Record setting Caitlin Clark proud that Iowa never gave up

Caitlin Clark set NCAA Tournament records for points (191) and assists (60). (Iowa Athletics Photo)

Caitlin Clark had 30 points and eight assists for Iowa in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament championship 102-85 loss to LSU.

She had multiple 40-point games in the tourney and averaged 31.8 per game for the tournament. Her 191 total points set a new record for a player in a single NCAA Tournament — men’s or women’s. 

She also set a women’s tournament record with 60 assists — just one short of the all-time men’s record of 61 set by Mark Wade of UNLV in 1987.

Here is what Clark, a junior, had to say in the media interview room after the game.

Q. Obviously foul trouble was a significant story in this ballgame. Can you talk through the two offensive fouls in the second quarter and then the technical foul in the third, please?

CAITLIN CLARK: Obviously foul trouble not really what you want in a National Championship Game, especially for our two seniors who have given so much to this program and had to finish their career on the bench. It’s not something they deserved by any means. I thought they called it very, very tight. I don’t know about the two push-offs in the second quarter. I’m sure they saw that I pushed off and they called it and whatnot, and then hit with the technical foul in the third for throwing the ball under the basket. Sometimes that’s how things go. I thought all I could do is respond and come back out there and keep fighting and keep trying to help this team crawl back into the game. I’m just proud of this group because we never gave up. We could have gone into halftime and been like what did we do? But our halftime locker room was like we’re fine. We got this. We believe in one another. We have the offensive firepower to come out here and cause some damage. I thought it showed our fight. It showed our fight, this team, and that’s what the story has been all year long, just a bunch of fight and mental toughness. You’ve got to give a lot of credit to LSU. They played an outstanding, outstanding game. They made some tough threes, some tough jumpers off of ball screens, and sometimes you have to live with some of that.

Q. Monika and Caitlin, I know it can be hard to be reflective at this point when you walk out of the locker room, but I wonder if both of you could speak to what you’ve done for the women’s game the last three weeks. The numbers the other night were bonkers. A lot of people tuned in today, and I think that she probably single handedly made a lot of little kids want to play basketball. How will that impact be felt next year and the year after if she stays and beyond?

MONIKA CZINANO: She’s a phenomenal basketball player. She’s shown that time and time again. But I think the biggest thing is the way she holds herself and the way she plays the game. She’s doing it the right way. She’s doing it the fun way and being a role model for little kids who want to grow up and be like here. That’s a great thing. So I think in these past three weeks, she’s done so much but it’s not just these three weeks. She’s been doing it since she decided to play basketball. It’s a progression to this point. We all know what a phenomenal basketball player she is, but it’s the person she is behind it all that’s inspiring these kids as well.

CAITLIN CLARK: I think the biggest thing is it’s really, really special. I don’t think it’s going to set in for me for quite some time. (Crying). I want my legacy to be the impact that I can have on young kids and the people in the state of Iowa, and I hope I brought them a lot of joy this season. I hope this team brought them a lot of joy. I understand we came up one win short, but I think we have a lot to be proud of and a lot to celebrate. I was just that young girl, so all you have to do is dream, and you can be in moments like this.

Q. Congratulations to you both on a terrific season. Caitlin, I’m hoping you can take me through the moment when Monika fouls out and you come over and share that moment with her. Obviously your time with her was going to come to an end today, no matter what happened. Just what was said, and what were you thinking in that moment?

CAITLIN CLARK: Well, I was really bummed that somebody who has made me a really, really good player had to spend the last five minutes on the bench out of six minutes on the bench, and somebody who has given so much to our program. Monika is one of the most fun people to be around. She’s goofy, and she deserved a little better than that. Monika would tell you when she first got here, she never dreamed to be as good as she is, and I still don’t think she realizes how good she is, and other people don’t realize it either. She doesn’t get the credit she deserves. I told her after the game, I’m nothing without you. She’s made me a better person, a better basketball player. And I’m just really lucky that I was able to play with Mon and share a lot of really fun moments with her. I think we’re one of the best post-guard duos to play the game, and I’m just really lucky and grateful to have had these years together.

Q. Just for either or both of you, what kind of turned things around when you came out of the halftime locker room and went on that run?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think it’s just the belief in one another. We know how good our offense is, and at the same time, they might cool off a little bit. I’m not really sure if they cooled off a little bit. The story of the first half is No. 2, she comes in, Carson, and makes quite a few shots, and ends it with a banked three. It’s like all right. You never hang your head. You just come out and keep fighting. We just know it’s only one possession at a time. You’ve got to get a stop and come back and score. We cut it to seven there eventually, but we couldn’t quite get over the hump. Having foul trouble can hinder you at times too. Proud of this team’s fight because a lot of teams would probably hang their head and give up with a halftime deficit like that, but that wasn’t what we’re going to do.

Q. Caitlin, talk to me about you set the record for the most three-pointers made in the NCAA Tournament. You know, you guys had a timeout after that. Talk to me about what you were feeling after you dropped that last three-pointer.

CAITLIN CLARK: I didn’t know that. I don’t know, I just think — first of all, I probably could have attacked the rim a little more than I did tonight. I thought they played really good defense. I thought they had people waiting in the paint for me a little more than South Carolina did. Took some there at the end of the game that you just kind of have to get up in hopes of drawing your team back close. It certainly helps breaking a record when you get to play the maximum amount of games in a season, and that’s what I’m proud of. This group, we got to play the entire time, and I think that’s what bums me out the most about this is I knew this was our last 40 minutes together, and I was just trying to cherish it. Yeah, I’m sad that we lost, don’t get me wrong, but I’m more sad that I don’t get to come back to practice with my best friends tomorrow, and that really stinks.

Q. Caitlin, can you tell us at the end of the game what happened? There’s a lot blowing up on Twitter about Angel Reese following you around, pointing to her ring finger and taunting you?

CAITLIN CLARK: Honestly, I have no idea. I was just trying to get to the handshake line and shake hands and be grateful that my team was in that position. That’s all you can do is hold your head high, be proud of what you did. All the credit in the world to LSU. They were tremendous. They deserve it. They had a tremendous season. Kim Mulkey coached them so, so well. She’s one of the best basketball coaches of all time, and it shows. She only said really kind things to me in the handshake line, so I’m very grateful to that too. But honestly I have no idea. I was just trying to spend the last few moments on the court with especially the five people that I’ve started 93 games with and relishing every second of that.

Q. My question for the student-athletes is how will this loss motivate you for what lies ahead it?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think — you know, I’m not really worried about what’s next, not right now. I’m just going to enjoy what we did. We made history, and there’s a lot to be proud of. There’s a lot to reflect on these last couple weeks. Three weeks have been crazy, to say the least. I’m just thankful that I got to be on this journey with these people. I think more than anything we’re losing two seniors that gave their heart and soul to this program. Obviously I think they set a really good example for other people that we have in that locker room of what it takes to be able to play at this level on this stage. I’m really grateful that that’s what they did because we have to bring people along and bring people up to get back to this point. This is our goal every single year. We’re not just going to be satisfied with making it here one time, but at the same time, I’m not worried about what’s next right now. It’s been a really long, really fun season with this group. I just need to take some time to reflect and appreciate all that’s come with it.