Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes secured a spot in the Sweet 16 following their 65-54 victory against West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Despite the Hawkeyes struggling on the offensive front, Clark was successful in helping her team survive another day in the tournament.
Apart from the victory, Caitlin Clark achieved another personal milestone. The 22-year-old scored 32 points along with 8 rebounds and three assists to record 1,113 points for the season. This helped her become the player to score the most points in a single season, breaking Kelsey Plum’s previous record of 1,109 points in D1 women’s basketball.
As Clark celebrates her latest college basketball milestone, fans took to social media to share their opinions on the same. Some fans blasted the Iowa star on social media, frowning at the officiating of the second-round showdown game between the two programs.
“Shoul be thanking the refs instead of flexing at the camera”, one fan wrote.
Here are a few more reactions to fans calling out the officiating of the Iowa vs West Virginia game.
Whereas, other fans congratulated Caitlin Clark on adding another college record to her name.
Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes advance to the Sweet 16
With this second-round victory, the Iowa Hawkeyes are to face the Colorado Buffaloes in the Sweet 16 matchup on Saturday. However, the victory against West Virginia was difficult as it did not come easy for the team.
The Hawkeyes were the leading team in the national in terms of scoring ahead of the game with an average of 92.8 points per game. However, Clark and her team had a disappointing offensive showcase with just 36.4% shots from the field, marking their lowest single-game point total this campaign.
Despite West Virginia’s best efforts and leveling the game in the fourth quarter, the Hawkeyes successfully held onto their slim lead. Caitlin Clark opened up about the intensity of the match in her post-game statement, talking about how their experience on the court contributed to their victory in the second round.
“I think we used our crowd. We gave up a 10-0 run to start the quarter, but this team was never flustered. It speaks to our experience…Wanted to go out on a high note”, Clark said.
Can the Hawkeyes continue this winning momentum and advance to the Final Four after their showdown against Colorado this weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.