Caitlin Clark scores just four second-half points in upset defeat
Caitlin Clark had a week to celebrate breaking Kelsey Plum’s all-time women’s NCAA basketball scoring mark.
After a school-record 49-point outburst vs. Michigan in a win last Thursday, Clark passed Plum’s mark of 3,527 points. Clark now has 3,569. Unfortunately for Clark, that milestone likely seems far in the past after Thursday night.
Going into Thursday’s showdown at No. 16 Indiana, Clark needed just 99 points to pass Pete Maravich for the all-time NCAA scoring mark (3,667). She got closer to that mark, scoring 24 — but her team took the loss. And it wasn’t that close, as the Hoosiers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes, 86-69.
Indiana built as much as a 16-point lead, led by Sara Scalia (25 points) and Mackenzie Holmes (24 points), and handed the No. 4 Iowa its third loss of conference play. The loss drops the Hawkeyes into a tie for second with Indiana. Meanwhile the Hoosiers remain perfect (14-0) at home.
Clark had a rough shooting night in Bloomington, going 8-of-26 from the field and a miserable 3-of-16 from 3. She scored just four points the second half.
Still, at her current pace of 32.8 points per game, Clark should top Maravich’s record before March Madness. The Hawkeyes have three regular-season games remaining before the Big Ten tournament and then the NCAA tournament.
Indiana vs. Iowa highlights
Caitlin Clark and Iowa had a night to forget in Bloomington, Indiana, where the Hoosiers rolled to an upset victory on Thursday night.
Final: Indiana 86, Iowa 69
Living well is the best revenge, but if you ask Indiana, I’m thinking the Hoosiers would say hitting nine 3s is actually the best revenge.
Indiana got 25 points Sara Scalia and 24 points (plus nine rebounds and four blocks) from Mackenzie Holmes and the Hoosiers held Caitlin Clark to just four points in the second half — the reigning national player of the year finished with 24 — as the No. 16 team in the country ran away with a 86-69 win.
Known as a program that prides itself on defense, Indiana held Iowa to just 18% from 3, as the Hawkeyes shot 5-of-278from long-distance. The Hoosier were also great on the glass, out rebounding Iowa 42-33.
Rough shooting night or not, Clark was her usual spectacular self, finishing just one rebound shy of what would have been her 16th triple double. She grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out nine assists in the loss.
End of 3Q: Indiana 62, Iowa 54
Iowa did exactly what it needed to do the last few minutes of the third quarter, and that’s close the margin — and draw a foul on Indiana. (Yes, Caitlin Clark turned the ball over in the last five seconds, but Indiana didn’t score, and right now you’ve gotta take your wins where you can get them.)
If Iowa is going to get all the way back, the Hawkeyes have to figure out a way to pick up the pace. This is a team that typically scores 93 points per game. They’re a long way from that.
But with a player like Clark, who can get hot at any time, Iowa could get rolling (and running) at any time. And that’s exactly what Indiana will be trying to keep in check. The Hoosiers did a good job of that in the third, as Clark scored just two points that period.
3:21, 3Q: Indiana 59, Iowa 46
LaChina Robinson, Peacock’s color analyst, put it best: “Caitlin Clark’s having to do so much to manufacture offense for Iowa.”
Right now it’s a one-woman show — and there’s no question that Clark would prefer it otherwise. She’s doing everything she can to create for her teammates and get them open looks, but they’re not knocking down much.
The same can’t be said for Indiana though. All the Hoosiers want to score — and in fact, all of them have, save for Lilly Meister, who’s only played four minutes. Everyone else for Indiana has at least one bucket, led by Sara Scalia (18) and Mackenzie Holmes (14).
8:07, 3Q: Indiana 49, Iowa 33
Is Iowa … about to get run off the floor?
Indiana has a 16-point lead, its largest of the game, and Iowa is all out of sorts. Caitlin Clark missed a look at the rim, she had an uncharacteristic turnover and her teammates just can’t get anything going.
Indiana looks like the best team in the Big Ten right now, and the Hoosiers’ commitment to defense is clear: Iowa is shooting just 36% from the field. Clark is 6-of-16 from the field. The rest of the Hawkeyes are just 6-of-19. Yikes.
Will Caitlin Clark join Aliyah Boston in Indiana?
This winter, former South Carolina All-American Aliyah Boston, decided to stay in the states — instead of playing pro overseas — and work as a Big Ten analyst. She has done a tremendous job explaining the game to viewers, and it’s clear she has a career in media whenever she’s done playing. (She also always has great hair.)
In the summer, of course, Boston plays for the Indiana Fever — AKA the team that has the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft. This comes after the Fever picked Boston No. 1 in the 2023 Draft; Boston was a WNBA All-Star her first year and won Rookie of the Year honors.
It can’t be lost on Boston that she does halftime analysis on a lot of Caitlin Clark games, and it’s very possible they’ll be teammates in a few months. But every time I watch Boston during halftime all I can think about is, what if Clark decides to go back to Iowa for a fifth year? How heartbroken will Boston be?
