University of Iowa women’s basketball senior superstar Caitlin Clark is terrorizing opponents this season as she is averaging the highest points per game in the country at 31.7 PPG, 7.7 assists per game, and seven rebounds per game. As she looks to return to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Four, Clark is headlining every Iowa game and is shining a much-needed light on women’s sports.
Clark is the athlete women’s sports enthusiasts have been waiting for. Her consistent domination of her competition along with her play elevating as the pressure increases is a trait that will make her one of the best basketball players of all time.
Clark’s game is reminiscent of Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry changed the game for the National Basketball Association (NBA). His shooting mixed with his aurora made him a game-changing player for the sport. Clark has the same combination that can make her the greatest women’s basketball player ever.
Similar to Curry, Clark has the legendary shooting ability as she can make any shot that is within 40 feet of the basket. Current college teams and future Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams have to guard Clark immediately after she crosses halfcourt which is absurd. She also has the aurora to be the greatest women’s basketball player ever. Clark has the determination to get anything done, the lights are never too bright, and is the perfect role model for all young athletes wanting to become a star.
One example of Clark’s composure is when Iowa lost to Louisiana State University (LSU). LSU forward Angel Reese made a “ring me” pose in Clark’s face after the Tigers captured the Women’s National Championship with Clark keeping a blank stare the entire time. Her maturity was spotlighted as it could’ve been easy for her to talk back and defend herself but she decided to stay calm and collected.
Clark’s stardom drew the media’s attention early in 2022 after she became the fastest player in the Big Ten Conference in women’s basketball to reach 1,000 points (40 games) while being the first men’s or women’s player in Division I to record back-to-back of 30+ PPG, 10+ APG, and 10+ RPG. Clark has been a legendary presence ever since she entered college basketball, as she averaged 26.6 PPG her freshman season.
Clark ended her freshman year on a low note, as the Hawkeyes were trounced in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament by the University of Connecticut, 92-72 while Clark shot 33% from the field with 21 points and five turnovers.
In her second year, Clark led the Hawkeyes to a 24-8 record along with a Big Ten Tournament Championship. Iowa finished as a second seed in the NCAA Tournament but was upset in the second round by the No. 10 seed Creighton University, 64-62.
This loss seemed to fuel Clark and the Hawkeyes as they entered the 2022-23 season with a chip on their shoulder. Iowa entered the season ranked No. 4 in the nation started 4-0 before their game against Kansas State University. They suffered their first loss against the Wildcats, and started to stumble as they lost two out of their next four games.
Throughout Big Ten play, Iowa hovered above the No. 10 ranking in the country as the conference proved to be the most competitive in the country. Iowa finished with wins over No. 2 Ohio State University, No. 8 University of Maryland, No. 2 Indiana University, while also losing to Indiana and Maryland.
Like the season prior, Iowa walked their way through the Big Ten Conference Tournament as Clark led the Hawkeyes to a conference championship along with the No. 2 seed in March Madness. Clark’s run in the 2023 NCAA Tournament was the springboard into the national spotlight that changed her life along with the sport of basketball.
Iowa had no problem in the first round defeating Southeastern Louisiana University 95-43 but had a scare against No. 10 seed University of Georgia by narrowly defeating the Bulldogs 74-66. Iowa returned to the Sweet 16 where they had never won with Clark, but she changed the energy as Iowa defeated No. 6 seed University of Colorado 87-77. The Hawkeyes took care of No. 5 seed University of Louisville to advance to Clark’s only Final Four to date.
Their matchup in the Final Four seemed like a David versus Goliath as the Hawkeyes and Clark faced No. 1 overall seed University of South Carolina. The 36-0 Gamecocks came steamrolling into this game as the heavy favorite, but Clark and Iowa had none of that.
Clark put Iowa on her back as she scored 41 points, tallied eight assists and led the Hawkeyes to a 77-73 win against the Gamecocks.
In the National Championship, Iowa faced No. 9 seed LSU in a highly touted matchup. LSU star forward Angel Reese against Clark was must-see TV.
With the stars shining on the biggest stage, the NCAA saw multiple records broken in terms of viewership. On average, 9.9 million viewers tuned into the National Championship, which was over 100% of the viewership the year before. Other records include 6.5 million average viewers of the Final Four, the most viewed March Madness since 2009, and the most viewed regular season since 2014-15.
Not only did the viewership increase because of Clark, but ticket prices were affected as well. Starting ticket prices were slightly cheaper for the women’s championship as the women’s price started at $150 with the men’s tickets starting at $218. But the highest price for each event was different as the price for the women’s game was at $3,999 while the men’s price was at $2,200.
Clark’s heroic run fell short as Reese and the Tigers took care of business by the score of 102-85 but did not undermine Clark’s postseason performance. In six games, Clark averaged 31.8 PPG, 10 APG, 5.2 RPG, shooting 58% from the field and 42.7 % from three.
Following the rollercoaster of a season Clark had, she decided to stay at Iowa for one more year instead of declaring for the WNBA Draft. This season, Clark is averaging career-highs in PPG, blocks per game, steals per game, and a low on turnovers per game. The Hawkeyes sit at 18-2 on the season as they just lost to Ohio State University on Sunday, Jan. 21. Iowa looks to cap off their historic season into a Championship in Clark’s final season. A championship would be the cherry on top for Clark, as she has accomplished many personal achievements but not a title.
