Iowa

Caitlin Clark’s Last Dance Generating Huge Ticket Prices

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The final regular-season home game for Caitlin Clark at Iowa has shattered ticket price records for both NCAA WBB and WNBA games. Per Vivid Seats, the most expensive ticket for Iowa-Ohio State this weekend comes in at an eye-watering $5,199. The lowest available tickets will set fans back $408. When Clark broke the NCAA women’s scoring record against Michigan earlier this month, tickets were $337.

However, Clark’s final regular-season game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena will also likely see her break yet another record. Clark is 18 points shy of breaking Pete Maravich’s all-NCAA scoring record of 3,667. Looking past the season-ending game against Ohio State, Clark could break the all-level women’s college record, set in the pre-NCAA AIAW by Pearl Moore. Would you pay $5,199 to watch a basketball game? Let us know in the comments.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Collides With Fan During Court Invasion: Watch

Is Caitlin Clark Headed To The WNBA?

However, despite being the presumptive No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, it’s still unclear if Clark is going to make the jump to the pros. “I’m going to know when I need to know. I think it’s very similar to my college decision. It’s like I’m in the recruiting process again. It’s really not something I think about every day or let weigh on me. I’m focused on helping this team be the best they can be. The biggest thing is I’m just going to trust my gut. I’m not going to do a lot of research on what’s better. I’m going to trust my gut and go with that,” Clark said before the season.

Clark, who turns 22 in February 2024, is part of the final class of players who can declare for a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been one of the best, if not the best, players in women’s college basketball during her time at Iowa. She won National Player of the Year last year and was second in scoring average as well as first in assists and made threes. Players have until 48 hours after their final game of the season to declare for the draft.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Immortalized In The Most Iowa Way Possible

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Caitlin Clark Shatters WBB Scoring Record, Sports World Gives Iowa Star Her Flowers

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It was only fitting that Caitlin Clark hit a signature logo three to seal break Kelsey Plum‘s NCAA women’s basketball scoring record. Iowa opened their Big Ten matchup against Michigan with Clark eight points shy of the record. Clark scored all eight of Iowa’s opening points to pause the game less than two-and-a-half minutes after it started to let her soak in her achievement. However, she wasn’t finished. Clark scored a career-high 49 points as Iowa routed the Wolverines 106-89, shattering Plum’s record in the process.

Carver-Hawkeye Arena was packed for the history-making moment, with thousands more watching from home. As Clark shattered the record, praise from across the sporting world poured in. “Wow!! Only fitting you break it this way!! Congrats Big Time👏🏽👏🏽🫡 @CaitlinClark22,” wrote Hawks star Trae Young. “Congratulations @CaitlinClark22 KEEP BREAKING RECORDS & MAKING HER-STORY! 🖤💛🔥,” added LSU’s Angel Reese. However, the praise wasn’t limited to the realm of basketball. Both President Barack Obama and NFL GOAT Tom Brady also sent their praise to Clark.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Still Undecided About Declaring For WNBA Draft

What’s Next For Caitlin Clark?

The record might be hers, but Clark is far from done. Iowa are second in the Big Ten standings with a 12-2 conference record. They have four games remaining in the regular season, including conference-deciding matchups against No. 14 Indiana and No. 2 Ohio State. After that comes the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness. With Clark expected to become the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, it would be only fitting for her to end her college career by avenging last year’s National Championship defeat.

However, there is another record well within Clark’s sight. Thanks to her massive game against Michigan, Clark is now just 98 points behind the all-time NCAA scoring record. That has stood since 1970 when LSU legend Pete Maravich ended his college career with 3,667 points. Given that Clark is averaging 32.8 points a night and has four regular season games left, she could beat Pistol Pete’s by the end of the season with ease.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Collides With Fan During Court Invasion: Watch

Reactions To Caitlin Clark’s Record-Breaking Night

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Kelsey Plum Prematurely Congratulates Caitlin Clark On Setting NCAA Scoring Record

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WNBA star Kelsey Plum had something of a social media gaffe when she congratulated Caitlin Clark for breaking her collegiate scoring record before Clark had actually set the record. “@CaitlinClark22 Congratulations on the record, and really your entire season! I appreciate what you do for the game, much respect and love! See you at the next level, hopefully sooner than later 😜🤞🏼,” Plum wrote on social media. Clark fell eight points short of the record despite opening Iowa’s game against Nebraska with 31 points through three quarters. However, Clark scored no points in the fourth as Iowa fell apart and allowed Nebraska to steal a shock victory against the Big Ten frontrunners. Plum later acknowledged her mistake, tweeting out “My bad, next game”.

