Magic Johnson Takes Spotlight Away From Caitlin Clark as Hannah Stuelke Rises With 23-Point Masterclass

Magic Johnson might be the only one taking the positives from that Iowa-UConn game. After a controversial end, the Hawkeyes ladies were the winners of the Final Four clash with a close 71-69 nail-biter. By most accounts, this was a titanic clash with an anticlimactic finish. But Magic was all praise for the entire winning team and not just its bona fide star, Caitlin Clark.

“What a game!! Normally we would all be talking about Caitlin Clark, but Iowa prevailed with a strong team effort led by Hannah Stuelke’s 23 points. Congratulations to the entire team and coaching staff for advancing to their 2nd straight National Championship appearance!” he wrote on X because that’s what Magic Johnson does.

As he summarized, Clark turned the tide in the second half and finished the night with 21 points. But Stuelke led the team with 23 points. While it started slow for Iowa, they had a second-half surge to take the lead. The end fell flat, though.

What Johnson chose to not focus on is the controversial call made on Huskies’ Aaliyah Edwards for a debatable moving screen on Gabbie Marshall. The ref made that call with four seconds on the clock and the ball in Paige Bueckers’ hands with UConn down 1 point. Because of the last-minute call, Bueckers’ shot was nullified and the game ended in Iowa’s favor.

While nothing is being said about Iowa, the heat is on the referee for not allowing the last four seconds to go into an offensive play. Most big names like Gabrielle Union, LeBron James, and Matt Barnes are talking about that “bad” call. Magic Johnson is focused on the team as is Clark.

Magic Johnson celebrates the Hawkeyes as a whole

Whether it’s her longstanding rivalry with Angel Reese or her scoring prowess, Caitlin Clark has attracted parallels to Magic Johnson (and Larry Bird) during their exciting NCAA championship runs. Magic himself has leaned into those comparisons but even extended them to more legends like Michael Jordan. Clark herself won’t mind that today the Lakers legend turned the spotlight on her team. By most accounts, this was a Hawkeyes spectacle, not the Caitlin Clark show.

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Stuelke was the best complement to Clark on the court, sharing the scoring burden today. Meanwhile, Clark credited Gabbie Marshall for being the best defender she could’ve asked for. Despite being in the thick of that controversial call, she elevated Marshall to a strategic game-changer who kept Paige Bueckers at bay. In the same post-game presser, Clark also called Bueckers a tough opponent and the best player in the country whom Marshall had to guard against.

Magic is obviously colored impressed by the Hawkeyes today. But he’s not entirely betting on them. Iowa is meeting South Carolina in the title game which will be another grudge match since their 2023 Final Four clash. And Magic’s leaning for the other side. Guess Clark & Co. will have to win Magic’s approval this time too.

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