WATCH: $3.2 million NIL-valued Caitlin Clark lightheartedly rejects Kate Martin's gesture after electric 71-69 win against UConn

For once, Iowa star Caitlin Clark was not the star of the show as the Hawkeyes edged out Paige Buecker's UConn Huskies 71-69 on Friday night to qualify for a second consecutive national championship game.

Clark registered 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on 38.9% shooting from the floor and 27.3% from beyond the arc.

The $3.2 million NIL-valued Clark (as per On3) lightheartedly rejected teammate Kate Martin's offer to wear the "SC Top 10" chain during the postgame celebrations, calmly stating that the job was not finished yet.

Caitlin Clark and the GOAT debate

Caitlin Clark has broken almost every conceivable scoring record that there is to break in college basketball, both women's and men's. Her name is etched into the annals of history.

And yet, a question about her status among the game's greats persists. Can Clark be declared the GOAT (greatest of all time) if she does not win a national championship?

Clark has done remarkably well to lift the Iowa Hawkeyes into elite status, leading her team to consecutive national championship games over more stacked rosters.

One of the reasons why the Caitlin Clark versus Angel Reese discourse became a major talking point in women's college basketball was because the latter won a national championship while Clark had all the individual accolades.

Former UConn Huskies star Breanna Stewart, considered one of the greatest ever women's college basketball players, had her say on Clark's search for a national title during an appearance on Sirius XM.

"You are going to look 10 years back and you are going to see all the records that she has broken, points and stuff like that, but anybody knows your goal when you play college basketball is to win a national championship. So you need one," Stewart said.

The team that Clark will battle against for a chance at immortality, the South Carolina Gamecocks, are unbeaten this season and are led by one of the greatest ever women's basketball players, coach Dawn Staley.

During her pre-game news conference, Staley endorsed Breanna Stewart as the GOAT over Clark.

"I agree with Stewy (Breanna Stewart) when it comes to winning the championship," Staley said. "We're going to talk about GOATs. I think she's the GOAT, to be able to win four national championships and to be MVP. I think she was MVP all four times."

Caitlin Clark will be fighting for immortality in the 2024 NCAA Tournament championship game against the South Carolina Gamecocks and a chance to be the undisputed GOAT.