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Former Super Bowl champion Antonio Brown once again took a jab at Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark. The former wide receiver subtly roasted Clark with a Mel Gibson reference.
The Hawkeyes defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 64-54, securing their berth in the Sweet 16. West Virginia put up a strong defensive performance against the nation's No. 1 scoring offense but was unable to clinch the victory after a hard-fought battle.
Fans on social media, however, expressed their dissatisfaction with the officiating, claiming that the referees were being partial to Caitlin Clark. One fan asked Antonio Brown for his thoughts on the matter.
"Protect Mel Gibson at all costs $," AB wrote in response.
Brown had previously called Clark a Mel Gibson lookalike.
As per the stat sheet, one of the biggest disparities between the two teams was in the number of fouls that were called. The Mountaineers were called for a total of 27 personal fouls, compared to the 11 fouls called on the Hawkeyes. Iowa shot 30 free throws while scoring 25 of them, whereas the Mountaineers had only five free throws and scored three.
Caitlin Clark scored 11 of her 32 points through free throws to break Kelsey Plum's single-season point record with a total of 1,113 points this season. This disparity in the foul count also led to West Virginia's football coach commenting on social media.
"Loved watching you compete all year. Team had grit and toughness! free throw comparison tonight?!," Brown wrote on X
Even NBA star Damian Lillard expressed his thoughts on the foul disparity during the second-round showdown between the two teams.
"I feel like West Virginia women's team getting did bad by these refs," Lillard tweeted on X.
Also Read: Top 10 most successful college basketball teams of all-time in March Madness ft. UCLA Bruins
Caitlin Clark and Iowa advance to the Sweet 16
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes advanced to the Sweet 16, where they are scheduled to face the Colorado Buffaloes this weekend.
The Buffs secured their Sweet 16 berth following a 63-50 victory over Kansas State in the second round.
Will the Hawkeyes go on to reach the finals for a shot at redemption and secure the national championship?
