Caitlin Clark vs. South Carolina: March 31, 2023, NCAA semifinals
Point 2,669
In one of the biggest upsets in the history of the women’s NCAA tournament, a brilliant performance by Clark – 41 points, eight assists and six rebounds – helped Iowa pull off a 77-73 win over top-seeded and previously undefeated South Carolina. Clark scored in a dizzying array of ways against the Gamecocks, including a leaner with 8:39 left in the third quarter that she created with her surprisingly swift first step. She became the first player in NCAA Tournament history to record back-toback 40-point games, and it sent Iowa to its first appearance in the title game, against LSU.
“She’s a generational talent. I couldn’t take my eyes off her when they were playing South Carolina. It was the first time I’d ever seen her play in person (and what doesn’t show up on TV) is how she gets herself open, how she can use that one little stepback move, how you think you’ve got her guarded and she can blow by you without blazing speed but a great first step. She’s one of those who can take a team, put them on her shoulders and take them to the mountaintop.”
– LSU coach Kim Mulkey
“It’s a rivalry game, it’s COVID so no one is in the gym, and she just leads them to this incredible comeback. I remember her hitting the shot, them missing a look on the next possession and then she’s just running from one end of the (court to the) other, her arms spread out. The moment is never too big for her. I’ve always been amazed at her willingness to put the team on her shoulders, to bring them back by going nuts or taking the big shot. She’s never afraid to take the big shot, whether she makes it or not. She always wants to take it – how many people, especially freshmen, would shy away from putting their neck out like that? But she’s always willing to do it.”
– Brent Clark,
Caitlin Clark’s dad Caitlin Clark vs. Virginia Tech: Nov. 9, 2023
Point 2,761
In a matchup of 2023 Final Four participants, Clark did a little bit of everything, proving once again that she is the epitome of the phrase “pick your poison” – and with her, everything really is deadly. Though she’s known for her range and drives downhill, Clark showed off another skill when she came off a screen, caught the ball on the block, felt the double and turned to hit a fadeaway.
“We don’t see the midrange game much, but when she gets cut off at the rim, she keeps her dribble alive and reverse pivots. Most people think she only practices the logo 3s and finishing at the rim. I’m impressed with this midrange counter … you have to practice this footwork to get it right. She always makes the defense wrong. … She’s going to wind up being the best offensive player we’ve ever had at the collegiate level.”
– ESPN college basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli
Caitlin Clark vs. Michigan: Feb. 6, 2022
Points: 1,356-1,372
“We always knew there was something special about her. She’s always been a little different in a good way … but that whole sequence was pretty unbelievable. She just let it fly. She started to shoot even deeper 3s (during) that game. Sometimes that’s the only shot she’s going to have open, right when she comes across the half court. And some of those were really from the M, from the middle of the logo. It was spectacular. Michigan people were like, ‘What is happening?!’ … that’s when, for me personally, it was like, ‘Whoa.’ ”
– Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder
Caitlin Clark vs. Kentucky:
March 23, 2021, NCAA 2nd round
Point 774
In what would become Clark’s NCAA Tournament coming-out party, the freshman scored 35, also tallying seven rebounds and seven assists. Fifth-seeded Iowa breezed to an 86-72 upset win over fourth-seeded Kentucky with Clark outplaying future No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard. Her most impressive shot came with 46.4 seconds left in the third quarter, when Clark drove from the right side and double-pumped – rare for a woman – hanging in the air long enough to let a defender fly by before banking in the shot.
“I respect any ladies taking the game to the next level. Being a bigger guard, that always helps, and Caitlin has that. That (size) and her logo 3, that’s rare. But for any guard it’s about finding your spots and understanding angles. That’s an intuitive feeling as a scorer. What people don’t understand is, this game is about reading and reacting. I think that’s undervalued and underappreciated. You can’t give me a map and tell me where to go ahead of time – I have to see how the defense is playing me, what they’re giving me, and you have to make the decision in a split second while always being aggressive.”
– Former Ohio State All-American and current Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, who scored 3,402 points from 2014-18 at OSU
Caitlin Clark vs. Maryland: Feb. 3, 2024
Point 3,460
Tied at 76 after an 8-0 run from un
“When you’re one-and-done, the pressure’s on, everyone is scouting as intensely as they do, you see what players are made of. Watching her in the tournament, especially the run they made … when you’re a really good offensive player and you come on the scene it’s like, OK, people are going to take awhile to figure you out. Then you do it again, and again and you keep getting better like she did, that’s the marker of someone who’s the real deal.”
– Former WNBA MVP Maya Moore, a three-time national player of the year who led UConn to two titles, was the No. 1 pick in the 2011 WNBA draft and is Clark’s favorite player
Caitlin Clark vs. Indiana: Feb. 26, 2023
Point 2,452
Using a sideline out-of-bounds quick-hitter from the Las Vegas Aces’ playbook and with just 1.5 seconds remaining, Clark ran defender Chloe Moore-McNeil off a tough screen set by Monika Czinano before catching and drilling a fall-away 3 at the buzzer. The bucket gave No. 6 Iowa an 86-85 upset win over the eventual Big Ten champion and sent Carver-Hawkeye Arena into a frenzy.
“Her ability to make the right reads, even when she’s not shooting … I don’t think there’s anybody similar. A perfect word to use is ‘ bait.’ She can get the officials to hone in on her. When she’s attacking, they’re most definitely looking (for fouls). Even out on the arc, before she cuts, she’s good at baiting defenders, getting you to swim and hook – and then it’s a foul on the defender.”
– Indiana guard Chloe MooreMcNeil, widely regarded as the best onball defender in the Big Ten