No. 1 Iowa women's basketball earned a 64-54 victory in their NCAA Tournament win over West Virginia on Monday. Caitlin Clark, who has emerged as one of the best and most popular athletes in all of sports, stole the show with 32 points and eight rebounds.
Clark surpassed Kelsey Plum for the most points in a single season in the history of D1 women's basketball, per ESPN. It was another incredible accomplishment for Clark, who continues to impress and is almost guaranteed to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
She wanted her team to start strong against West Virginia. Clark did not want to let the fans down in her final home game.
Although she scored 32 points and set another record, how did Caitlin Clark play throughout the game against West Virginia?
Caitlin Clark's performance in Iowa's win over West Virginia
Clark was not as efficient with her shot as we have seen in the past. She went 8-22 from the field and 5-14 from beyond the arc. Iowa expects Clark to be aggressive and she was. She still scored enough to lead her team to the win despite West Virginia placing their focus on containing her.
Clark was almost perfect from the free throw line. She converted on 11 of 12 attempts. The best players are typically going to draw no shortage of fouls, so being able to consistently find the bottom of the net on free throws is pivotal, and that is exactly what Clark did on Monday.
As aforementioned, Clark helped on the boards with her eight rebounds. The Iowa superstar added three assists and two steals.
It should be noted that Clark turned the ball over six times which was the most for Iowa. Overall, the team finished with 15 turnovers. Of course, Clark battles the most defensive pressure so turnovers are going to happen at times.
Regardless, Iowa would prefer to see less turnovers as the NCAA Tournament continues. Taking care of the ball is obviously important against the best teams.
Overall, it was a strong game for Caitlin Clark. It probably did not meet her lofty expectations, but in the end winning is the goal. Clark has already done more than enough to solidify herself as a superstar. She just wants to lead Iowa women's basketball to a championship before she enters the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark knew that West Virginia would present a challenge. Clark is never one to underestimate opponents, something she made clear before the game.
“Our group knows better than anybody this is a game that is going to be close,” Clark said before Monday's game against West Virginia, via Michael Voepel of ESPN. “Doesn't really matter what number is next to your name. That's what makes this tournament so fun. You've got to come ready to play. Georgia gave us a great battle (last year). It just shows how important singular possessions are in these types of games.”
Clark will look to continue leading her team to success as March Madness moves forward.
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