New York Post

Caitlin Clark’s unapologetic and record-setting game look to take Iowa to new heights

The attitude
A crucial part of Clark’s ascendance — her appeal, really — is how she is collapsing (outdated) assumptions about how women’s players act and yap on the court.

She thumps her chest, barks at refs and eggs on the crowd.

It’s part of the show.

In the Elite Eight, for instance, she was captured telling Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith, “You’re down 15 points. Shut up,” and punctuated a play with John Cena’s signature “you can’t see me” hand gesture (“Even if they could see you…they couldn’t guard you!” the WWE star tweeted).

But there was this little hint from Insider

Caitlin Clark's 'very disrespectful' defense against South Carolina is motivating LSU in the national championship game

Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark played noticeably lax defense against the then-undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four.

And LSU Tigers players — who face Clark and her Hawkeyes in Sunday's national championship game — found Clark's antics "very disrespectful."

"Me personally, I find it very disrespectful," LSU guard Alexis Morris told ESPN Saturday. "So I'm going to take that personally going into that game."

"You're going to have to guard us," she added. "That's just the competitor in me, and the will to win."

When tasked with defending freshman Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson, Clark guarded her from a considerable distance. At one point when Johnson had the ball outside the three-point line during Friday night's contest, the 6-foot Iowa point guard waved her hand dismissively and continued to double-team South Carolina's bigs in the paint.

So make of it what you will.