Halftime: Indiana 44, Iowa 33
Well, well, well, isn’t this interesting.
Caitlin Clark has 20 points, but is just 5-of-8 from the free throw line. Is this the first sign of the apocalypse? (She typically shoots 86% from the line.)
Clark is being her usual excellent self, but she could use some help from her teammates. If Iowa is going to win this game, Hannah Stuelke (five points) will have to do more in the post. Only four Hawkwyes have scored, which isn’t going to get the job done.
Meanwhile — there’s a reason Indiana is 13-0 at home so far this season. Sara Scalia continues to score at will, leading her team with 15 points. Mackenzie Holmes has 12, along with six rebounds.
The biggest stat that jumps out: Indiana is winning the rebounding battle, 22-17 and has turned seven offensive rebounds into 10 points. They’ve also score nine points off five Iowa turnovers, whereas Iowa has only scored two points off Indiana’s five turnovers. The Hoosiers are known for defense, and they know how to get back and defend their basket even if they cough it up on offense.
4:55, 2Q: Indiana 30, Iowa 27
Lions and Hawkeyes and Hoosiers, oh my, we’ve got some trash talk!
This game is getting chippy … and I love it.
A quick recap: Clark drove to the rim and drew a foul on Yarden Garzon, who complained to the official. Clark responded by telling Garzon she definitely fouled her. No one seemed to like that much, and players were chirping at each other.
Then Clark missed two free throws (when was the last time Clark missed two free throws?), Indiana went inside to McKenzie Holmes to score and Clark responded with a deep 3.
Peacock analyst LaChina Robinson, who rerferred to the all the words exchanged as “just a little competitive conversation” put it best after Clark drained her 3: “I wouldn’t want to make her mad.”
Consider the bear poked. Clark is up to 16 points.
End of 1Q: Indiana 23, Iowa 22
I think we might be in for a(nother) epic Indiana-Iowa game.
As a refresher, this is what happened when they played last year.
Clark is already up to 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, though she’s only 1-of-5 from deep. She got two free throw attempts with six seconds left after baiting her defender into a foul — one of her specialities — and will use those attempts at the charity stripe to get her stroke right so she can start launching from the logo again. Trust me.
On the other end, Sara Scalia leads Indiana with eight points. The Hoosiers are winning the rebounding battle 12-10; that’s another important stat to keep an eye on.
Also of note: Iowa has eight made shots, but only three of those makes have been assisted. That’s unusual for a team that moves the ball well, and you can bet Lisa Bluder is talking about it in the huddle.
4:47, 1Q: Indiana 13, Iowa 9
So many developments and we’re only five-ish minutes in!
Indiana guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, one of the best on-ball defenders in the country, already has one foul. That’s something to keep an eye on, as Moore-McNeil will mostly be responsible for guarding Clark tonight.
But on the foul trouble note, Addison O’Grady already has two for the Hawkeyes. O’Grady only averages 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds, but she spells Hannah Stuelke in the paint and gives Iowa a big body that other teams have to block out. This is a key development to keep an eye on.
What time do Caitlin Clark, Iowa play Indiana?
The women’s college basketball game between the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes and No. 16 Indiana Hoosiers is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET in Bloomington, Indiana.
How can I watch/stream Caitlin Clark, Iowa play Indiana?
The game between No. 4 Iowa and No. 16 Indiana will be broadcast and streamed on Peacock.
How tall is Caitlin Clark?
Clark is 6-foot. Big guards have become more common in women’s basketball the last decade or so, and Clark’s size absolutely helps her because she’s able to see over defenders on the break and helps her get vertical separation when she goes up for a shot.
Also of note: Clark, who’s pretty thin, worked hard last summer to put on eight pounds of muscle and that has made a huge difference in her game, particularly when she drives to the rim.
Clark-mania: A look at how much Caitlin Clark fans travel and spend to watch Iowa star
By now you’ve probably heard that Iowa All-American Caitlin Clark, the reigning national player of the year, has a tendency to sell out any arena she plays in. Fans in Bloomington, Indiana, arrived hours early in a line that stretched around Assembly Hall to watch Clark and the Hawkeyes take on the Hoosiers Thursday night.
For a closer look at #Clarkonomics — as ESPN analyst Debbie Antonelli has termed it — USA TODAY reporter Jim Sergent worked up a graphic look at just how much Iowa fans will spend and how far they’ll travel to see Clark in person. The numbers are telling, to say the least.
Is Caitlin Clark a senior?
Yes, Clark is a senior … but she could come back next year and be a super senior if she wants.
Though she’s projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, she could return to Iowa City next season. Because Clark was a freshman in the 2020-21 season, she has a COVID year (basically, that season didn’t count toward anyone’s eligibility).
What is Caitlin Clark’s highest-scoring game?
Clark’s highest-scoring game was also her record-breaking performance on Feb. 15 against Michigan in the 2023-24 season, when she scored 49 points. Clark shot 16-for-31 that game, including 9-for-18 from 3. She also grabbed five rebounds and handed out 13 assists in the 106-89 win.
