Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes secured a 64-54 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers on Monday night to secure their spot in the Sweet 16. However, Milwaukee Bucks star Damina Lillard questioned the officiating in the game.
The free-throw disparity was evident, as the Hawkeyes had 30 trips to the charity stripe while the Mountaineers had just five free. All-NBA and future Hall of Fame point guard Damian Lillard - who is worth $58.6 million as per Forbes - tweeted that West Virginia was hard done by by the refs:
"I feel like West Virginia women's team getting did bad by these refs."
The West Virginia Mountaineers did an outstanding job at slowing down one of the top offenses in college basketball, limiting Clark and the Hawkeyes to 64 points. They completely shut the door down, allowing the Hawkeyes to score just six points in the second quarter.
Iowa, nevertheless, escaped with a win but need to get the offense going more consistently if they want to win the national title.
Also Read: What time does Caitlin Clark play today? Looking at Iowa's second-round game in March Madness 2024
Can Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes still win the 2024 NCAA Tournament?
The Iowa Hawkeyes put the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament behind them and get a few days off before the Sweet 16 this weekend. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Iowa Hawkeyes remain with the second-best odds at +550.
Caitlin Clark has struggled to begin March Madness, going 16-of-41 with 12 turnovers to 13 assists. The competition is not going to get any easier, as the Hawkeyes take on the fifth-seeded Colorado Buffaloes next.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have survived the first weekend despite not playing close to their best. With the little break between rounds, expect to see them get better for the rest of the NCAA Tournament. However, the South Carolina Gamecocks are arguably the most complete team in college basketball and could be more than a handful for Iowa.
