The best perform when the lights are brightest. In the third quarter, Clark wasted no time in picking up the pace. To start things off, she nailed a deep three-point shot with Van Lith right in her face. She went to work when Van Lith was on Clark. With the tide turning in Iowa’s favor, Clark reached the bottom of the net with an absurd stepback while Van Lith was staring at her.
There will be recollections of Clark’s third quarter throughout Elite Eight history. Whatever defense was leveled at her, she continued to produce. In the third quarter, Iowa made LSU miss 15 of its first 17 shots while Clark burned the nets. The Tigers would not start attacking the glass until Iowa had extended their lead to 13 points.
The fourth quarter began with Iowa leading by eleven points, but LSU would score the first five points. Although Clark could shoot a long three-pointer and find teammates to help hold LSU at bay, the Tigers would not go away. After setting the pace for the most of the evening.
Clark would quickly erase whatever momentum LSU could have had with a clutch three-point shot. With eight points in front of her, Clark arrived from Johnson County and made her tenth of the game to put Iowa ahead 80-69.
Although the Hawkeyes were smashed against the glass, their offensive potency and tenacity proved to be insurmountable. The Tigers’ hope evaporated with every Clark three-pointer that found its way through the net.
Reese fouled out with less than two minutes remaining, finishing with 17 points and 20 rebounds. The second half, she was 1 of 10. With their official retribution, the Hawkeyes will return to the Final Four for the second year in a row.