Caitlin Clark stats
Caitlin Clark has 3,569 career points after scoring 49 in Iowa’s 106-89 win against Michigan last week
Caitlin Clark game-by-game points this season
Here’s a breakdown of Clark’s scoring this season for the Hawkeyes:
vs. Michigan, 2/15/24: 49 points (season-high, school record for single game)
at Nebraska, 2/11/24: 31 points
vs. Penn State, 2/8/24: 27 points
at Maryland, 2/3/24: 38 points
at Northwestern, 1/31/24: 35 points
vs. Nebraska, 1/27/2024: 38 points
at Ohio State, 1/21/2024: 45 points
vs. Wisconsin, 1/16/2024: 32 points
vs. Indiana, 1/13/2024: 30 points
at Purdue, 1/10/2024: 26 points
at Rutgers, 1/5/2024: 29 points
vs. Michigan State, 1/2/2024: 40 points
vs. Minnesota, 12/30/2023: 35 points
vs. Loyola Chicago, 12/21/2023: 35 points
vs. Cleveland State, 12/16/2023: 38 points
at Wisconsin, 12/10/2023: 28 points
at Iowa State, 12/6/2023: 35 points
vs. Bowling Green, 12/2/2023: 24 points
vs. Kansas State, 11/26/2023: 32 points
vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 11/25/2023: 21 points
vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, 11/24/2023: 29 points
vs. Drake, 11/19/2023: 35 points
vs. Kansas State, 11/16/2023: 24 points
at UNI, 11/12/2023: 24 points
vs. Virginia Tech, 11/9/2023: 44 points
vs. FDU, 11/6/2023: 28 points
Should Caitlin Clark stay at Iowa or go to WNBA? It’s complicated.
The Greatest Show in Sports is humming along, barnstorming the nation, hitting logo threes and breaking records as February works its way to the madness of March, bringing us closer to the answer to two intriguing questions:
Will Caitlin Clark stay at Iowa for her fifth COVID year or will she go to the WNBA? And, is she going to represent the United States at the Olympics this summer in Paris?
The first question is totally in her control and all hers to answer. Does Clark, a fourth-year senior who gets a COVID year if she wants it, come back to Iowa to sink three-point shots and thread no-look passes and pack arenas around the Big Ten and the nation, which will be basically one and the same by the time the 2024-25 season begins?
Or does she go to the WNBA, where she will be the No. 1 pick in the draft and immediately become the best-known pro in the women’s game, even if there will be the inevitable learning curve playing with and against the best players in the world? — Christine Brennan
Can anyone challenge Caitlin Clark’s new NCAA scoring record?
Kelsey Plum’s record stood for seven years. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder thinks Caitlin Clark’s could stand even longer.
Clark has 3,569 points, and still has the rest of this season to play. Maybe next year, too. Clark is eligible to play a fifth COVID year and has not yet said whether she plans to return to Iowa or go to the WNBA.
“This record is going to stand for a long time and I’m just glad she’s wearing black and gold,” Bluder said.
Bluder also said she loved that Clark set the record with a logo 3, the shot that’s become her signature. Clark also set a career-high with 49 points.
“You do it, you do it well, girl,” Bluder said. — Nancy Armour
What type of Caitlin Clark fan are you? Take the quiz.
Do you love Caitlin Clark or do you LOVE Caitlin Clark?
Love her, hate her, like her or think she’s overrated, one thing is for sure: The senior guard from Iowa has serious game.
Not sure exactly where you stand? We can help you out. This USA TODAY Sports quiz will reveal the answer to a crucial question as we prep for March Madness: What kind of Caitlin Clark fan are you? — Lindsay Schnell
WNBA legend Sue Bird: Caitlin Clark will have ‘success early’ in league
Four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird believes Caitlin Clark’s game will translate well into the WNBA.
‘I do think she has a chance at having a lot of success early,’ Bird said during an appearance on ’The Sports Media Podcast’ with Richard Deitsch, which airs in full on Thursday.
Bird cites the Iowa star’s range as the key weapon to her success. (Clark did break the women’s all-time NCAA scoring record last week on a 35-foot logo shot, after all.) ‘I think a lot of it comes down to her long-distance shooting. That is her separator. You’re not really used to guarding people out there,’ Bird explained. — Cydney Henderson
Sheryl Swoopes speaks with Caitlin Clark after viral comments
After making a controversial dig at Caitlin Clark as she neared the women’s all-time NCAA scoring record, Sheryl Swoopes said she spoke to the Iowa star about her comments − thanks to LSU’s Angel Reese.
The three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player was on the broadcast for Sunday’s game between Baylor and Texas Tech, where she said Reese helped facilitate a conversation between her and Clark.
‘A couple of weeks ago, I reached out to Angel and had a really good conversation with Angel over the phone and sent a message to Caitlin. She responded. She and I went back and forth,” Swoopes said. ‘I won’t share what she said, I’ll leave that to her if she wants to share. But I will say, what I said to her was, ‘I made a mistake in saying it was your fifth year when it is your fourth.’ “ — Jordan Mendoza