Is winning the NCAA tournament necessary for Caitlin Clark to solidify her legacy?
The end is near for Caitlin Clark’s time at college. Before turning pro later this year, Clark will say “goodbye” to NCAA basketball in the 2024 Women’s Tournament, having made countless moments and broken decades-old records while leaving an enduring impression on the sport.
On Clark’s college record, there is still one honor absent. Before she enters the WNBA the following month, the NCAA’s all-time point leader is eager to add this victory to her resume. Clark has always wanted a title, and in order to do that, she will need to inspire her Iowa Hawkeyes teammates a few more times.
The pursuit of a title by Clark
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For most players, there can be a huge gulf between being one of the greatest collegiate basketball players of all time and being the unquestioned GOAT of the sport. Clark, though, is not like “most players.” Since she is unique, it would be difficult for many supporters and observers to credibly argue in favor of any other NCAA athlete in the contemporary age if she were to win a national championship to cap off her career.
.@Andraya_Carter says Caitlin Clark is a national championship away from being "the GOAT of college basketball" 👀 pic.twitter.com/ZkyIxOh3Y5
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 22, 2024
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Before shattering the point mark this season, Clark elevated her game to new heights. Her 3,771 points scored set a record for any college basketball player, men or women. With a career-high 8.9 assists per game this season, she has averaged 31.9 points per game. Clark definitely would not have been able to guarantee her Hawkeyes a #1 seed if she hadn’t had a remarkable performance against Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament final game.
The near misses in Iowa
Iowa’s chances of winning a national championship for the first time in school history may be greatly aided by being a top seed for the first time since 1992. When the Hawkeyes play 16-seed Holy Cross at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, they will have the opportunity to start the process of making it back to the championship game for the second straight year.
Caitlin Clark’s teammates tried to recreate her record breaking shot 🏀 (🎥: @FS1 ) pic.twitter.com/cxORzG9sxC
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) March 22, 2024
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Iowa lost to 10th-seeded Creighton in the 2022 tournament’s second round after falling to top-seeded Connecticut in the Sweet 16 in the 2021 tournament, before losing to Angel Reese and LSU in the title game last April. These are the outcomes that, for some, sum up Clark’s college career. One of the most intriguing plots to watch in this year’s tournament is if she can alter the narrative by ending her time at Iowa with a championship.
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But one thing is for sure, Clark is among the best college basketball players to have ever stepped onto the court. It’s a matter of figuring out how wonderful now.
