie]

I agree. But Paige was the better player when they were both freshmen. So I wonder if Clark would be better now if Paige hadn’t been hurt for two years. Hopefully we’ll find out next year.

 

[BBallF]

Well, Iowa really packed the lane against SC. If SC had decent 3 point shooters, game over. If we had Boston on our squad we win.

It would have been a totally different team with a different inside game. I don't see her as the next Breanna or A'ja, never have.

 

[OldAlum]

A Superstar Shines in the Spotlight

A Reason to Smile

steady.substack.com

 

[The deacon]

Agreed, Browns, and we should remember Caitlin led the country in scoring and assists her freshman year, too. Whether she or Paige were a better player that season is a moot point... we're awfully happy we had Paige, and I'm sure Iowa was thrilled with Caitlin.

My point to those still resisting calling Caitlin an all-time great (whether or not Iowa wins a national title) is that I doubt any player in history has had back-to-back-to-back seasons like Clark. Please don't tell me Diana... of all the UConn players, Maya might be the closest, followed by Stewie.

 

[bovwa10]

Agreed, Browns, and we should remember Caitlin led the country in scoring and assists her freshman year, too. Whether she or Paige were a better player that season is a moot point... we're awfully happy we had Paige, and I'm sure Iowa was thrilled with Caitlin.

My point to those still resisting calling Caitlin an all-time great (whether or not Iowa wins a national title) is that I doubt any player in history has had back-to-back-to-back seasons like Clark. Please don't tell me Diana... of all the UConn players, Maya might be the closest, followed by Stewie.

If Clark can lead Iowa to a title tomorrow, I think she could be considered the best collegiate guard of all time. It’s definitely between her and Taurasi imo

 

[hoopsfan22]

Too bad we couldn't take care of business because it could be us playing Iowa in a rematch for the national title.

 

[Eweconn]

Thought it was a bit laughable Boston seemed to be complaining that the refs let a lot go because SC is always deemed the “aggressor.”

Boston is an EXCELLENT player, but I often felt she was a bit over hyped. I just don’t see how averaging 13 points and 9 rebounds gets you on the convo for NPOY when you have players like Clark, Seigrest, even Reese absolutely dominating. Granted I know she didn’t play a lot of minutes at times, but I just don’t see her as this dominating player she gets made out to be. She’s great on defense and I know she was often double teamed and I think she’ll do better in the WNBA with the 3 second rule and better shooters surrounding her.

I think Dawn should have had Johnson take more jumpers in the beginning, try to force Iowa to guard her. SC just didn’t really look that intense or focused. I thought Cardoso was really good and efficient and should have started the second half. It just didn’t seem like they really tried to make an adjustments to stop Clark. I thought LA was excellent when she was in, she rebounded well and disrupted Clark so was confused we didn’t see more of her. Even Clark seemed a bit confused why SC was guarding there posts closely outside the paint and not sagging off. I thought the girl (Marshall maybe?) who was guarding Cooke was excellent and should be getting some credit. Really fun game to watch, Clark is the whole show!

Boston's numbers were down because she only played an average 26 minutes a game, but I get what you're saying.

 

[Happydad745]

I am going to enjoy the spring and summer months to come.....eventually next season will arrive.

 

[ctfjr]

It really was a fun game to watch and Catlin is the real deal!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

If Clark can lead Iowa to a title tomorrow, I think she could be considered the best collegiate guard of all time. It’s definitely between her and Taurasi imo

She's a scoring machine on a team constructed around her, but Diana's gifts put her well ahead of Caitlyn.

 

[The deacon]

She's a scoring machine on a team constructed around her, but Diana's gifts put her well ahead of Caitlyn.

What 'gifts' are those, Rocky? Quick with a quip? Swag? I'll give DT the edge on those, at least at this point, but on the court, Caitlin is simply better than Diana was in college.

Our love of UConn women's basketball and DT's legendary status shouldn't blind us to that reality.