Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Clark aims to cap legend with crown
Iowa’s star can carve name on list of greatest
DALLAS — Caitlin Clark has captured the attention of basketball fans with her historic performance in the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa’s sensational guard will try to finish off the unprecedented run she’s led the Hawkeyes on with a championship when they face LSU on Sunday in the title game.
“I think winning a national championship is how you put a final bow on it,” Clark said. “I think that’s the best way, but we’re going to give
it everything we have for 40 more minutes. We know that’s all we have left of our season.”
The dazzling guard, who grew up in Iowa, became the first women’s player to post back-to-back 40-point performances in the NCAA Tournament after her 41-point game lifted the
Hawkeyes over previously unbeaten South Carolina in the Final Four.
Now she’ll try to etch her name next to some of the greatest ever to win a title — like Cheryl Miller, Sheryl Swoopes, Chamique Holdsclaw, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson,
Another SEC team stands in the way: LSU and coach Kim Mulkey, who was impressed watching Clark on Friday night.
“That’s my first time to see her play in person, and I didn’t get to watch the game because I had to deal with (the media),” Mulkey said. “When I did get out there, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Gosh, she’s special. She’s special.”
While her team doesn’t have any title experience, Mulkey has been in this position three times when she was coaching Baylor. Each time she won the title.
To keep that perfect record intact, LSU will have to find a way to slow down Clark.
“Iowa is a great team and I’m going to give credit where it’s due. They have the best player, the player of the year, Caitlin Clark,” LSU guard Alexis Morris said.
It took Mulkey five years to get Baylor to the final. She did it in two with the flagship school in her home state after beating Virginia Tech in the semifinals.
The Tigers made the Final Four in five straight seasons from 2004-08 led by women’s basketball greats Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles. LSU could never get to the title game until now.
“It is so exciting — I don’t even know how old LSU is,” Mulkey said. “I don’t even know when they started playing men’s or women’s basketball, but it has to be a long time ago. And to think all those great players that have played in the NBA and the WNBA, and they never played for a national championship. That’s mind-boggling to me.”