Iowa women honor Caitlin Clark by defeating USC 76-69 in massive upset
By Hawk Fanatic
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa women’s basketball team is used to winning games with Caitlin Clark inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and it happened again on Sunday, but under much different circumstances.
Instead of starring on the court for Iowa, Clark watched from the stands as her former team defeated fourth-ranked USC 76-69 in what has to rank as one of the biggest upsets in program history.
It was the perfect way for the Iowa players and coaches to honor Clark on the same day in which her jersey No. 22 would be retired after the game.
Clark thanked her teammates after the game as she addressed the crowd. She also recognized USC sophomore star JuJu Watkins and the USC players and coaches who watched the post-game ceremony from their bench.
“Today was incredible, so thank you guys,” Clark said. “I appreciate it. And the coaching staff, you guys were awesome, too. Their game plan was great, and obviously USC, good luck the rest of the way. I’m a big fan of all you, and JuJu you were awesome.”.
USC entered Sunday’s game undefeated in conference play, and with Watkins considered by many the top player in women’s college basketball.
Watkins would finish with 27 points, but she only made 8-of-22 shots from the field.
The Trojans were favored by 15 1/2 points, but would fall behind by 19 points early in the second quarter as Iowa pounced on them defensively.
Iowa led 51-50 heading to the fourth quarter, and it was easy to assume that Watkins and her cohorts would find a way to prevail as they almost always do.
But Iowa graduate transfer Lucy Olsen wasn’t having any of that as she and her teammates dominated the fourth quarter.
Olsen led four Iowa players in double figures with 28 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.
She also made two free throws to give Iowa a 76-67 lead with 43.4 seconds remaining.
That would prove to be more than enough as Iowa would go on to accomplish what many probably thought was impossible.
This season has been a struggle for the Iowa women’s basketball team as it moves on without Clark, and without most of Clark’s talented supporting cast that led the way to back-to-back NCAA runner-up finishes in each of the pat two seasons.
Lisa Bluder also retired as the Iowa head coach this past May and was replaced by her long-time assistant coach, Jan Jensen.
Iowa won its first eight games under Jensen, but then the losses started mount, including five in row in Big Ten play.
Sunday’s game was a must-win for Iowa, but not just for Caitlin Clark.
Iowa entered the game just 4-6 in Big Ten play and needing a signature win.
The Hawkeyes battled with foul problems throughout Sunday’s game, made just 5-of-27 shots from 3-point range and committed 17 turnovers..
And yet, they still found a way to win with the greatest player in program history watching in person.
Lisa Bluder was also part of the sellout crowd on Sunday, as was late-night television host/legend David Lettermen, who sat next to Bluder during the game.
Iowa bolted to an 18-4 lead as Watkins struggled to get open looks.
But after committing just three turnovers in the first quarter, Iowa had eight in the second quarter as USC turned a 19-point deficit into a 29-28 lead at halftime.
The Trojans outscored Iowa 25-4 over the final 6:39 of the second quarter, thanks largely to a suffocating full-court press that seemed to rattle the Iowa players, and to Watkins who scored her team’s final 10 points in the second quarter, including a breakaway layup right before time expired that gave USC the lead at halftime.
Watkins struggled to make shots in the first quarter, but she found her rhythm in the second quarter, and she started driving more to the basket.
And by halftime, she had scored 18 points, her team was leading and the momentum had clearly shifted to USC’s side.
But it wouldn’t stay that way as Iowa closed the third quarter on a 6-0 scoring run, capped by Lucy Olsen’s basket with one second remaining in the quarter, which gave Iowa a 51-50 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
USC had weathered Iowa’s initial onslaught, while Iowa had done the same with USC’s surge in the second quarter.
The Hawkeyes were one quarter from pulling off one of the biggest upsets in program history, and with Clark, Bluder and David Lettermen watching from the stands.
Iowa would go on to finish the job, thanks largely to Olsen’s play down the stretch, and to its defense, which was rock-solid from start to finish.
Senior center Addi O’Grady also played a key role by scoring 13 points.