CLEVELAND — Caitlin Clark was special. Paige Backers was a sensation.
Four years ago, Clark was the No. 4 high school player in the nation.
Buccaneers topped the list. In her first season, the college star became the face of college basketball, becoming the first female freshman to win the National Player of the Year award and leading the Huskies to a lopsided Sweet 16 win over Clark vs. Iowa. led to the final four.
As a sophomore, Bueckers battled injuries and ultimately made it to the national title game, while Clark’s stellar season ended in a second-round upset on his home floor at the University of Iowa.
Clark gained national attention when the Buccaneers tore his ACL and missed all of last season.
“When Paige was a freshman, people weren’t even talking about Caitlin Clark,” UW coach Geno Auriemma said Thursday. “It was all Paige, Paige, Paige. It was already Caitlin, Caitlin, Caitlin…
“I don’t know if Paige would be talked about as much or as much if we kept winning, and I don’t know if she’d have the same impact that Caitlyn had, because they’re characters. And the games are different…”
“But it’s good to know.”
The theory only adds to the hype for Friday’s matchup between two of college basketball’s best players on the biggest stage at the height of its popularity. It’s a matchup between No. 1 Iowa State (33-4) and No. 3 University College (33-5). Final Four nightcap.
Clark delivered a legendary performance with 41 points and 12 assists to defeat the defending champions. The Buccaneers have been similarly dominant in the NCAA Tournament, most recently recording 28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks in a win over No. 1 USC.
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Bueckers’ versatility recently prompted Auriemma to declare him “the best player in America.”
This week, he playfully backtracked after he was scheduled to play Division I’s all-time leading scorer.
“I hope Caitlin Clark had personal intentions for LSU,” Auriemma said. “I know there’s nothing personal between me and her. I don’t need to see her drop 50 on us…I love her. She’s the best player I think. Forget ever saying that Paige is the best player in this country. I think she’s the best player of all time.
“We’re not going to stop her. We tried calling all the other coaches who stopped her and no one answered the phone. There’s no other way to win than to stop Caitlin Clark. We’re going to have to find a way.”
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Clark dreamed of playing for Auriemma while watching his idol Maya Moore win a title at the “coolest place on Earth.”
UW’s coaches never made Clark an offer.
He had already found the new face of the sport’s most powerful program.
“I signed Paige Backers very early on, but I told Paige, ‘Hey, listen, I’m going to put you in the backcourt, and I’m going to try really hard to scout Kaitlyn.’ It would have been foolish to say, “Clark,” Auriemma said. “I don’t do it that way. Kaitlyn is obviously a great player, a generational player. … Neither of us lost. She made the decision that was best for herself and that’s what happened. It worked out well. We made the decisions we thought were necessary.”
At Iowa, which had not reached the Final Four since 1993, Clark was given freedom on the court and was asked to take on so much responsibility that he was able to set many records and improve the sport. It was easy to stand out.
Two years ago, the Buccaneers and UConn drew 4.85 million television viewers to the national title game, the highest ratings in 18 years.
Last season, a record 9.9 million people watched LSU defeat Iowa for the championship. This week, Clark and Angel’s Reese drew his 12.3 million viewers to the Elite Eight.
A dream matchup for the ages will come to fruition between Midwest AAU foes, Team USA teammates, and All-American icons. Their legacy and supremacy would be shaped by 40 minutes.
“This isn’t Paige vs. Caitlin. It takes a whole team to win a basketball game,” Clark said. “We’re both going to do the best we can.”
