Tag: March Madness 2024

Caitlin Clark praised Paige Bueckers ahead of Iowa and UConn’s Final Four game

Caitlin Clark has tremendous respect for Paige Bueckers and how she plays the game.

Ahead of their 2024 women’s NCAA Final Four game, Iowa women’s basketball’s Caitlin Clark praised UConn’s Paige Bueckers and what she’s been able to accomplish in her career.

Clark and Bueckers have known each other since middle school, and the former lauded the latter for her competitive spirit and the way she leads her team when she plays.

It’s a really cool reminder from Clark for how much these athletes respect one another, even when the competition gets fierce with a shared goal on the table.

Clark will be headed to the WNBA after the season while Bueckers will stay in school for another year. It sure sounds like Clark will be cheering Bueckers on as she remains one of college basketball’s true stars.

Bueckers also talked about the possibility that she’ll replace Clark as the sport’s biggest star next season, hoping instead that the focus will shift more to all of the great women’s basketball players at the collegiate level.

These were some really cool insights from two of the game’s great players, who are both winners no matter who wins in the Final Four game on Friday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=462925]

Caitlin Clark learned she won AP Player of the Year with a Wheel of Fortune puzzle

It’s certainly not puzzling to see how Caitlin Clark won this award.

Iowa women’s basketball superstar Caitlin Clark won her second AP Player of the Year honor this week, and she found out the news in the best way.

During a Hawkeyes team meeting, coach Lisa Bluder revealed a Wheel of Fortune-style game puzzle for Iowa to figure out.

As letters were guessed, it became apparent that it had something to do with Clark, as the team soon celebrated the basketball phenom on her stellar achievement once the puzzle was solved.

If you’re going to find out such fantastic news in your last days as a college basketball player, it might as well be in a fun way like this. Clark looked elated at the recognition, as she definitely earned it for what she’s done this season.

You definitely don’t need a Wheel of Fortune puzzle to remind you of that.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=462925]

Paige Bueckers stunned fans with her explosive Elite Eight performance for UConn

Paige Bueckers put on a show in the Elite Eight round.

While Iowa’s Caitlin Clark got plenty of love for her incredible performance against LSU on Monday night, UConn’s Paige Bueckers wowed fans after leading her team past USC in the evening’s second Elite Eight game.

Bueckers scored 28 points, including three 3-pointers, as the Huskies made it to the Final Four over an excellent Trojans team led by the outstanding JuJu Watkins.

This impressive sequence late in the fourth quarter helped UConn pull away from USC, as Bueckers got five very tough points in the clutch.

It’s baskets like this that will help the Huskies guard succeed in the WNBA one day, even though she’s returning to UConn for the 2024-25 season.

 

To make Bueckers’ stellar performance even better, she and the Huskies will take on Iowa and Caitlin Clark on Friday in the Final Four for a chance at the 2024 national title game.

That game should be must-see television for all sports fans.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

A teary Angel Reese reminded everyone she’s just human as teammates passionately defended her

These are powerful messages from Angel Reese and Flau’Jae Johnson.

One of the harder parts of playing sports in front of the national audience is dealing with the attention from fans, media and beyond.

After the LSU women’s basketball team fell to Iowa in the Elite Eight round on Monday night, two of the team’s best players delivered powerful reminders to all willing to listen about the very real human cost of visibility.

Angel Reese and Flau’Jae Johnson both talked about the negative attention that the program, and Reese in particular, have received since the team won the 2023 women’s NCAA national championship.

Reese was moved to tears during both moments, as she reminded her critics that she’s human and detailed some of the hardships she has faced since becoming a national figure.

“I’ve been through so much; I’ve seen so much,” an emotional Reese told reporters after the game. “I’ve been attacked so many times. Death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened. I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time, and I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and, like, not be there for them. So, I just want them to always just now, like, I’m still a human.”

Johnson provided a similarly stirring defense of Reese amid any outside criticism, talking about what a role model she is for her teammates. Her words also made Reese quite emotional.

“Y’all don’t know Angel Reese,” Johnson said. “I know the real Angel Reese, and the person I see every day is a strong person, is a caring, loving person… The crown she [wears] is heavy… She’s the type of teammate that’s going to make you believe in yourself.”

Van Lith also vigorously defended Reese, saying that any hate was not going to get to her.

It’s always an important reminder that we always engage with athletes, especially those playing at the collegiate level, with empathy and respect, as nothing that happens on the court is as important as how those who play are treated away from the game.

It’s clear that LSU has Reese’s back, and you can only hope more people will heed this message and treat all of these athletes with care and class.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

Caitlin Clark showed why she’s a great role model by signing items for thrilled fans after Elite Eight win

Caitlin Clark still made time for some Iowa fans after the Elite Eight game.

Iowa women’s basketball standout Caitlin Clark delivered one of the best performances of her college career on Monday night in the Elite Eight round against LSU.

