Caitlin Clark

[CONN78SEJ]

Scored 46 points, had 10 assists in loss to Michigan, 98-90. Quite a feat, but also shows that basketball will always be a team sport.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Scored 46 points, had 10 assists in loss to Michigan, 98-90. Quite a feat, but also shows that basketball will always be a team sport.

Tell you this much....I wouldn't want to be in Michigan's bracket. Pick your poison. They can score at all positions...including the bench. And Phelia...might be the steal of the class.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Tell you this much....I wouldn't want to be in Michigan's bracket. Pick your poison. They can score at all positions...including the bench. And Phelia...might be the steal of the class.

Definitely agree, they will be a tough out for anyone. Does anyone know the last time someone scored around 46 points in one game? I think Maya came close to that a couple of times.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Watched Clark and was absolutely stunned!!! She's the best shooter I've seen since Pistol Pete Maravich half a century ago. Astonishing!!! Not sure which is the better player- Paige or Clark. Paige has better coaching and probably a better supporting cast. Michigan survived with great free throw shooting down the stretch. But I've never seen anyone in the women's game, either in the pros or in college, do what Caitlin Clark just did. Not even Diana Taurasi.

Seriously.

 

[TCC Kid]

Scored 46 points, had 10 assists in loss to Michigan, 98-90. Quite a feat, but also shows that basketball will always be a team sport.

How many times last year was PAIGE over 20 points and the leading scorer? How often did Uconn rely on Paige to win the games? Does that mean Uconn wasn't a TEAM.
Obviously, I like Clark. She is a talent. I would like her to be a Uconn husky. Coaches, use the weapons they have. If that means Clark has to shoot 43 points or Paige has to shoot 30 that's what they do. Team means we all work, using our individual assets, to win.

 

[Aluminny69]

Watched Clark and was absolutely stunned!!! She's the best shooter I've seen since Pistol Pete Maravich half a century ago. Astonishing!!! Not sure which is the better player- Paige or Clark. Paige has better coaching and probably a better supporting cast. Michigan survived with great free throw shooting down the stretch. But I've never seen anyone in the women's game, either in the pros or in college, do what Caitlin Clark just did. Not even Diana Taurasi.

Seriously.

Those who watched Jackie Stiles play might beg to differ.

 

[ochoopsfan]

No matter how many stats CC puts up, IMO this is a "me" play. "Only I can win the game for the team" I dont care what the score or game situation is.
I'll take PB any day of the week.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Does anyone know the last time someone scored around 46 points in one game?

Didn't Ayoka Lee from Kansas St. score 60 in a game just a couple weeks ago?

I was in attendance the last regular season game in 2017 when Plum poured in 57 and broke the career scoring record.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Clark is really good and has insane range. But here’s a key point: Iowa lost.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Didn't Ayoka Lee from Kansas St. score 60 in a game just a couple weeks ago?

I was in attendance the last regular season game in 2017 when Plum poured in 57 and broke the career scoring record.

Lee set the record of 61.

 

[Majic Hands]

Scored 46 points, had 10 assists in loss to Michigan, 98-90. Quite a feat, but also shows that basketball will always be a team sport.

That's why UConn wouldn't win another NC. Paige throwing up big numbers and 4 teammates watching while they lose the game.

Gotta have 5+ players committed to winning, contributing in all aspects of the game.

I really like Caitlin. Unfortunately she isn't helping her teammates to be better. Just my take since the beginning of last year and it hasn't changed.

 

[letsgogirls]

That's why UConn wouldn't win another NC. Paige throwing up big numbers and 4 teammates watching while they lose the game.

Gotta have 5+ players committed to winning, contributing in all aspects of the game.

I really like Caitlin. Unfortunately she isn't helping her teammates to be better. Just my take since the beginning of last year and it hasn't changed.

How is averaging 8+ assists not making your teammates better?

 

[letsgogirls]

Clark is really good and has insane range. But here’s a key point: Iowa lost.

