ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith kept it perfectly blunt when discussing the pressure facing Caitlin Clark for tonight’s highly-anticipated Elite 8 showdown between her Hawkeyes and Angel Reese’s LSU Tigers.
Caitlin Clark has accomplished just about everything at the NCAA ranks, with only a national championship missing on her otherwise near-flawless resume. The Hawkeyes reached the national championship game a year ago but were no match for LSU, who cruised to a 102-85 victory.
On Feb. 29, Clark officially declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft. Not only does that mean she’s about to go to the Indiana Fever at first overall in the draft, but it also means that this is her last shot at winning a college championship.
Speaking on ESPN’s “First Take” ahead of the big showdown, Smith stated that Caitlin Clark’s legacy will take a big hit if a) she plays poorly and b) if the Hawkeyes lose to LSU again:
“Of course it would mean the world if she wins…but, she can’t stink up the joint…They lost by 17 in the national championship game to LSU. If you just don’t have the team, you just don’t have the team. We get that.
But you, the person that’s been compared to…the Cheryl Miller’s, the Diana Taurasi’s, the Breanna Stewart’s of the world and others. You can’t show up in a game of this magnitude…Caitlin Clark has to show up…If she stinks up the joint, and they lose, that definitely will affect her legacy in terms of the comparisons that (were) thrown out.”
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It was hard to be critical of Caitlin Clark’s in last year’s national championship loss. She did her part by putting up 30 points, eight assists and two rebounds in the 17-point loss. Clark made 8-of-19 shots from beyond the arc and was the only Hawkeye to put up at least 14 points.
On the other sideline, Reese’s 15 points placed her fifth on the Tigers, with three teammates putting up 20-plus points.
A Big Moment Awaits Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball, having surpassed the legendary Pete Maravich last month. In terms of individual accomplishments and awards, there is nothing else for her to prove.
Clark and the Hawkeyes experienced tremendous heartbreak against LSU in last year’s national championship game. So will she bounce back and lead Iowa to oh-so-sweet revenge, or will Reese and the Tigers end Clark’s historic NCAA career on a sour note?
We’ll find out in just a matter of hours.
Also Read: Caitlin Clark Finds Boyfriend, Connor McCaffery’s Support on Emotional Night of Final Home Game
