“They wanted Clark to win so bad!” Ex-Laker star calls out NCAA referees for controversial call in Caitlin Clark’s Final Four game

Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes edged out UConn in the Final Four.

“They wanted Clark to win so bad!” Ex-Laker star calls out NCAA referees for controversial call in Caitlin Clark’s Final Four game

Nick Young and Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes have made yet another NCAA Finals appearance. Their second straight appearance for the championship game was settled after a win against UConn in the Final Four. Following their redemption game against LSU, the Hawkeyes are on track to win the national title. Meanwhile, their recent game raised some eyebrows.

The game versus the Huskies went down the wire, with the Hawkeyes edging out, 71-69. With just under 10 seconds left in the fourth, the Huskies were down by one point. As they initiated their play, Aaliyah Edwards was called for an offensive foul. She put an illegal screen for Paige Bueckers, and the foul in the process. Nick Young, former NBA champion, disagreed with the call, and he then took to X.

They wanted Clark to win that bad they called that … lol.
Nick Young on X

Swaggy P had played in the league for about 12 years. The former champion did not side with the referees, as he thought the game was in favor of Clark. On the other hand, Clark had 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists for the night, whereas Hannah Stuelke led the Hawkeyes with 23 points. The game was quite close and competitive, though, in the end, Clark and company managed to top the Huskies.

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Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes made a huge comeback

During the first half, the Huskies gathered a 12-point advantage over the Hawkeyes. Clark was well-defended, and couldn’t exactly find space for her shots. With just about five minutes left in the first half, the Hawkeyes, down 12, went on a run to cut the lead to six. Things took a turn in the third quarter, as the Hawkeyes outscored the Huskies, 25-19.

Caitlin Clark and the team maintained their momentum throughout the game but faced a comeback by the Huskies late in the fourth. Eventually taking the game, the Hawkeyes will now face the undefeated, South Carolina for the national championship. While the odds are heavily stacked against the Hawkeyes, they have a great chance to win a title, as Clark has entered the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The Gamecocks have a perfect record of 37-0, entering the tournament. According to the analytics, South Carolina is the favorite to win, though coming off a tough victory and beating the LSU, the Hawkeyes have the greater momentum. It will be interesting to see whether Clark will have a national title under her name before she plays in the WNBA.

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