They were expected to lose since they were down 2 starters and only 7 available on the road against #6

 

[Plebe]

Didn't Ayoka Lee from Kansas St. score 60 in a game just a couple weeks ago?

I was in attendance the last regular season game in 2017 when Plum poured in 57 and broke the career scoring record.

<Shameless Plum plug alert!>

Lee scored 61.

Rachel Banham set the then-NCAA record with 60 in a game.

 

[oldude]

Clark is a great player. But Iowa gave up 98 pts to a team that averages 74 ppg. In addition, Clark went off in the 4th qtr, after MI had built up a 20 pt lead, so a lot of her scoring only reduced the MOV.

Iowa is a team that will win or lose playing an up tempo game, that seeks to get the ball to Clark in transition to either bomb away or feed open teammates. It’s exciting to watch, but I don’t think it wins you championships

 

[sun]

Clark won't give up until she reaches a FF.
She deserves every award that she can get, and I hope she receives POY.
She picked a school where she could be the PG and is doing everything she can to help her team.
Everyone including Geno knows that she has special talents.

UConn’s Geno Auriemma pulled Caitlin Clark aside after the Huskies’ win. Here’s what he had to say.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma had hardly congratulated his own team on a 92-72 win as they...

www.ctpost.com

 

[my2cents]

My entire point of view changed based on two facts. Iowa was only playing with 7 players due to injuries. ( We know that feeling) AND they were down 20 points. The coach and team's only way to win the game was to ride the extremely hot hand of Clark. They did cut the lead down to 5.
Lastly, Clark is a great player, I just hope the comparisons to Paige are not brought back to this board. Tiresome.

 

[Mdoggie]

Lastly, Clark is a great player, I just hope the comparisons to Paige are not brought back to this board. Tiresome.
I was just hoping we could discuss UConn players on the UConn portion of this forum.

 

[eebmg]

My analogy which I think I gave before

1) Caitlin is like an intergalactic Blockbuster movie. Sure to thrill
2) Paige is like a beautifully choreographed and complex ballet. A true pleasure to those who can appreciate it.

Paige cannot and/or would not want to do some of the things Caitlin does like going 3 v 1 into combat and make a large number of contested shots or drive hard into a clogged middle but look for easier answers

The world can hold both types

On the other hand, the question I think is more interesting is how each would fare in the others situation

1) Geno would work hard on getting Caitlin to take the highest percentage shots and with more talent around her, I could see her morph into a paige type player with the same level of success getting all her teammates involved. I do not think Caitlin is a real 'me; player like an Arike but is forced into it by circumstance

2) At Iowa with less talent, Paige would have to be more dominant than she is at UConn but I think Paige would be able to develop better synergy with more players than Caitlin is doing where she and Czinano work the 2 man game. I also think Paige would be the better defender although Caitlin is improving quite a bit in that although the defensive effort is not always there. Perhaps a function of going at the highest speed on offense?

Anyway, just idle personal speculation

 

[CTBballfan243]

Watched Clark and was absolutely stunned!!! She's the best shooter I've seen since Pistol Pete Maravich half a century ago. Astonishing!!! Not sure which is the better player- Paige or Clark. Paige has better coaching and probably a better supporting cast. Michigan survived with great free throw shooting down the stretch. But I've never seen anyone in the women's game, either in the pros or in college, do what Caitlin Clark just did. Not even Diana Taurasi.

Seriously.

Diana only carried an average team to two national championships. It’s shouldn’t be to much of an ask for Caitlin to do the same.

 

[TeamFirst!]

No matter how many stats CC puts up, IMO this is a "me" play. "Only I can win the game for the team" I dont care what the score or game situation is.
I'll take PB any day of the week.

With 3 minutes to go and some 13 points down someone should be throwing up some quick 3's. I do agree that she could have gotten closer before launching but then she would have had someone on her also.

 

[The deacon]

My analogy which I think I gave before

1) Caitlin is like an intergalactic Blockbuster movie. Sure to thrill
2) Paige is like a beautifully choreographed and complex ballet. A true pleasure to those who can appreciate it.

