Celtics have high praise for Iowa star Caitlin Clark, women’s NCAA Tournament
Caitlin Clark, the star guard of Iowa, led the Hawkeyes to the Final Four in the women’s NCAA Tournament by scoring 41 points.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — After the Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, the focus of the NBA’s best team quickly turned to something else: watching Caitlin Clark and the final minutes of Iowa’s victory over LSU in the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
With the volume on the television cranked up, 10 Celtics players sat in a row at their lockers icing their feet, and intently watching Clark make nine 3-pointers and score 41 points to lead Iowa to the Final Four with a 94-87 win.
“One player asked, “How many 3s does she have?”
Upon hearing it was nine, he shook his head and replied, “Wow, that girl really knows how to play.”
“Caitlin Clark is stealing the show of basketball, not only in the women’s game but also the men’s game,” Celtics forward Sam Hauser said. “She’s just really good. And she’s definitely worth the watch.”
Only in the waning seconds of the game, when Iowa secured their win, did the players finally change out of their game uniforms and head for the showers. They continued discussing Clark’s feats even then.
Clark is the NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader and will enter the Final Four with 3,900 career points and in sixth place on college basketball’s all-division, all-time scoring list.
Hauser remembers numerous nights when NBA players would be at their lockers, engrossed in the men’s NCAA Tournament, often supporting their alma maters. However, it was uncommon to see them so absorbed in a women’s game.
“UConn had been dominating for years, but now the playing field in women’s basketball is more even,” said Hauser. “Certainly, Clark has managed to capture everyone’s attention.”
