Caitlin Clark’s historic triple-double performance propelled the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Women’s NCAA Final Four for the first time in 30 years. Clark, the sensational freshman guard, scored 35 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out 11 assists in a dominant 85-53 victory over the heavily-favored Kentucky Wildcats. Clark’s 35 points marked her 14th 30-point game of the season, while her 11 assists tied an Iowa tournament record. Iowa, which last reached the Final Four in 1993, will face No. 1 seed Connecticut in the national semifinals.
The Hawkeyes set the tone early, jumping out to a 24-10 first-quarter lead and never looking back. Clark was at the center of Iowa’s success, relentlessly attacking the basket, hitting tough shots from all over the floor, and finding open teammates for easy buckets. Her performance earned her Most Outstanding Player honors for the region, and drew praise from Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder.