In a tightly contested matchup at Assembly Hall, Indiana women’s basketball sophomore guard Lexus Bargesser assumed the pivotal role of shadowing Iowa guard Caitlin Clark’s every move. With the shot clock winding down late in the second quarter, Clark, the nation’s leading scorer, sought an opening right in front of IU’s bench. Despite Clark’s attempts to deceive with step fakes, Bargesser remained unfazed, keeping her defensive stance firm and her hands out wide to thwart any attempts to drive to the basket.
As the seconds ticked away, Clark found herself in a desperate situation, forced to execute a behind-the-back pass as the shot clock reached its expiration. The culmination of Bargesser’s steadfast defense elicited a resounding standing ovation from the sold-out crowd, affirming the electric atmosphere pulsating through Assembly Hall on that memorable evening.
“From the get-go, our players really showcased their defensive intensity,” remarked Indiana coach Teri Moren following her team’s impressive 86-69 victory. “We made it incredibly challenging for Caitlin Clark tonight, and that’s no easy feat. She’s an exceptional player.”
Throughout a significant portion of the second quarter, spanning over nine minutes, Lexus Bargesser assumed the pivotal task of defending Clark, while Chloe Moore-McNeil remained sidelined due to three fouls. Despite the absence of Moore-McNeil, both she and Sara Scalia demonstrated unwavering focus and determination when assigned to Clark.
Read More: From Idaho to Bloomington to Witness Caitlin Clark: ‘It’s Incredible Being This Close’
Indiana basketball’s ‘tenacious’ defense throws Caitlin Clark off her game
Clark, who is averaging 32.8 points per game this season, scored Iowa’s first seven points, but nothing came easy for the senior.
She ended up shooting 30.7% from the field (8 of 26) and 18.5% from 3-point range (3 of 16). It was only the third time this season she shot less than 40% and her worst shooting performance from 3-point range in conference play.
Indiana held Clark to four points in the second half on 2 of 13 shooting (0 for 7 from 3-point range). She didn’t score the final 9:33 of the game with Iowa trying to erase a double-digit deficit.
“Very physical,” Clark said, of IU’s defensive approach. “I think that was the main thing. Kind of pushed me off my spots and got me a little deeper than I wanted to be.”
“They were just tenacious,” she later added.
Indiana women’s basketball coaches scheme up winning game plan against Caitlin Clark
That effort was only part of the reason for IU’s success.
Indiana coach Teri Moren said her staff changed up the game plan they used against Clark earlier this season. Clark scored 30 points with six 3-pointers in a dominant 87-54 victory over the Hoosiers in January.
This time around IU threw different looks at Clark designed to keep her from getting into a rhythm. The Hoosiers switched more on off ball-ball screens, crowded her more and face guarded coming out of a dead ball.
“I’m almost positive they didn’t score off dead balls,” Moren said. “We couldn’t stay completely man-to-man the entire game, we threw out a little bit of a zone there and tried to face guard and make her work.”
It’s why Iowa coach Lisa Bluder had such an easy time summing up the loss at the start of her post game press conference.
“They had a great game plan that I think frustrated Caitlin at times,” Bluder said.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
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