Paige cannot and/or would not want to do some of the things Caitlin does like going 3 v 1 into combat and make a large number of contested shots or drive hard into a clogged middle but look for easier answers

The world can hold both types

On the other hand, the question I think is more interesting is how each would fare in the others situation

1) Geno would work hard on getting Caitlin to take the highest percentage shots and with more talent around her, I could see her morph into a paige type player with the same level of success getting all her teammates involved. I do not think Caitlin is a real 'me; player like an Arike but is forced into it by circumstance

2) At Iowa with less talent, Paige would have to be more dominant than she is at UConn but I think Paige would be able to develop better synergy with more players than Caitlin is doing where she and Czinano work the 2 man game. I also think Paige would be the better defender although Caitlin is improving quite a bit in that although the defensive effort is not always there. Perhaps a function of going at the highest speed on offense?

Anyway, just idle personal speculation

Excellent post, eebmg, and what I believe to be fascinating thoughts on how each player would develop within the other program's context.

A point about Caitlin that's been touched on but barely: she is easily the team's leading rebounder with more than 8 per game, has more than 8 assists per game, and she's shooting 45.7 from the floor and 89.4 from the foul line. Other than Czinano, the prospects for assists drop off significantly whenever she passes to another teammate.

For any of you wondering how she might play with much a stronger supporting cast, check out her performances with the U-19 national team last summer. Caitlin was clearly the MVP on a team of excellent players, setting up teammates regularly while scoring just in the low teens.

A comparison above to what Diana Taurasi did with an 'average' team, Caitlin could only dream to have the roster around her that Diana did in her final two seasons..

As I said on another thread, I'm thrilled with having Paige as our Huskies centerpiece, but I can still enjoy watching Iowa play just to enjoy the Clark skills on display. I'll bet, given the chance, Paige would, too.

 

[UcMiami]

It is interesting, because up until the last couple of weeks, I was sort of wondering what had been wrong with Clark - she seemed to be 'ordinary', by which I mean not shooting that well, not scoring that much, etc. Then she went off on a string of triple doubles scoring 30+ points and shooting much better.

Her percentage from 3 is still down at .302 but she seems to have come alive - last night she made 14 baskets and her teammates made 15, and on those 15 baskets she assisted on 10 (the rest of the team had 2 assists)

 

[undersized]

Iowa has two injured starters currently. This includes their best perimeter defender (Marshall) and best front court rebounder (Warnock). Both lead the team in 3P% and provide much needed spacing to the offense, preventing opposing defenses from being able to bring a double to Clark or Czinano every time they touch the ball. Additionally, 5 of Iowa's 7 frontcourt players are injured, leaving literally no one to play the PF spot who actually trains that position. So last night Iowa had two 5'11'' guards -- one of whom is a freshman who wasn't in the regular rotation before all these injuries -- playing the corners of a 2-3 zone trying to defend Michigan's stellar post players. Despite that, Iowa still managed to come within 5 points in the final minute of the 4th quarter.

It is so tiresome to read outsider perspectives on what Clark should or shouldn't be doing when a majority of observers probably know next to nothing about the rest of Iowa's roster.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

How many times last year was PAIGE over 20 points and the leading scorer? How often did Uconn rely on Paige to win the games? Does that mean Uconn wasn't a TEAM.
Obviously, I like Clark. She is a talent. I would like her to be a Uconn husky. Coaches, use the weapons they have. If that means Clark has to shoot 43 points or Paige has to shoot 30 that's what they do. Team means we all work, using our individual assets, to win.

You sir don’t have a clue. UConn was a team and had very well balanced scoring last year. Paige averaged 20 ppg but CW was right behind her at 16.5 ppg, Ono averaged 12 ppg, and EW averaged 10 ppg IIRC. Iowa or even DePaul doesn’t come close to that kind of scoring spread, both are one player teams and their WL records reflect that, this year or last year.