What has already been a singularly compelling NCAA women’s tournament promises to get even more interesting Friday night.

On a star-studded evening in Cleveland, South Carolina will meet NC State and Iowa will face UConn in the Final Four. The second game specifically will feature two of the most compelling talents in college basketball: Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark and Huskies guard Paige Bueckers.

It’s a showdown between the sport’s most exciting player in Clark and perhaps its most complete in Bueckers, and a regional rivalry between an Iowan and a Minnesotan. However, Clark was frank Thursday morning about her admiration for her opponent.

“The coolest thing about Paige is how resilient she is. Since I’ve known her since she was in middle school, she’s always had that fire, she’s always been a great leader,” Clark told reporters. “I couldn’t be happier for her and the year that she’s had.”

On the heels of an ACL injury that cost her the 2023 season, Bueckers is averaging a career-best 22 points per game and garnered AP All-America honors for the second time.

This year, the Hopkins, Minn. native will have a chance to lead UConn to its 12th national championship.

Everyone Is Saying The Same Thing About Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend After He Was Photographed At Her Final Game

Caitlin Clark yelling while her arms outstretched

Things got extremely scary on what was an emotional night for Caitlin Clark during the NCAA Tournament.

Caitlin Clark played the final home game of her Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday night in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. A bunch of stars were out to catch her play at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for one last time.

In the arena was former Iowa and now San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his wife, former Iowa basketball player Claire Till.

Not only that, Clark also had her parents as well as her boyfriend there as well in support.

Following the game, Caitlin Clark could be seen taking several pictures with her boyfriend, former Iowa basketball player Connor McCaffery.

They could be seen posing at midcourt.

Here is how many of her fans reacted to a picture of her and her boyfriend embracing each other at her final game:

In Iowa’s 64-54 round of 32 win versus West Virginia, Clark dropped 32 points on what was a tough shooting night for her. The senior guard finished 11-of-12 from the free-throw line and added eight rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals, via ESPN.com.

With her latest scoring output, Clark moved in front of Washington‘s Kelsey Plum as her 1,113 points on the season overtook Plum’s record number of 1,109 set during the 2016-17 season.

The NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader will now head to Albany for Saturday’s Sweet 16 game against fifth-seeded Colorado.

Caitlin Clark Has All The Records But Lacks A National Championship

(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

The end of Iowa Hawkeyes point guard Caitlin Clark’s era is happening in this tournament, but she would love to add one more accolade to her name.

Clark has already broken the all-time NCAA scoring record of 3,667 that stood for 54 years as well as a slew of other records. However, Clark would love to add that coveted National Championship to her long list of accomplishments.

She got close last year but the LSU Tigers had other ideas.

Will Caitlyn Clark win a National Championship in her last year?