Iowa’s Clark sidesteps record talk following loss to Nebraska

Nebraska silenced Iowa star Caitlin Clark within the fourth quarter, denying her the Division I ladies’s scoring file in a surprising 82-79 victory over the No. 2 ranked staff within the nation. 

Trailing 69-55 after three quarters, Nebraska outscored Iowa 27-10 within the remaining stanza en path to a three-point upset. In the meantime, Clark wanted solely eight factors to clinch the all-time scoring mark, however the Cornhuskers’ protection stiffened late, holding her scoreless within the fourth quarter. 

Following the loss, Clark sidestepped questions on her impending date with historical past. As an alternative, the emphasis was on Iowa’s blown lead, which is turning into a development for the Hawkeyes. 

“[The record] will not be actually on the entrance of my thoughts proper now,” Clark stated by way of ESPN. “Clearly, it is going to be particular, however I feel the main focus is on discovering methods to develop, discovering methods to get higher. As a result of — one other case of us blowing a lead and, you already know, that is one thing that has to cease.”

The loss is Iowa’s second within the final six video games after struggling just one over the staff’s first 19 contests. On Jan. 21, Iowa blew a 12-point lead in opposition to No. 18 Ohio State, shedding 100-92 in extra time. 

Clark is simply eight factors away from historical past after recording 31 factors on Sunday and can inevitably break the mark in Iowa’s subsequent contest, Feb. 15, at house in opposition to Michigan. Nonetheless, Sunday will hang-out her after posting the primary scoreless (0-for6) fourth quarter of her profession whereas clanking a game-tying three with solely 30 seconds left within the recreation. 

In the meantime, for the Cornhuskers, robbing her of the celebration on their house court docket is a second they will not overlook. 

Nebraska guard Jazz Shelley completed with a team-high 23 factors, together with the go-ahead three-pointer with 32 seconds left within the fourth quarter. After the sport, she informed Fox Sports the shot was “the best factor I’ve ever achieved in my life.”