Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY

Bruce Pearl Makes Caitlin Clark Blunder

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mintu Tomar | Last updated Mar 8, 2026 4:34 PM ET

Before rising to stardom in the W, Caitlin Clark became a college basketball icon after turning the Iowa Hawkeyes into a strong side. Her name can be witnessed on almost every college basketball milestone. Yet, Bruce Pearl somehow forgot the Indiana Fever guard's name.

On Sunday, ahead of the Hawkeyes' game against the UCLA Bruins, the former Auburn coach was talking about how Iowa has been playing so well this season under coach Jan Jensen despite not having a star like Clark and former coaches like C. Vivian Stringer and Lisa Bluder.

However, Pearl couldn't get some names right including Clark's. "Iowa women's basketball. No superstar Caitlin Smith," the analyst said during CBS' studio show. Before he could finish his sentence, he got immediately corrected and then said, "you are right, Caitlin Clark"

"Iowa women's basketball. No superstar Caitlin Smith. No Hall of Fame coaches. C. Vivian Stringer .... No Lisa Blunder." - Bruce Pearl on Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder pic.twitter.com/UkfXQR43rf
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 8, 2026

"No Hall of Fame coaches. C. Vivian Stringer .... No Lisa Blunder." While he pronounced former Iowa coach Stringer's name right, Pearl also forgot to take Lisa Bluder's name correctly. It seems Pearl was having a hard time on Sunday remembering names.

Coming back to Clark's former college basketball team, the Hawkeyes couldn't extend their 8-game winning streak on Sunday in Indianapolis. After recently defeating Illinois and Michigan, they looked set to clinch another game but the UCLA had other plans.

Although star player of the season Ava Heiden scored 15 points, they weren't enough for the Hawkeyes. The Bruins convincingly beat them 96-45 while strengthening their chances to be the No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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