Clark scored a remarkable 41 points, including nine 3-pointers, as her Hawkeyes got past the Tigers to make another Final Four appearance.

However, Clark still made time for fans after the game to sign various items and greet them as they made their way to Albany, New York, to support the Iowa superstar and her fellow Hawkeyes.

This is such a sweet gesture on Clark’s part, as she clearly made the night of some very fortunate fans who got a little time with a real legend after a legendary performance.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

Caitlin Clark shared incredibly classy moments with Angel Reese, Kim Mulkey after LSU-Iowa

There was plenty of respect between Iowa and LSU on Monday night.

While Monday night’s Elite Eight battle between Iowa and LSU only sent one team to the Final Four, both programs clearly had a lot of respect for one another.

After Iowa notched the 94-87 victory over LSU, Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark and Tigers superstar Angel Reese exchanged in a classy show of respect after the contest in the handshake line, as did Clark and LSU coach Kim Mulkey.

Clark and Reese both showed why they’re at the top of the game on Monday night, and both showed why they have such respect for each other with a friendly greeting afterwards.

For Mulkey, you can only do so much to slow Clark down, and she clearly respects what Clark is able to do as arguably the game’s best collegiate player right now.

While the Elite Eight game between these two powerhouses was clearly a hard-fought one, it’s nice to see how much these two teams appreciate the quality of play and people on the other side of the court.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

Hailey Van Lith and Angel Reese could only shrug off Caitlin Clark’s spectacular Elite Eight performance

Well, what can you do?

Iowa women’s basketball superstar Caitlin Clark caught fire during her team’s 94-87 Elite Eight victory over LSU, and all the Tigers could do was shrug off the stunning performance from Clark on Monday night.

On two separate occasions, LSU standouts Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith shrugged at Clark’s stellar 41-point performance on the court in a “What can you do?” fashion.

To be honest, there really isn’t much you can do when Clark gets going, and Reese and Van Lith learned the hard way what it’s like to be on the receiving end of an amazing offensive explosion from the Hawkeyes legend.

Sometimes, all you really can do is shrug it off when Clark is on her A-game.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN. 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

Hailey Van Lith’s inability to stop Caitlin Clark during LSU vs. Iowa inspired some great memes

Hailey Van Lith did not have a good time.

LSU women’s basketball guard Hailey Van Lith had a tall task in guarding Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark during Monday night’s Elite Eight game in Albany, New York.

Well, Clark didn’t have too much trouble finding the basket while Van Lith was guarding her during the contest, as the LSU guard’s defensive effort fell short of slowing down the Iowa elite scorer.

As the internet is wont to do, Van Lith’s defensive woes turned into an instant meme. While anybody would struggle to slow down Clark when she’s on her A-game, Van Lith still caught plenty of flak from sports fans.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

Ryan Ruocco delivered the funniest call of a thrilling Caitlin Clark 3-pointer during LSU vs. Iowa

Ryan Ruocco absolutely nailed this call.

ESPN broadcaster Ryan Ruocco drew arguably the best game of the women’s NCAA tournament so far, as LSU and Iowa finally faced off in the 2024 Elite Eight for a rematch of last year’s national title game.

Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark brought her unreal ability to hit 3-pointers from seemingly anywhere on her side of the court with her on Monday night, as she got the third quarter started off right with a stellar 3-point shot from near the logo.

Ruocco had plenty of Clark 3-point shots to call during the game, and he found a hysterical way to ring this one in. Since this game is being played in Albany, New York, Ruocco yelled “From Schenectady!” after Clark banked the 3-pointer.

Ruocco did as well with the broadcast call here as Clark did with the basket, as the viewers at home had to appreciate the creativity from the ESPN broadcaster to make this Clark thrilling 3-pointer take even more life.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]

Auburn legend Charles Barkley begrudgingly cheered ‘Roll Tide!’ after Alabama made its first men’s Final Four

Look away, Auburn fans.

If there’s anything an Auburn fan never wants to say, it’s the main slogan for Alabama.

Well, Auburn men’s basketball legend and sports broadcaster Charles Barkley had to metaphorically hold his nose as he gave credit to the Crimson Tide after the team punched its first-ever ticket to men’s Final Four.

Alabama’s 89-82 Elite Eight victory over Clemson on Saturday night was a historic one for the program, especially sweet for the rivalry after Auburn won the 2024 SEC title and got bounced earlier in the NCAA tournament.

Well, Barkley begrudgingly let out a “Roll Tide!” cheer to commend Alabama for its incredible accomplishment, surely to the delight of Crimson Tide fans everywhere.

While Auburn fans might want to zap this video from their memories as fast as possible, Barkley was a good sport for ever so briefly letting Bama have its flowers.

We’ll see how Alabama stacks up against UConn during that Final Four battle next weekend, and if Barkley has to keep praising Alabama’s excellence on the court… or can finally rejoice with all Auburn fans in it being eliminated from the tournament.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=78332]