Caitlin Clark goes all out for 'business' ahead of Final Four showdown

college basketball

march madness 2024

by Steve Serby

CLEVELAND — Caitlin Clark won't be distracted as she nears a second chance at her first championship.

“This is a business,” Clark told a packed news conference Thursday. “We're here to win basketball games, and hopefully we'll win two.”

Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes will face UW in the Final Four semifinals Friday night at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

Iowa coach Lisa Bruder doesn't want the Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers storyline to dominate.

“I want it to be Iowa vs. University Union and I want the players to do their best,” Bruder said.

Mr. Clark agreed with Mr. Bruder.

“As the coach said, 'It's not Paige vs. Kaitlyn,'” she said. “It takes the whole team to win basketball games, and we're both going to do the best we can.” But I think the best thing about Paige is how resilient she is.Obviously, she's been dealt a little bit of a tough time (torn ACL).'' She missed the 2022-23 season. ). The way she carries herself on and off the court, the way she works hard, none of that has changed. I've known her since middle school, so she's always worked the same way, she's always had passion, and she's always been a great leader.

“I couldn't be happier with the year she's had this past year and the way she's never made excuses and led our team to the Final Four despite some tough (injuries) throughout the program. I honestly don't think so. And for me, that's something I respect more than anything as a competitor, so I think that's really great.”

Clark and the Hawkeyes lost to LSU in last year's championship game, but avenged that loss Monday night in an Elite 8 showdown in Albany.