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via Imago

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All hopes of the reigning champions to establish a claim over Lisa Bluder’s squad have come to an end. On her last possession to make a bucket, Angel Reese elbowed Kate Martin. And this became a decisive moment for the game. Being her fifth foul of the day, the referee ejected Reese off of the floor. The score read 74-84 and not much could be done to bring the Tigers back in the play. But the tiniest glimmer of hope from Kim Mulkey’s face also vanished, with Reese leaving the floor for what turned out to be LSU’s fall this tournament.

In the fourth quarter with the clock reading 1:46 remaining, Kim Mulkey witnessed a hope-shattering incident. Sadly for her, all she could do after her star player knocked the No. 20 on Iowa down was say, “No, No, No!” in disbelief. While she patted Reese on the back as the junior stood by her after ejection, it was evident that Mulkey was not entirely happy. Nevertheless, she only smiled and said goodbye to her dream of bringing a consecutive win for the Lady Tigers.

USA Today via Reuters

After Reese was out, the Lady Tigers tried to make a comeback. With Flau’jae and Aneesah still on the court, LSU grabbed another 13 points. However, it was not enough to tackle Clark’s new-and-improved Hawkeyes. Iowa leapfrogged with continuous incoming buckets and ended the game at 87-94 to move on to the next level.

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Despite her ejection, the junior forward had a good game as the competition started. She led the team with a successful first quarter and continued to do the same in the second. After a slow second half where she missed 8 shots, Reese ended the game with a double-double herself with 17 points and 20 rebounds. She also dipped her toes in playmaking by delivering a team-high 4 assists.

Read More- “F**k Ya’ll Want Me to Do”: Fans Turn Against Hailey Van Lith as Caitlin Clark Hands a Tough Night to LSU Star

The most-anticipated game of the year has come to its conclusion with a negative result for Mulkey. But she showed her appreciation for the basketball sensation on the sidelines.

Is Kim Mulkey glad about Clark’s departure next year?

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The Hall of Famer coach and the No. 22 had a personal moment at the handshake line. According to USA Today, she complimented the 4× First-team All-American – USBWA (2021–2024) in the epic Kim Mulkey way. She told her, “I sure am glad you’re leaving. Girl, you’re something else. Never seen anything like it.”

There is no denying that Caitlin Clark has outwardly skills. In today’s game, she grabbed 27 of 41 points from deep shots. Additionally, her 3-pointers average a length of 26’1″ which no one in Division I has achieved. Further, 56% of her shots from beyond the arc have a length of 25-feet-plus. In comparison, the 3-point line for women’s basketball is only 22 feet away from the bucket.

Looks like Clark is destined to win this year’s National Championship. But is Kim Mulkey hinting that she will return for the trophy next year? Probably. But until then, you can grab a hold of Iowa’s superstar as she faces the UConn Huskies in the final four.

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Do you believe she can sweep the ring?

Read More- “What Caitlin Clark Is Doing to Hailey Van Lith Is Illegal”: Iowa Star’s Dominance over Angel Reese and Co Leaves Fans in Disbelief