"Maybe I should've passed"- Caitlin Clark rues 9-for-32 outing against Kansas State in 2023

Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes opened the 2023-24 season with three straight wins. They whipped the FDU Knights 102-46 before squeaking past Virginia Tech 80-76. The Hawkeyes followed that win by blasting Northern Iowa three days later.

Clark and Co., however, were brought back to earth against Kansas State which beat Iowa on the road 65-58. The Indiana Fever star recalled that game with former college teammates Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall on the “Fresh Tawk” podcast.

The WNBA All-Star had this to say about her performance against the Wildcats:

(20:50 mark)

“We came back home and we got beat by Kansas State. … I think I probably missed like 25 shots that game. That was brutal. I was 9-for-32, 2-for-16 from 3. It looks like I took all the missed shots that game. Maybe I should’ve passed.”

Calling her shooting “brutal” was an understatement for Caitlin Clark. She had a game-high 24 points but attempted 32 shots. The point guard made the Hawkeyes’ two 3-pointers but missed 14 of their 21 shots from behind the arc. Iowa’s 58 points were the least they scored during the entire season.

Kate Martin, who started in that game, took three shots and missed them all. Gabbie Marshall was only a little better, making 1-of-4 shots and finishing with two points. It was a game the trio had an easy time recalling because of how they performed.

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Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes won the rematch against Kansas State in 2023

10 days after the loss to the Kansas State Wildcats, Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes got their revenge. The Hawkeyes were more efficient and moved the ball better in their 77-70 win. Iowa handed its opponents their first loss of the season.

The now-Indiana Fever star finished the game with 32 points on 10-for-25 shooting and converted 7-of-16 3-point attempts. She added six assists, five rebounds and three steals to redeem herself. Kate Martin also stepped up, tallying 11 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and one steal. Gabbie Marshall, however, had another rough-shooting night. She had three points on 1-for-7 shooting.

The Hawkeyes, led by Caitlin Clark, had another championship-contending season. A year after reaching the NCAA women’s finals, they returned to the same stage but lost to South Carolina.