NCAA analyst claims Caitlin Clark might be the reason Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon called Iowa Hawkeyes “disrespectful”

The Iowa Hawkeyes lost in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals to the No. 13 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 60-59. Beyond their rivalry this season, there have been tensions between Iowa and Ohio State that seem to have fueled the Buckeyes' competitive fire.

NCAA analyst Robin Lundberg suggested that Caitlin Clark’s past actions might be a possible reason behind Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon recently labeling the Hawkeyes as “disrespectful.”

“I was just kind of assuming it was in the heat of the competition from that game," Lundberg said while speaking about his initial thoughts on McMahon's comments. "Maybe it was a little residual Iowa anger perhaps, I don't know. Again, I can't speak for her; I'll let her put her comments on the record."

Lundberg then mentioned a moment that McMahon had brought up, to explain her feelings about the Hawkeyes, during an interview before quarterfinal matchup. On January 23, 2023, former Iowa star Caitlin Clark grabbed a t-shirt from a giveaway during a matchup against Ohio State.

Clark threw the shirt over her shoulder while walking past the Ohio State bench and later posed for a picture in the shirt after the game. This gesture seems to have left a lasting impression on Ohio State.

“Now that's great sports rivalry stuff," Lundberg said before playing a video which had McMahon's statement about the Hawkeyes being "disrespectful" and how she and her team took that personally. "I love it; I don't got a problem with it. Great, awesome. But I found it amusing seeing some of the things after the fact, of course hearing this in the midst of the game."

Caitlin Clark’s battle: from college star to WNBA leader

Caitlin Clark has established herself as one of the WNBA's top playmakers in her rookie season. While she initially gained recognition for her shooting from long range in college, Clark quickly proved that her passing ability would also translate when she joined the league.

The WNBA All-Star finished her rookie season as the league’s assists leader, averaging 8.4 assists per game. She tallied a total of 337 assists, which was the most in the league, 20 more than second-place finisher Alyssa Thomas. Thomas averaged 7.9 assists per game.

Clark made the All-WNBA first team last season on the back of performances that also earned her the WNBA Rookie of the Year award and a first All-Star selection. Clark was in seventh position on the leading scorer's list, averaging 19.2 points per game.