LSU’s Kim Mulkey praises Iowa’s Caitlin Clark after Elite Eight loss

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey had nothing but praise for Iowa star Caitlin Clark after the Lady Hawkeyes defeated the reigning national champions.

Asked about her team’s defensive tactics to defend Clark, who had 41 points against the Lady Tigers, after the 94-87 loss to Iowa on Monday night in Albany, New York, Mulkey admitted she didn’t have “a whole lot of strategy ‘had. that ‘you have to guard her, no one else seems to be able to guard her.’

“We didn’t even guard her last year when we beat them,” she joked before giving the Iowa star her flowers.

“She’s just a generational player and she just makes everyone around her better,” Mulkey noted, adding, “That’s what the greats do.” I think they had a kid who was 21 and 18 years old, she had 12 assists. Caitlin Clark isn’t going to beat you on her own… It’s what she does to make those other teammates better that makes her score points and them score points to beat you.

‘What did I say to her (after the match)? I said I’m glad you’re leaving. I said girl, you something else. Never seen anything like it before.’

Clark avenged himself in last year’s NCAA title game with 41 points and 12 assists in Iowa’s 94-87 win Monday

Clark, whose record-breaking performance has brought unprecedented attention to women’s basketball, made nine 3-pointers (27 points) as part of her double-double in her revenge for her team’s loss to LSU in last year’s NCAA Tournament title game.

‘It’s great to be in the Final Four again. It’s so hard to get back there,” Clark said. “This region was very difficult, but we told ourselves that we are the only seed for a reason.”

Top-seeded Iowa (33-4) will play UConn of Southern California in the national semifinals on Friday night in Cleveland.

Monday’s highly anticipated matchup drew a record 9.9 million viewers.

Both teams wished this meeting had happened later in the tournament instead of with a Final Four berth on the line, but that was out of their control.

Clark, who also scored 41 points in last year’s regional final, and LSU’s Angel Reese put on a memorable show for the sold-out crowd and millions of viewers.

“I think it’s just great for the sport, just to be able to be a part of history. Like I said, no matter how tonight went, I know this was going to be a night for the ages,” said Reese, who had 17 points and 20 rebounds before fouling out with 1:45 to go. ‘And it’s great to be part of history. Of course, playing against another great player is always great.”

Clark made nine shots from behind the arc vs. LSU, resulting in 27 points from made three-pointers

Clark has already declared for this year’s WNBA draft. Reese will also have to make a decision about whether he will turn pro or return for another season.

With the game tied at 45 after an entertaining first half, Clark took over in the third quarter. The NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader hit four 3-pointers, each deeper than the last. Her fourth of the quarter, from her signature logo sequence, made it 61-52. It was also the 538th of her career, making her the all-time leader in that category among NCAA Division I players, passing Oklahoma’s Taylor Robertson.

Clark also broke the NCAA Tournament assists record of 136 held by LSU’s Temeka Johnson. Clark has 140. She matched Purdue’s Courtney Moses in 2012 and UConn’s Kia Nurse in 2017 with her nine 3-pointers.

‘My shot felt good during the warm-up. Helps if you make your first three as a shooter,” Clark said. ‘Made my first one to start the second half, that helps too. Nice to have a game where I got a good look of 3.’