In the beauty of college basketball, upsets are bound to happen. That's exactly what happened to the No. 2 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and sensation Caitlin Clark as they lost to the unranked Kansas State Wildcats, 65-58.
Clark spoke after the game and talked about the loss and said it doesn't matter who the opponent is, Iowa has to come in with the same intensity each and every time according to ESPN. One factor she mentioned is how herself and the team let down the fans.
“I think it shows you've got to come in every single day and be ready to play basketball because no matter who it is, you can beat anybody, you can lose [to] anybody,” Clark said. “That's a great thing about women's basketball. That's what makes it so fun. I'm just disappointed we didn't really put on a great performance for our fans who came out and supported us really well.”
The senior guard did lead her team with 24 points, but it wasn't an efficient night from the field as she made nine of 32 attempts. She also made two of 16 attempts from three-point range. Clark revealed post-game that the team started slow and couldn't gain a footing all game as the Wildcats gave them trouble.
“I felt it started off kind of rough for us and we were never really able to get our feet back under us and regain full control of the game,” Clark said. “We're still getting used to playing with one another, but at the same time, those aren't mistakes we usually make on a day-to-day basis. So just come back to practice and get better and get on the same page. All you can do is respond.”
Clark believes she didn't play her role for the Iowa basketball team in loss
Clark is seen not only as the main scoring option on the team, but as the facilitator that makes everybody around her better. She acknowledges that and blames herself for not getting others involved in the game-plan.
“We need more people to be able to contribute, and that's on me to get them involved in the game,” Clark said. “Especially on nights where I might not shoot the ball as great. Rely on my teammates, get them open, get them a clean look.”
However, with any great team, they take the losses and overcome those deficiencies later in the season. Clark has that mindset as she feels that with the defeat, the Iowa basketball team has continued to learn.
“It's certainly one we can learn from and probably taught us a lot of lessons of how we can get better,” Clark said.
The Iowa women's basketball team will look to bounce back on Sunday, Nov. 19 when the Hawkeyes take on Drake University. It'll be broadcast on FS1 and will start at 7:00 p.m. (EST.)
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