Fresh off another incredible game in a thrilling win over the Dallas Wings, Caitlin Clark was quick to give Paige Bueckers her flowers.
Caitlin Clark delivered yet another masterclass performance in Indiana’s 98-87 victory over Dallas, dropping 29 points and 10 assists while brushing off a minor ankle tweak.
Paige Bueckers matched the fire with a brilliant 29 points of her own, reigniting an iconic battle linked back to their high school and college days. Geno Auriemma even recently pointed out how Bueckers held the initial national spotlight as a freshman until injury set in, opening the door for Clark.
Despite their intense rivalry, the two remain great friends, both lighting up the WNBA, averaging over 20 points per game in this year’s MVP race.
Caitlin Clark praises Paige Bueckers after Indiana Fever win
Speaking in the Indiana Fever’s post-game interview alongside Ty Harris, Caitlin Clark kept it classy on Paige Buckers after their on-court battle.
She said: Yeah, I mean obviously she’s an incredible player. Makes it really hard on us defensively. We tried to throw a lot of different things at her. She’s so good in the mid-range.
“I felt like we had a few miscommunications, especially in that third quarter spurt where she was just completely wide open. So that’s on our group to figure out, especially on missed baskets. You’re not always going to be able to get to your matchup, but you know, Paige is a tremendous player. She takes what the defense gives her. She doesn’t force anything. She’s smooth. She finds the open teammate.
“So she’s just a really tough guard. Obviously, I thought I thought Kelsey did a really good job on her. And then everybody else that saw her, like Tai, Sophie, um, you know, people just stepped up to the challenge and, you know, that’s kind of what you got to do with really good players is you got to throw a lot of different things at them. They’re going to make tough shots. Um, and you live with some of them.”
Their head-to-head record is dead even. In college, they split two NCAA Tournament battles, with Bueckers and UConn taking the 2021 Sweet Sixteen victory, while Clark’s Iowa got revenge in the 2024 Final Four.
And now this was the third game where Clark and Bueckers matched up against each other in the WNBA, and Clark is now 2-1 against Bueckers.
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