However, this means that Clark will now likely set the record in front of a home crowd against Michigan on Thursday. Furthermore, Clark is now just 148 points shy of breaking the all-time NCAA record set by Pete Maravich at LSU in the late 1960s. With five games left in the Big Ten regular season, Clark’s 32.1 points a game could mean she breaks Maravich’s record in the season finale against Ohio State.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Collides With Fan During Court Invasion: Watch

Caitlin Clark Still Coy About Draft Declaration

However, despite her historic season, no one is quite sure if Clark will be headed to the WNBA Draft this year. Clark is the presumptive No. 1 pick in the draft and would join former South Carolina standout Aliyah Boston in Indiana if chosen. However, before the season, Clark revealed that her mind wasn’t fully made up yet. “I’m going to know when I need to know. I think it’s very similar to my college decision. It’s like I’m in the recruiting process again. It’s really not something I think about every day or let weigh on me. I’m focused on helping this team be the best they can be. The biggest thing is I’m just going to trust my gut. I’m not going to do a lot of research on what’s better. I’m going to trust my gut and go with that,” Clark said.

Clark, who turns 22 in February 2024, is part of the final class of players who can declare for a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been one of the best, if not the best, players in women’s college basketball during her time at Iowa. She won National Player of the Year last year and was second in scoring average as well as first in assists and made threes. Players have until 48 hours after their final game of the season to declare for the draft.

Read More: Angel Reese Addresses Caitlin Clark Beef, Eyes Title Defense

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Caitlin Clark Collides With Fan During Court Invasion: Watch

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Caitlin Clark has confirmed she is okay after colliding with an Ohio State fan following Iowa’s game against the Buckeyes. Clark had been attempted to leave the court, which had been stormed by Ohio State fans, when the unidentified ran into her and sent sprawling to the ground. Video of the incident quickly made its online. However, it is not believed to have been an intention targeting of Clark.

Fans stormed the court at Value City Arena after No. 18 Ohio State knocked off the visiting No. 2 Hawkeyes 100-92. Despite Clark scoring an NCAA season-high of 45, no other Hawkeye scored more than 14 points. Meanwhile, Cotie McMahon and Jacy Sheldon combined for 57 of the Buckeeyes’ points. Iowa will look to bounce back against Nebraska on the 27th. Meanwhile, Ohio State takes their five-game winning streak into a game against Illinois on the 25th.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Immortalized In The Most Iowa Way Possible

Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer Ties All-Time Coaching Wins Record

Meanwhile, Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer has tied the all-time NCAA coaching wins mark set by legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Win No. 1202 for VanDerveer came against Oregon, with the No. 8 Cardinal prevailing 88-63 despite losing star senior Cameron Brink in the first quarter. VanDerveer, who took over at Stanford in 1985, can make history and take the record for herself on January 21 against Oregon State. VanDerveer began her coaching career in 1978 at Idaho. She earned her 100th win in 1983 while coaching Ohio State. She hit 1000 wins in 2017.

“It’s a tribute to the great teams I’ve had, the great places I’ve worked. It’s been really exciting because so many people have reached out to me and it’s great for women’s basketball that there’s a lot of attention. I work at a great place, and I have so much support,” VanDerveer told the Pac-12 Network after the win. “Sometimes I can take it for granted because I see her every day. But she’s really been someone who’s changed the game. So it’s an honor to play for her. Every day, I learn something from her,” junior Kiki Iriafen told ESPN.

Read More: Angel Reese Calls Out Barstool Sports For “Double Standards”

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Caitlin Clark Hits 3000 Career Points In Win Over Iowa State

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Caitlin Clark scored 35 points against Iowa’s in-state rivals to become the 15th woman in Division I history to tally 3000 career points. Clark entered the night 22 points shy of the 3000-point mark. However, she nearly doubled that mark as she helped the Hawkeyes avenge their 2021 road loss to Iowa State. Furthermore, Clark became the first player, regardless of gender, in Division I history to record 3000 points, 750 rebounds, and 750 assists.

