WHO: 3-seed UConn Huskies (32-5 overall, 18-0 Big East)
WHEN: 8:30 PM CT (Friday, April 5)
WHERE: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland, Ohio)
TV: ESPN
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network
ONLINE: https://www.espn.com/watch/
MOBILE: https://www.espn.com/watch/
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN
In last year's Final Four Iowa had to face the most dominant program of the current era, South Carolina. In this year's Final Four, Iowa is set to face the most successful program of the 21st century, UConn, after just defeating LSU, last year's national champion, in the Elite Eight. The challenges Iowa has faced have been great -- but those massive challenges have also produced some of Iowa's greatest performances.
Friday night's game could feature a personal edge as well. On Monday night after UConn's 80-73 victory over USC to advance to the Final Four, coach Geno Auriemma stated that there was nothing personal between him and Iowa star Caitlin Clark.
Auriemma's comment is understandable. Clark comes from the Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant school of letting grudges push her play to another level. On Monday night, Clark proved that again, earning revenge on LSU with a 41-point, 12-assist performance in which she tied an NCAA Tournament single-game record with nine three-pointers.
The problem for Auriemma, though, is that his comment almost certainly isn't true -- at least not for Clark. The Wright Thompson feature on Clark mentioned that UConn was Clark's dream school in high school, but noted that Auriemma never came to see her play. Auriemma instead focused his attention on Paige Bueckers, and once he landed her commitment, he didn't try to pursue Clark to have them play together.
There is no greater motivator than someone telling you that you aren't good enough. During the recruiting process, Auriemma's actions said that he thought Bueckers was better than Clark and that UConn didn't need her to achieve its goals. Clark has lived with that knowledge for four years now.
Just over a week ago, Auriemma called Bueckers the best player in America in a press conference. He tried to walk that comment back recently, but Clark no doubt heard it. She certainly thought back to the decision Auriemma made on the recruiting trail.
No one doubts that Auriemma thinks Clark is a fantastic player, or that he wouldn't love to have her on his UConn team this season. There's likely a part of him that regrets not trying to have Clark and Bueckers team up.
But for a player with Clark's mentality, that doesn't really matter. She was slighted by him once, and that helped motivate her to become the superstar that she has become now.
Thanks to fate (and the bracket devised by the NCAA selection committee), Clark gets one final opportunity to prove Auriemma wrong. Friday's game will absolutely be personal for Clark. It might be more personal than any other game she has played.
More here: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/final-four-preview-iowa-wbb-vs-3-seed-uconn
WHEN: 8:30 PM CT (Friday, April 5)
WHERE: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland, Ohio)
TV: ESPN
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network
ONLINE: https://www.espn.com/watch/
MOBILE: https://www.espn.com/watch/
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN
In last year's Final Four Iowa had to face the most dominant program of the current era, South Carolina. In this year's Final Four, Iowa is set to face the most successful program of the 21st century, UConn, after just defeating LSU, last year's national champion, in the Elite Eight. The challenges Iowa has faced have been great -- but those massive challenges have also produced some of Iowa's greatest performances.
Friday night's game could feature a personal edge as well. On Monday night after UConn's 80-73 victory over USC to advance to the Final Four, coach Geno Auriemma stated that there was nothing personal between him and Iowa star Caitlin Clark.
Auriemma's comment is understandable. Clark comes from the Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant school of letting grudges push her play to another level. On Monday night, Clark proved that again, earning revenge on LSU with a 41-point, 12-assist performance in which she tied an NCAA Tournament single-game record with nine three-pointers.
The problem for Auriemma, though, is that his comment almost certainly isn't true -- at least not for Clark. The Wright Thompson feature on Clark mentioned that UConn was Clark's dream school in high school, but noted that Auriemma never came to see her play. Auriemma instead focused his attention on Paige Bueckers, and once he landed her commitment, he didn't try to pursue Clark to have them play together.
There is no greater motivator than someone telling you that you aren't good enough. During the recruiting process, Auriemma's actions said that he thought Bueckers was better than Clark and that UConn didn't need her to achieve its goals. Clark has lived with that knowledge for four years now.
Just over a week ago, Auriemma called Bueckers the best player in America in a press conference. He tried to walk that comment back recently, but Clark no doubt heard it. She certainly thought back to the decision Auriemma made on the recruiting trail.
No one doubts that Auriemma thinks Clark is a fantastic player, or that he wouldn't love to have her on his UConn team this season. There's likely a part of him that regrets not trying to have Clark and Bueckers team up.
But for a player with Clark's mentality, that doesn't really matter. She was slighted by him once, and that helped motivate her to become the superstar that she has become now.
Thanks to fate (and the bracket devised by the NCAA selection committee), Clark gets one final opportunity to prove Auriemma wrong. Friday's game will absolutely be personal for Clark. It might be more personal than any other game she has played.
More here: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/final-four-preview-iowa-wbb-vs-3-seed-uconn
