Caitlin Clark's near triple-double leads to opening win

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) warms up before the NCAA first-round game against the Holy Cross Crusaders at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Caitlin Clark's near triple-double leads Iowa to first-round win

By Sean Keane | Last updated 3/23/24

Caitlin Clark fell two rebounds short of a triple-double. That was the only way she and the Hawkeyes fell short in a blowout win over Holy Cross.

Caitlin Clark with a DEEP stepback triple pic.twitter.com/AbzQ6xFNQc
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 23, 2024

Clark, the all-time Division 1 scoring leader, put up 27 points, some coming from extremely long range as top-seeded Iowa won its opening round game, 91-65.

She showed off the full complement of her game, finding teammates for ten assists. These weren’t cheap assists, either. Clark got teammates five wide-open three-pointers, and the other five assists led to layups. Teams have to focus on Clark, and she’s more than happy to crash the boards, cut and dish to share the scoring wealth.

This sequence helps define Caitlin Clark. It won’t get the attention like a logo 3, but it’s elite.

Rebound, run, vision, pass and move — then the pass leading to a layup. pic.twitter.com/epMUfv9TB8
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) March 23, 2024

The only thing Clark did wrong was complain to the officials too much. At least that’s what her father thought, as ABC’s cameras caught him telling her to “Shut up” from the sidelines.

Caitlin Clark's dad was not happy about her complaining at officials during Iowa's NCAA Tournament game vs Holy Cross. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/0fpUpnD2FR
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) March 23, 2024

But in a year where attendance for women’s basketball is setting records — more than 109,000 attended the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament — Clark’s earned some leeway. After all, that’s the sign of a true basketball superstar: Yelling at the refs.

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