"You have to make life difficult for Caitlin Clark": ESPN's Andraya Carter lists potential ways Colorado can stop $3.1M NIL-valued Iowa star
The Colorado Buffaloes women's basketball team has made the Sweet Sixteen round of the women's NCAA tournament. But for them to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2002, they will have to defeat the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday.
This will be a tough task for the Buffaloes, but ESPN's Andraya Carter has suggestions that the Buffaloes can use.
"You have to make life difficult for Caitlin Clark," Carter said.
The main goal for the Buffaloes should be to stop Caitlin Clark from scoring.
The Buffaloes can accomplish this by crowding around Clark, preventing any potential clear shots or passing paths. This forces Clark to use the ball screen against the defender to get a clear shot. Clark has a 39% scoring rate when she has to play the ball screen this season.
Another way that Clark can gain points, which will hurt the Buffaloes, is through free throws caused by fouls on her. The frequency of these fouls varies depending on which of Clark's hands has the ball.
"When she's going left, she draws fouls 12% of the time. When she's going right, she draw fouls 27% of the time," Carter added.
These data indicate that the Buffaloes' defense should be situated to the right of Clark. This will push her to play the ball with her weaker hand.
By doing both of these things, the Buffaloes will be making a strong effort to reduce the impact that $3.1 million NIL-valued (via On3) Caitlin Clark will have on the game.
How did Colorado fare in 2024, and who will be key to helping them defeat Caitlin Clark?
Colorado Buffaloes finished their regular season with an 11-7 record and went into the PAC 12 championship as the 18th-ranked team in the country.
The Buffaloes won their opening match against Drake, followed by a victory against the Kansas State Wildcats, to set them up for an encounter with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
One of Buffalo's top players this season has been Aaronette Vonleh, who has averaged 14 points per game and 5.2 rebounds. When asked about her matchup with Caitlin Clark, Vonleh told BuffZone:
“I think all the matchups on the floor are gonna be key, but I think that one’s just going to be about physicality, athleticism, rebounding – just really the little things, I think it’ll be a good matchup. She’s a good player, but I think we’re prepared for all of them.”
Vonleh realizes that while Caitlin Clark is the main player that her Buffaloes need to worry about, she is not the only member of the Iowa Hawkeyes side.
While special plans may need to be made to stop Clark from doing her thing, the team needs to prepare ways to stop all of the members, not just the star player.
Alongside Vonleh, the Buffaloes have guard Jaylyn Sherrod, who averages 12 points per game.
Both will need to be at their best for the Colorado Buffaloes to defeat Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes.