Caitlin Clark describes how her maturity has grown since freshman year

Caitlin Clark as a freshman was an awesome scorer and had the potential to lead Iowa to great heights. But the Hawkeyes ran into a juggernaut named UConn and Paige Bueckers.

At the time, Clark received some heat for saying she wanted to get to the Final Four but fell short. Now, it’s two years in a row on the big stage.

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What has changed since then? Development and maturity from her and all around.

“Honestly, I feel like — well, first of all, we were a young team,” Clark said. “We had no experience. Playing with a young point guard, like I was a freshman, and I think the biggest thing has just been my maturity and being able to move on from things when it doesn’t go my way.

“I feel like that’s what I’m the most proud of over the course of these last two games, just being calm, cool, collected and dialed in to what we need to do. I’m not worried about what the other team is doing. I’m not worried about what call the ref is making. I’m worried about Iowa needs.”

Not that Clark was never a team player, but she mentioned how she developed in that area over the last couple of years. It’s paid dividends in 2024.

“When I’m able to do that, I feel like that helps my teammates a lot, and I feel like that’s the biggest way that I’ve grown over the last two years,” Clark said. “I’m not sure I really did that my sophomore year. And I’ve always had the basketball skill, it’s just been my mind, making my mind better. Lucky enough I’ve had really good teammates that have held me accountable and also been my biggest fans and been there to support me the entire way.”

The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer gets another crack at UConn and Bueckers in the Final Four this season. Clark led Iowa to the national title game in 2023, but lost to LSU.

Well, Clark and the Hawkeyes overcame some demons in the Elite Eight with a win over the Tigers. It seems like the Huskies are next on the agenda.

Can Clark get over the proverbial hump and get the one thing lacking on her resume? A national title? With the way she and her team developed over the last few years, there’s a great shot.