It felt like the March Madness we know and crave. Sure reversals are spectacular, and Iowa beating South Carolina was an upset, but only because of the Gamecocks’ perfect 36-0 record overall and 42-game winning streak. This was not David beating Goliath. It was LeBron James taking Zedrunas Ilgauskas & Co. to the Finals if Cleveland had defeated San Antonio instead of Detroit to get there.
Not to be fucked with Caitlin Clarke, but she’s not an underdog either. Sometimes, the team with the greatest alpha wins, and Clark was the top hunter on Friday night. The Hawkeyes have work to do (LSU is going to cause a lot of problems, just like South Carolina), but I need an analogy with a reasonable level of hyperbole, and I don’t think I’m wrong with the Clarke-LeBron comparison. (performance wise), or the South Carolina–San Antonio similarities.
Clark finished with 41 points, eight assists and six boards. It was his second straight game of over 40, and he scored or assisted on every bucket in the fourth quarter, and on nearly 75 percent of his team’s total field goals. The Women’s Sportswoman of the Year has been compared to Diana Taurasi, and it’s an entirely fitting comparison. However, Taurasi was the leader of a South Carolina-type juggernaut at UConn and never had to do (at least collegiately) what was Clarke is needed.
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This Iowa Team Isn’t Even A Seed, And as well as Clark’s supporting cast played, no one took more than eight shots. You can’t blame them though because the only player able to hold his own against the intimidating Gamecock defense was the best player in the damn game.
South Carolina Didn’t Play Bad, They Just Lost
Iowa definitely got some help from the zebras, who weren’t exactly whistle-happy But even Aliyah tagged Boston with two quick fouls which led to substantial bench time in the first half. Clarke also committed some early fouls, but coach Lisa Bluder held on to her star and was rewarded with smart, selective defense and a. One point lead at the break.
Don Staley didn’t have to gamble with his best option, and did the rest for Boston as SC, with help from Zia Cook and a relentless onslaught of offensive glass, outscored the Hawkeyes 24–16 in the second quarter . The Gamecock front line held big sister Iowa on the glass all night, resulting in a 49–25 rebounding advantage. The only issue with Staley on Friday was his lack of adjustment regarding some perimeter players whom Iowa was begging to shoot. To be fair, I’m not sure what he was supposed to do besides be with the women he met there. I’m just saying that Clark was 10 to 15 feet away from shooters at times, and you can’t give him JWe must conserve energy for the offensive end. Regardless, South Carolina’s 4-Iowa’s 7-of-20 outing from the deep wasn’t too bad23.
It was one of those games against a player that wasn’t meant to be, and it was at stake at the worst possible moment on the biggest possible stage. The loss is going to sting as long as the night will be remembered for Clarke’s heroics, and it will hurt even more if Iowa doesn’t finish the job.
Kim Mulkey’s Closet And Bayou Barbie Are The Perfect Fillies For Iowa’s Insane Race Through This Tournament, And I Don’t Want To Hear A Single Word About It quality of this march madness, If You’re Depressed, You’re Watching wrong tournament,
The star attraction is Caitlin Clarke, and hopefully, Another great performance is yet to come from her.