Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes are set to return to the NCAA tournament finals, where they will face off against the South Carolina Gamecocks led by coach Dawn Staley. This upcoming match is crucial for Clark's legacy, as many believe it could determine her place among the greatest of all time (GOAT). Despite this, Staley maintains that Breanna Stewart, the former UConn star and current New York Liberty forward, holds the title of GOAT in her eyes, citing Stewart's impressive record of four national championships and MVP accolades.
South Carolina, aiming for their second national title this decade, presents a formidable challenge for Iowa. Staley believes that if the Gamecocks defeat Iowa, Clark's claim to the GOAT title would be in jeopardy. However, if Clark leads Iowa to victory, Staley acknowledges her exceptional talent.
Even with a championship win, Clark would still fall short of Stewart's remarkable record. Stewart achieved a national title in each of her college seasons, boasting averages of 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game over 152 games.
For Clark, defeating South Carolina would be the perfect conclusion to her college career. In 2023, despite Clark's outstanding performance of 41 points against South Carolina in the Final Four, Iowa lost to LSU in the national championship game. Staley attributed this loss to Iowa's underperformance, stating, "I don't think we felt pressure to win the game, we just didn't perform."
In the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Clark has been exceptional, averaging 30.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 9.4 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 44.5 from the field and 35.4 from three-point range. She has also been a defensive force, averaging 2.0 steals per game.