UConn passed on Caitlin Clark – now Iowa star can exact the ultimate cold-blooded revenge on Huskies and Paige Bueckers
Caitlin Clark has another score to settle.
The undoubted star of women's college basketball has already overcome one old foe, lighting up Angel Reese and LSU for 41 points in the Elite Eight of this year's NCAA Tournament.
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Now, the Steph Curry of women's basketball meets fellow transcendent star Paige Bueckers in the Final Four, with the chance to exact ice-cold revenge on the very school that once overlooked her.
After punching her ticket to the national semifinal in a rematch of last season's title game, Clark revealed that she used to dream of playing for powerhouse UConn but was completely shut down by head coach Geno Auriemma.
"Honestly, it was more I wanted them to recruit me to say I got recruited," .
"I loved UConn. I think they're the coolest place on earth, and I wanted to say I got recruited by them. They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me."
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ESPN added: "Caitlin Clark wanted to go to UConn, but [head coach] Geno Auriemma never once showed up to Clark's open gyms or talked to Clark or her family about going to UConn."
Clark grew up watching the Huskies dynasty of the 2010s as Connecticut completely dominated the college basketball circuit and won four consecutive national titles under Auriemma.
The 22-year-old also idolized former Huskies star Maya Moore, who went on to play in the WNBA for the Minnesota Lynx, not far from Clark's hometown in Des Moines, Iowa.
By the time she was in high school, Clark was already one of the best prospects in the country and was recruited by multiple NCAA Division I basketball programs, including Notre Dame.
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But Auriemma and UConn failed to call, and their loss turned into Iowa's gain as Clark eventually pledged to Lisa Bluder's program and her up-tempo style of offense.
The rest is history, as Clark has ripped up the record books and left an inedible mark on the women's game while cementing an unparalleled college legacy.
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After declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark finished the regular season by surpassing 'Pistol' Pete Maravich's longstanding scoring record (3,667) to become the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer among men and women.
In the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the Hawkeyes sharpshooter exploded for 41 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds, including a record-tying nine three-pointers.
That performance against LSU put Clark on a collision course with Auriemma - the coach who once overlooked her - who steered the No.3 Huskies to a 80-73 win over No.1 seed USC in the Elite Eight round.
"I know there's nothing personal between me and her, so I don't need to be seeing her drop 50 on us next weekend," Auriemma said after Clark's heroics against Kim Mulkey's Tigers.
"I love her. I think she's the best player...forget I ever said Paige [Bueckers] is the best player in the country. I think [Clark]'s the best player of all time."
Clark may be in her own class but the Huskies also have a lights-out shooter of their own in Bueckers, who finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds in UConn's upset win over USC.
The 22-year-old won almost every national player award in 2021, setting program records for assists by a freshman as the Huskies made the Final Four at that season's Big Dance.
That March Madness run coughed up its own superhero showdown - Clark vs Bueckers I - as the young phenoms met for the very first of their careers time at the Sweet 16 stage.
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Back then Clark was a freshman and Bueckers was the certified star, and it was the UConn scorer who came out on top, dropping 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Huskies beat Clark and Iowa, 92-72.
But fast-forward three years and the roles have reversed.
Clark has gone stratospheric while Bueckers has battled through two season-ending injuries, including a torn ACL.
The UConn junior made her eagerly-awaited return to the court this season and claimed All-American status while helping the Huskies clinch a number three seed for the NCAA Tournament.
Through four March Madness games, Bueckers has averaged 28 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and 3.3 steals while shooting 51.5% from the field.
Friday's opponent, Clark, meanwhile, is currently posting an average of 32.3 points per game for the postseason, along with 7.3 rebounds, 10 assists, and two blocks.
Clark vs Bueckers II is loaded with star power and the kind of marquee matchup that has made women's college basketball a must-see in recent years.
Both players are still chasing that elusive first national title, though, with Clark losing out to LSU last season and UConn coming unstuck in the 2022 national championship game against South Carolina.
Friday's contest will be the last time Clark and Bueckers meet in college.
Clark is entering the 2024 WNBA Draft and is widely expected to go No.1 overall to the Indiana Fever.
Bueckers, meanwhile, has decided to return to UConn for the 2024-25 season despite being projected as a top-three pick in the WNBA draft.
No matter what happens in the Final Four, Bueckers will still have one more chance to win a national title, but for WNBA-bound Clark, it's all or nothing.
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"It's amazing to be back in the Final Four," she said after beating LSU.
"We want to win two more, and I think we have the power to do that."
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