“It’s special to be able to do it here. I have a lot of family in attendance. But it was kind of the same as when I broke the [Hawkeyes] scoring record. We keep playing. We don’t celebrate in the timeout. That’s not what it’s about. As long as we win — I probably wouldn’t be happy scoring 3,000 points in a loss,” Clark said of the occasion. With more than two-thirds of the season left, Clark is well on her way to set a new NCAA-era (1981-present) record. The current benchmark is held by Kelsey Plum, who scored 3527 points at Washington between 2013 and 2017.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Immortalized In The Most Iowa Way Possible

Clark & Hawkeyes Improve To 9-1

With the win over Iowa State, Clark and the Hawkeyes improved to 9-1, with a shock loss to then-unranked Kansas State the only blemish on their record. Their run has included wins over two ranked teams – then-No. 8 Virginia Tech and then-No. 16 Kansas State in a Thanksgiving Week tournament rematch. Their next matchup sees them play their first Big 10 game of the season, taking on 5-3 Wisconsin. However, Iowa is unlikely to face another ranked opponent until January 13, when they are scheduled to face Indiana. The Hoosiers are 7-1 and were ranked at No. 16 in the latest AP Poll.

As for Clark, she is already putting up a monumental stat line. She is averaging 29.6/6.7/7.6 a night. That puts her first in scoring and fourth in assists in the nation. Furthermore, she is just one of two players currently averaging over 25 points a game. The other is USC freshman Juju Watkins, who is scoring 27.3 a game. Meanwhile, the players out-assisting Clark are McKenna Hofschild (Colorado State), Georgia Amoore (Virginia Tech), and Ines Vieira (Utah).

Read More: Caitlin Clark Still Undecided About Declaring For WNBA Draft

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Iowa Stunned By Kansas State, Third Top-5 Team To Lose This Season

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The #2 Iowa Hawkeyes were stunned by unranked Kansas State for the second season in a row on Thursday night. The Wildcats, behind star senior Ayoka Lee, rode a massive fourth quarter to beat Caitlin Clarke and the Hawkeyes 65-58. Clark, the heart and soul of Iowa, had a terrible night, shooting 9-for-32 and just 2-for-16 from three. The result snapped Iowa’s three-game win streak to the season, which included a win over then #8 Virginia Tech. On the opposite side of the court, the win pushed Kansas State to their own 3-0 start.

However, Iowa’s win also marked the third loss by a top-five team in the first two weeks of the season. Last week, preseason #1 LSU was stunned by then #20 Colorado. Just a few days later, preseason #2 UConn was upset by then-unranked North Carolina State. Now Iowa, last season’s national runner-up, has joined the list of early upsets. They weren’t the only ranked team to lose, with #22 Creighton seeing a late rally fall short against Green Bay. Meanwhile, #1 South Carolina, who jumped to the top of the AP Poll after the LSU and UConn results, continued their strong roll, The Gamecocks dominated Clemson 109-40, marking South Carolina’s third consecutive 100-point game. Last season, the Gamecocks only hit triple digits twice in 37 games.

Read More: Angel Reese And LSU Stars Name Their All-Time Basketball Starting Lineups

Clark Says “Lots Of Lessons” To Be Taken From Kansas State Loss

Clark was blunt about her performance after the game. “It’s certainly one we can learn from and probably taught us a lot of lessons of how we can get better. We need more people to be able to contribute, and that’s on me to get them involved in the game. Especially on nights where I might not shoot the ball as great. Rely on my teammates, get them open, get them a clean look,” Clark said.

