Caitlin Clark and the Iowa women’s basketball team defeated the Maryland Terrapins 93-85 on Saturday in Maryland, and I got to see it.
There were many standout moments from players on both teams, but especially from Clark. She ended the game with 38 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds.
Clark is on her way toward becoming the all-time scoring leader in women’s NCAA basketball. She is currently 66 points away from reaching this goal.
The game was filled with many suspenseful moments, like Maryland having an 18-point run in the third quarter with no answers from Iowa. Later in the fourth quarter, though, Iowa pulled away and gained a lead.
The arena was sold out, with about 17,950 people attending. The crowd was loud and energetic.
This game cannot be compared to local women’s basketball games, such as Pitt’s games. The crowd in Maryland was much larger, and the atmosphere was incomparable.
Many people were rushing to get as close as possible to the court during general admission, which is unlike any other college women’s basketball game.
Iowa hosts their next game against the Penn State Lady Lions. Their current record is 21-1 overall, and they stand in first place in the Big Ten and second in the nation behind the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks.
I play high school basketball along with AAU during the summertime and plan to play at the collegiate level.
Experiencing games like this helps me to decide what I want to do with my future. Due to the large crowds, immense support and sold-out arenas, I plan to go to a larger college when I finish high school.
Crowds like these showing up for women’s college basketball or any women’s sport in general is an advancement for women in athletics. Women and girls in sports usually don’t get the recognition that they deserve, so it’s great that it is finally happening.
