In the 2024 Final Four, two of college basketball’s biggest talents will square off.
It’s finally taking place once more.
In the 2024 women’s Final Four, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers will square off between No. 1 Iowa and No. 3 UConn.
In the Elite Eight, Clark scorched forty-one points to get revenge on No. 3 LSU for the Hawkeyes’ 2023 title-game defeat. Following that contest, the Huskies defeated No. 1 USC 80-73 behind 28 points from Bueckers.
There have been some high-profile bouts in the tournament, such as Clark vs. Angel Reese and Bueckers vs. JuJu Watkins.
And as the tournament draws to a close, these games get more competitive. Before the two players square off on the court, here’s what you should know about Clark vs. Bueckers:
When is the Final Four match between Iowa and UConn?
The game between the Huskies and Hawkeyes is scheduled for Friday, April 5, at 6 p.m. ET.
Have Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark already faced each other?
Indeed, the last time Clark and Bueckers met each other was in 2021, as freshmen. In the Sweet 16 match, Bueckers and UConn defeated Clark and Iowa 92–72.
With a 7-for-18 shooting percentage, Bueckers contributed 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists to support the top-seeded Huskies.
With 21 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a block on 7 of 21 shots overall, Clark led the No. 5 Hawkeyes.
Since then, they haven’t played one another.
Compared to Paige Bueckers, how do Caitlin Clark’s stats compare?
Since Clark is a product of the Iowa system, her individual statistics are superior to Bueckers’. Although Bueckers is also capable of leading an offense, Aaliyah Edwards in the frontcourt gives them a lethal one-two punch.
Here are the specific numbers for each player in 2024:
36 games, 31.7 points, 8.9 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks, and a 46/38/86 shooting split on 23/14/7 volume for Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.
Paige Bueckers of UConn recorded the following stats in 37 games: 21.9 points, 3.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 1.4 blocks, and 54/42/83 on a 15/5/4 volume shot.
Has Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark been teammates?
Yes, at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Clark and Bueckers were teammates on Team USA’s U19 squad. They defeated Mali 93-79 in the championship game to win gold.
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Are Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers entering the WNBA draft?
Yes, Clark, 22, is entering the 2024 WNBA Draft in which the Indiana Fever hold the No. 1 overall pick.
Bueckers, however, will not be leaving college basketball just yet. The 22-year-old announced on Feb. 16 that she would stay next season.
Bueckers still has two more years of eligibility due to being a medical redshirt in 2022-23 and the additional COVID-19 year.
Have Caitlin Clark or Paige Bueckers won a national championship?
No, neither Clark nor Bueckers have a national championship to their respective names.
Clark came close in 2023 but Iowa fell to LSU in the title game. Bueckers also came close in 2022 but UConn fell to South Carolina in the title game.
The 2024 tournament will be Clark’s last chance to add a college ring to her resume while Bueckers will still have a chance in the future.
What were Caitlin Clark’s and Paige Bueckers’ high school rankings?
Before Clark and Bueckers became college stars, they were dominating at the high school level.
Bueckers was the No. 1 high school prospect in 2020, according to ESPN, while Clark came in at No. 4. Both were five-star prospects, with LSU’s Angel Reese and Stanford’s Cameron Brink coming in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