Iowa will likely drop out of the top five come the next AP Poll on Monday – LSU and UConn dropped to #7 and #8 after their respective losses last week. The Hawkeyes have two more games this month, hosting Drake and Purdue Fort Wayne. Drake is ranked #51 in NET ranking, while Purdue Fort Wayne sits at #243. However, Iowa is unlikely to face another ranked team until they play Indiana on January 13. Indiana were #9 in the preseason poll but fell to #13 following a loss to Stanford.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Still Undecided About Declaring For WNBA Draft

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Caitlin Clark Still Undecided About Declaring For WNBA Draft

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Presumptive #1 pick in next year’s WNBA Draft Caitlin Clark isn’t ready to confirm her place in the draft class just yet. “I’m going to know when I need to know. I think it’s very similar to my college decision. It’s like I’m in the recruiting process again. It’s really not something I think about every day or let weigh on me. I’m focused on helping this team be the best they can be. The biggest thing is I’m just going to trust my gut. I’m not going to do a lot of research on what’s better. I’m going to trust my gut and go with that,” Clark said this week.

Clark, who turns 22 in February 2024, is part of the final class of players who can declare for a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been one of the best, if not the best, players in women’s college basketball during her time at Iowa. She won National Player of the Year last year and was second in scoring average as well as first in assists and made threes. Players have until 48 hours after their final game of the season to declare for the draft.

Read More: Angel Reese “Insulted” By ESPN’s WNBA Mock Draft

Can Clark Finish With A Championship?

Winning a championship in 2023/24 would likely go a long way toward Clark leaving for the WNBA. The Hawkeyes came so close last season, but a Herculean solo effort from Clark couldn’t overcome LSU. Iowa enter the season as ESPN‘s #6 team. They retain three of five starters from last season but the losses of Monika Czianno and McKenna Warnock will be felt significantly. Furthermore, big transfers and injury returns elsewhere in the Big Ten mean that conference play only got harder.

In all likelihood, Iowa doesn’t make it back to the National Championship game. There are just too many teams above them in the pecking order. ESPN‘s preseason top-25 has LSU, UConn, UCLA, Ohio State, and Utah ahead of the Hawkeyes. However, maybe Clark inspires a Last Dance to go out on top. The season is now only a month away so we’ll soon have the answers to all these questions. Iowa hosts Fairleigh Dickinson in their season opener on November 6.

Read More: Caitlin Clark Immortalized In The Most Iowa Way Possible

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Caitlin Clark Immortalized In The Most Iowa Way Possible

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Caitlin Clark is an Iowa legend. Growing up in Des Moines, Clark quickly became one of the greatest basketball prospects ever produced by the state. Receiving her first collegiate offer in the sixth grade, Clark forever endeared herself to the Hawkeye State by opting to commit to the local University of Iowa. She has helped transform the Hawkeyes into a national powerhouse who reached the 2022-23 National Championship Game. Meanwhile, Clark has become a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and a two-time All-American. She is also the reigning National Player of the Year.

She enters her senior year as one of the most hyped players in the country. Furthermore, she is widely considered the #1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. There is very little to say about Clark that hasn’t already been said. There is a wealth of talent in women’s collegiate basketball right now. However, it would be a great shame to see Clark graduate without winning a ring. However, she has recently received a uniquely Iowan commemoration.

Caitlin Clark Receives State Fair Butter Statue

At the Iowa State Fair this week, an all-butter statue of Clark was unveiled. While the face isn’t perfect, the level of detail, including fabric texturing on her jersey, is absolutely amazing. However, Clark wasn’t the only famous Iowa athlete to receive the creamy honor. Statues of Kurt Warner and Jack Trice were also unveiled alongside Clark. Warner began his football career at Northern Iowa before beginning an unlikely journey to become a Super Bowl champion and central piece of the “Greatest Show on Turf”. Meanwhile, Trice broke the color barrier for Iowa State athletics. However, Trice tragically died from injuries sustained during a game against Minnesota in 1923. He later became the namesake of Iowa State’s football stadium.

The whole thing is quintessential Iowa. Many state fairs around America have done things like butter statues. However, there is something about Iowa that just adds a little something-something. Perhaps it’s the fact that the statues are presented alongside the Butter Cow, which is a butter statue on a 600lb frame resembling a cow. As for the non-butter Clark, she is still a few months away from getting back to the court. While Iowa has not released their full schedule for the season, we do know that they will open against Fairleigh Dickinson on November 6.

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LSU Announce New Policy To Combat Sports Betting

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Sports betting is a major issue in 2023. As more states legalize the practice, the adverse effects are becoming more and more clear. Earlier this week, seven current and former players at Iowa and Iowa State were criminally charged in relation to sports betting violations. This includes Hunter Drekkers, Iowa State’s projected QB1 for the 2023 season. The Iowa Racing and Gambling Commission has stated that they do not believe any match-fixing occurred. However, the scope of the investigation is huge. The seven athletes are believed to have placed more than 5000 wagers totaling more than $100,000 between January 2021 and May 2023.

The effects of this massive scandal are being felt 800 miles in Louisiana. While no players from LSU have been implicated in the scandal, football coach Brian Kelly is worried about the impact of sports betting. “I’m not saying that happened. I’m not saying that would happen,” Kelly said. “I think it’s better to be proactive in those situations and take away even the temptation to even have that in this building and not be that next school that goes down that path.” Kelly’s announcement concerned a hypothetical situation where sports bettors harassed team staff for inside information. Furthermore, Kelly is implementing a new protocol to keep his team safe.

LSU Amends Injury Protocol

Brian Kelly of LSU
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JULY 17: Head Coach Brian Kelly of the LSU Tigers speaks during Day 1 of 2023 SEC Media Days at Grand Hyatt Nashville on July 17, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

To minimize the information available to sports bettors, LSU is introducing a new injury reporting protocol in 2023. Team injuries will be reported twice a week in a system that is more similar to that of the NFL. “I thought it was important given the nature of what’s going on today out there relative to reporting and gaming,” Kelly said. “We wanted to make sure that we were transparent with injuries. Not putting any pressure on anybody here to guess who’s in, who’s out” for a given game. When we get to Saturday, if somebody is doubtful, we’ll give you ‘available,’ or ‘unavailable,’” Kelly said.

This new policy also comes alongside new team rules. LSU will mandate that no staff or players have gambling apps installed on their phones. “There shouldn’t be any of those (apps) on any of our players’ phones or anyone in this building,” Kelly said. Furthermore, Kelly dismissed the idea that he was sacrificing a tactical advantage by being more open about his team’s injuries. “I can’t tell you how many times we didn’t know a particular quarterback was playing. You’ve got to adjust on the fly,” Kelly said. “I don’t want it to be a situation where it causes something to the point where somebody loses their job or somebody loses eligibility,” Kelly added. “I mean, that’s a bigger issue than, well, we got a tactical advantage today because we found out he was playing.”

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Shannon Sharpe Claims Joe Biden Will Lose Votes After Jill Biden’s Iowa Invitation

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Shannon Sharpe has never shied away from giving his opinions on politics. Overall, Sharpe’s political takes are typically dished out on Twitter as opposed to Undisputed. However, there are some instances that simply require him to take his politics to TV. That very instance took place this morning as Sharpe was asked to give his opinion on Dr. Jill Biden’s latest invitation. The First Lady of the United States suggested that both LSU and Iowa’s women’s basketball teams come to the White House.

Of course, this invitation is only extended to the winner. Moreover, Biden’s invitation felt a bit bizarre, especially in light of the narratives surrounding Angel Reese. In the eyes of some people, Biden’s invitation felt racially motivated. As it turns out, Shannon Sharpe feels the same way. In the clip down below, Sharpe made it clear that it was black people who helped elect Joe Biden into the White House. However, by appealing to white people, Jill could very well lose her husband some votes.

Shannon Sharpe Speaks

“Come on, Dr. Biden, you know better than this,” Sharpe said. “Did you forget who helped put your husband in the White House? You’re gonna find out a very serious, hard lesson in ’24. You’ll be like a Kentucky or Duke freshman, you’ll be one-and-done. Now, play with it if you want to, now you try to appeal to a certain group that don’t give a you-know-what about your husband, every chance you get. You see how popular you are, you see how popular your husband is. I’ll tell you what, he’ll drop another five percent if he do this.” This political analysis is certainly built in hyperbole. By next year’s election, no one will be thinking about this.

That said, Dr. Jill Biden has upset a lot of people with her suggestion, which likely won’t even come to fruition. In two weeks from now, no one will have remembered that she even suggested any of this. Such is the nature of the internet and the fast-moving headlines of today. Let us know what you think of Shannon Sharpe’s take, in the comments down below.