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Fourteen teams spent last week competing for the conference title, but this event felt like one last Clark celebration for Big Ten fans who watched her become a phenomenon over the past four years. The tournament was sold out for the first time and the city center was overrun with fans, most dressed in black and gold.
Fittingly, Clark led Iowa to its third straight title in fantastic fashion during a 94-89 overtime victory over Nebraska. The now three-time Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player finished with 34 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. Clark scored or assisted on Iowa’s final 12 points of regulation to erase a late deficit and then scored six straight in overtime to give the second-seeded Hawkeyes a lead they never relinquished. The presumptive top pick in the WNBA draft scored 30 points after halftime, when Iowa trailed fifth-seeded Nebraska, 46-35.
“If this is the last time I play in a Big Ten game… what better way to end it all?” Clark said. “You have extra time, we counterattack, bad shots, good shots, defensive stops. I mean, he really had it all on the biggest stage. I couldn’t be happier for our group. This was the only way we could end this.”
After a Nebraska shot went awry and the buzzer sounded to end regulation, Clark looked at the crowd and yelled, “Five fucking minutes!” When he ended overtime, he ran the length of the court before throwing the ball into the stands. Moments later, confetti fell from the rafters and he was presented with another trophy.
Clark’s fans and his posters were everywhere in the building, and they were men, women and children. One girl said she was willing to trade a brother for Clark’s autograph. Another fan compared her to Michael Jordan and called her the best of all time. One claimed to have traveled about 24 hours to see the all-time scoring leader. In this tournament, Iowa fans dominated attendance at games that the Hawkeyes didn’t even participate in. But for your games, cheers of “IOWA!” echoed throughout the building, and even the upper floor was packed.
During her time here this weekend, Clark became the Big Ten tournament’s all-time scoring leader and the first NCAA Division I player to score 1,000 points in multiple seasons. She has 1,054 for 2023-24 and is closing in on Kelsey Plum’s single-season record of 1,109, set in 2016-17 for Washington.
All eyes were on Clark, but Nebraska didn’t mind the hype during its first trip to the tournament final since beating Iowa in 2014. The Cornhuskers surprised by visiting Iowa on Feb. 11 despite Clark scoring 31 points. And Sunday’s start was slow for Clark, who went 0-for-9 from behind the arc in the first half.
“In the first half, it wasn’t always the most fun,” he said. “Sometimes it was a little frustrating. I think that was our problem. We weren’t really smiling or having fun. In the second half we changed what we were doing… and had a lot more fun. Things started going our way. We were just much more patient. If we want to reach our goals in March, we will find ways to win that are not always pretty. … Our team is very prepared for it.”
Iowa coach Lisa Bluder added: “Maybe you can keep Caitlin down for the half. You will not keep her dominated throughout the game. There is no way.”
Nebraska raced to a 16-5 lead and held off a pair of Iowa runs to lead by 11 at halftime. The Cornhuskers made 7 of 16 shots from behind the arc to pick up where they left off in Saturday’s semifinal win over Maryland. The Hawkeyes were 4-for-16.
But Iowa found its footing in the third quarter, outscoring Nebraska 23-12 as Clark warmed up. His first 3-pointer was a step-back type, and then his cutting layup gave Iowa a 53-52 lead, its first since 5-4. Two free throws by Clark sent the game into the fourth quarter with the score tied at 58.
Clark shined down the stretch as an eight-point deficit disappeared, but Iowa also delivered defensively. In overtime, Clark had a steal after hitting a three-pointer to put his team up 89-87. Gabbie Marshall blocked a 3-pointer and had a deflection in the final moments. The game ended with Clark’s third steal.
“This is a heartbreaking and super disappointing loss,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “…Our kids came here expecting to win.”
“We had the entire stadium against us and we were able to silence the crowd,” said Jaz Shelley of the Cornhuskers. “…We came up a little short, but I think we played a great game.”
Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke held the fort while Clark fought; she finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. Kate Martin added 13 points and Sydney Affolter had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Alexis Markowski led Nebraska with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Natalie Potts had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Shelley finished with 16 points.
The Hawkeyes are in line for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament a year after losing to LSU in the championship game. Big Ten fans were able to say goodbye to Clark this weekend. The rest of the nation can begin to do the same when the NCAA tournament begins in two weeks.
“It never gets old to cut a net,” Clark said. “I feel like we’re pretty good at it now. Hopefully we can do it a few more times here at the end of March.
“For me, this is not a farewell tour. This is just Iowa basketball having fun and playing. I don’t want everything to be about me. “I just want it to be us.”