UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark stressed that the Final Four match was about their teams and not them. However, the spotlight will be on Clark and Bueckers throughout the game. Coach Geno Auriemma of UConn said the superstar matchup this year is like the 1979 national championship match between Indiana State’s Larry Bird and Michigan State’s Magic Johnson. Even the bookie guide to March Madness showed more interest in the women’s Final Four than the men’s this year.
With 3,900 points throughout her career at Iowa, Clark is the all-time leader in scoring and assists for Division I women’s and men’s basketball. She set a record with 41 points and 12 assists in Monday’s Elite Eight victory over LSU, which garnered over 12 million viewers.
As a freshman in 2021, Bueckers was named the nation’s best player. In the three seasons that followed, she was healthy enough to play and advanced to the Final Four each time. Due to Bueckers’ knee injury, UConn did not go past the Sweet 16 in 2022–23, its first such absence since 2007. With an average of 22.0 points and 3.9 assists per game, Bueckers was instrumental in UConn’s 28-point and 10-rebound triumph against USC in the regional final.
Clark and Bueckers at the Women’s Final Four
As she revealed on Thursday, Clark contacted Bueckers ahead of this season to wish her well when she returned from injury. According to pay per head experts, Clark is from Iowa, and Bueckers is from Minnesota. Thus, the two have known each other since they were teenage AAU competitors. In addition, they have experience playing on youth teams for USA Basketball.
Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink could return for a fifth year next season because of the COVID-19 waiver from their first year, 2020-21. Conversely, they all entered the WNBA draft on April 15. Bueckers chose to return to UConn for the 2024–25 season in February. Therefore, she will not be part of the draft.
Before the game, ensure you check the college basketball player prop bets. You might find some value wagers for the matchup.
