IOWA Hawkeye point guard Caitlin Clark made all heads turn when she bagged the coveted Naismith College Player of the Year award for brilliant performance in the NCAA. Her performance propelled her team IOWA to make an appearance in the finals of the NCAA against the LSU Tigers. Her fiery performance accompanied by her interviews has been the talk of the town since then. But what did Clark say that was a testament to her contribution to the NCAA? Was it related to her team’s performance?

For the unversed, Clark is a point guard at LSU who just finished with her junior season this year. She is at the crossroads of making herself available for the next WNBA draft or staying in the college leagues for the next season. Let us have a look at what she had to say.

What did Caitlin Clark Say

Clark didn’t mince any words in admitting the growth of women’s college basketball. She was quick to admit the rise in viewership from previous seasons and how that has been more encouraging for players at the college level.

“I think just what we were able to do for women’s basketball got people talking about the game: 10 million viewers, that’s more than basically every other college football – most college football games that have occurred this season so far,” Clark told The Sporting News.

“And it’s hard to really understand how many people 10 million people are, but you see those numbers up against numbers like college football or whatever it is, it kind of takes you back for a second.”

As per The Sporting News, Clark was fundamental in increase in viewership with a record high of 9.9 million for the championship Final. As per Sports Media watch’s (h/t: The Sporting News) analysis of the Top 50 sports audience, the LSU-IOWA final was only behind Rose Bowl and Game 4 of NBA Championship Finals. The previous highest viewership for a women’s NCAA game was recorded more than 20 years ago as 5.7 million.

As per NBC Sports, Caitlin had the second-highest score and the highest assists in the 2022-23 NCAA games. She scored a whopping 41 points during the Elite Eight clash against Louisville Cardinals, a feat she would repeat during the Final Four contest against South Carolina Gamecocks. Overall, the 21-year-old averaged a brilliant 27.8 points with 7.1 rebounds per game and 8.6 assists per contest during the regular season.

READ MORE: 2 Days Post ‘The Decision,’ Caitlin Clark Joins WNBA Stars A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart

The finals also involved a lot of controversy between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese as duo trash talked each other throughout the entire tournament. Reese’s John Cena “You can’t see me” gesture for Clark also went viral that divided the basketball community. But did her scintillating performance help IOWA win the game?

How did IOWA Hawkeye perform in the Finals

IOWA Hawkeyes advanced to the Finals of the championship by defeating South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four. Their victorious streak was broken by the LSU Tigers who went on to lift the title. Despite, the game not turning in their favor, IOWA Hawkeyes performed their best as it was their first time in the Finals.

Thus, the Final contest had a record-breaking viewership that signals some positive news for the NCAA women’s championship. But will Clark-Reese rivalry continue? Let us know in the comments below.

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