NCAA Women’s Basketball 2024: Claressa Shields Surprised by Caitlin Clark’s Father’s Reaction After Iowa’s Win Against LSU

Caitlin Clark’s game-winning 41-7-12 performance against the LSU Tigers drew the attention of the sporting world. From US Open Champion Coco Gauff praising her to Ben Shelton comparing her with Stephen Curry, the 22-year-old point guard impressed one and all. The thrilling Elite 8 March Madness game also drew a reaction from Claressa Shields, who posted multiple tweets with one of them highlighting a reality of on-court dominance.

Last year, Iowa and LSU met in the championship final. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based ‘Lady Tigers’ defeated the ‘Hawkeyes’ 102-85 to become the NCAA champions for the first time. That game also saw Angel Reese bring out the infamous ‘You can’t see me’ gesture toward Clark, who waited for a year to even the scores. But this is not the end goal. 

The latest win has given Iowa and Caitlin Clark hope of winning their first national championship. Taking to X, following the pulsating game, Shields congratulated the Hawkeyes for their win but soon turned the attention to Caitlin Clark’s father.

Despite Clark’s 41-point haul in such a high-stakes game, her father, Brent, wasn’t all smiles. He understands this is just another step toward the ultimate goal of a national championship. Still, her father’s reaction led Shields to joke that he didn’t seem too impressed and may expect more from her.

Claressa Shields teased that, in all probability, Caitlin’s father would smile only when he saw his daughter win the championship. Clark’s father’s reluctance to celebrate vigorously is also surprising because of her history-making performance in the win over LSU. During the game, the point guard broke the record for most career 3-pointers and assists in NCAA women’s tournament history.

The performance also led to praise from American tennis stars Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton. On her Instagram story, Gauff shared ESPN’s post about Clark and wrote, “unreal game sheesshh @caitlinclark22.” Ben Shelton went one step ahead and compared Clark to Warriors icon Stephen Curry. On his Instagram story, Shelton posted a photo of him watching the game and wrote, “Caitlyn playing like curry rn.”

With a record-breaking NCAA season and after avenging last year’s defeat, Clark may finally get her hands on the national championship. She had come agonizingly close last season, scoring 30 points in the final, but couldn’t take her team to the title. This could be a reason why her father wants her to stay focused.

He has been a constant courtside presence reminding her to stay focused on the task, as seen during the tournament opener against Holy Cross Crusaders.

Cameras caught Caitlin Clark’s father asking her to calm down during the Holy Cross game

As much as her performances have been praised this season, Caitlin Clark has come under fire for constantly complaining to the referees. This was again on show during Iowa’s 91-65 win over Holy Cross in the first round. Clark was unhappy with the officiating early on in the game and Brent Clark, who was sitting courtside, was seen asking his daughter to simply get on with the game.

Reportedly cameras caught Brent, yelling “Stop.” In the post-match interview, Caitlin Clark clarified what happened. “He definitely tells me to calm down sometimes. The best thing about my dad, he’s the most chill person,” she said.

With a place in the Final Four secured for a second season running, the focus will magnify on Clark as she aims to deliver Hawkeyes’ first national championship. And she will have her father cheering her on and we may get to see him celebrate (or smile) if the season ends in title success.

Also Read: “Are You Fighting Me or Not?”: Claressa Shields Sends Separate Challenges to Alycia Baumgardner and Cris Cyborg