Will Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins discover taking pictures contact in Elite Eight?

Caitlin Clark is without doubt one of the finest 3-point shooters in school historical past. The Iowa Hawkeyes senior hit her signature emblem 3-pointer to change into the all-time Division I ladies’s scoring chief in mid-February, then added six long-range bombs in a sport a bit greater than two weeks later to move Pete Maravich for many profession factors in Division I historical past for women and men.

JuJu Watkins is the presumptive nationwide freshman of the yr and ranks second in Division I ladies’s scoring this season — behind Clark — and has the USC Trojans one win away from their first Last 4 since 1986. She’s eight factors shy of breaking the single-season freshman scoring mark.

However as Clark and Watkins lead their groups into Monday’s Elite Eight — the Hawkeyes face LSU in an NCAA title sport rematch in Albany (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) and the Trojans play UConn (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Portland — their photographs aren’t falling with the identical frequency as they’ve all season.

By six video games this postseason — counting the Large Ten and NCAA tournaments — Clark is taking pictures 28.9% from behind the arc. Final season, when she led Iowa to the Last 4, she made 41.7% of her 3-point makes an attempt in 9 postseason video games. She’s nonetheless scoring at just about the identical clip as final postseason, however her scoring common within the 2024 postseason is down a bit (29.0) in comparison with her common for this whole season (31.7).

Watkins, in the meantime, is not taking pictures with the identical accuracy she was earlier this season. A 40% shooter on the season, she hit simply 29% of her makes an attempt from the sphere within the Candy 16.

However each gamers are nonetheless getting the job finished. Clark had 29 factors within the Candy 16, whereas Watkins poured in 30, the second most by a USC participant in an NCAA match sport.

We have a look at how they’ve adjusted their video games, what’s working (and what is not) for 2 of essentially the most watched gamers in all of March Insanity and the way lengthy they will preserve profitable if their photographs do not warmth up.

How has Clark adjusted to her 3-point shot being off?

Clark is six 3-pointers away from tying Oklahoma’s Taylor Robertson — who had 537 3s in 5 seasons — for many in Division I historical past. Coming into Monday’s Elite Eight sport vs. LSU, she has shot 37.7% from behind the arc in 136 profession video games at Iowa.

This postseason, Clark is 22-of-76 from behind the arc. Final season she made 45 of 108 3-point makes an attempt. Throughout 30 regular-season video games, Clark made 162 3-pointers (5.7 per sport). In six postseason video games, she has made 22 (3.7).

Nevertheless, her 2-point proportion is best this postseason than final. This yr, she’s 34-of-54 (62.96%) from 2-point vary in six video games. Final yr in 9 postseason video games, she was 57.1% (40-of-70) from 2-point vary.

In opposition to Colorado on Saturday within the Candy 16, Clark was hit 10-of-11 from 2-point vary, however 3-of-11 from behind the arc. She additionally had 15 assists, her NCAA match profession excessive.

“I feel once you’re taking part in in environments you are not all the time used to, and taking part in in these match settings the place your turnaround time is not all the time the best, you are a bit extra sore,” Clark stated when requested if there was something completely different about taking pictures the three this postseason.

“However I feel [it’s important] not settling for 3-pointers. I feel I took 19 3s in 22 photographs complete vs. LSU the final time we performed them. So … Not falling in love with my 3-point shot, with the ability to get within the paint, that permits my teammates to get open. I feel that can be one other key going into this sport, with the ability to rating in any respect three ranges.”

Within the nationwide championship sport final yr, Clark was 9-of-22 total from the sphere, 8-of-19 from 3-point vary. She was additionally 4-of-5 from the free throw line, ending with 30 factors and eight assists. It was a great displaying in a nationwide championship sport. However Clark would possibly want much more to attempt to defeat LSU this yr.

“They’re such a great defensive group. They’re so lengthy,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder stated. “[Against Colorado, Clark’s] 3 wasn’t falling, so she did what a wise basketball participant does — ‘OK, I’ll rating in different methods, I’ll help the ball, I’ll get to the rim.’ She did not get to the free throw line yesterday. That was sort of uncommon.

“I’ll have to determine methods for her to get to the rim as a result of LSU is simply so good.”

Clark hasn’t let the drop in 3-point proportion have an effect on her offensive manufacturing. Along with elevated accuracy in 2-point taking pictures, she has a slight uptick in assists.

Her assists on this postseason (10.3 APG) are up from her season-long common (8.9). And Clark’s postseason scoring and help averages in 2023 and 2024 are just about an identical.

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The stage is ready for JuJu vs. Paige in epic Elite Eight conflict

Take a look at the highest performs from stars JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers as USC and UConn are set to face off with a Last 4 berth on the road.

How has Watkins manufactured factors with out correct taking pictures?

Throughout Saturday’s come-from-behind win over Baylor, Watkins grew to become simply the third participant for the reason that yr 2000 to attain at the very least 20 factors on 45% taking pictures or worse in every of their group’s first three NCAA match video games, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Info.

Beforehand, Kelsey Plum did it in Washington’s first 4 video games en path to the 2016 Last 4, whereas Chennedy Carter’s 2017 and 2018 runs with Texas A&M each ended within the Candy 16.

That sort of taking pictures is not essentially out of the extraordinary for Watkins, who has shot simply 40% from the sphere whereas carrying a heavy share of the Trojans’ offense. The 43% of USC’s performs she’s completed with a shot, journey to the free throw line or turnover leads the NCAA, per HerHoopStats.com, with Clark (40%) simply behind. With defenses sending a number of gamers Watkins’ route, she has needed to complement her shot making with a gentle dose of journeys to the free throw line.

“I do suppose she has that maturity to her sport the place if her shot’s not falling, and she will be able to discover her option to the rim,” Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb instructed ESPN, “it will get her in rhythm a bit bit to get to the free throw line.”

Over the course of the season, Watkins leads the NCAA in free throws made and tried. Though not as correct as Clark from lengthy distance, Watkins (85%) has practically equaled her 86% foul taking pictures, profiting from these frequent alternatives.

“I feel the free throw line is vital on this stretch of video games,” Watkins instructed ESPN. “No matter I can do to ensure that we’re getting [scores] down the stretch, perhaps if we’re not on or we get a bit chilly, simply making an attempt to be sure that I get to the basket and get to the free throw line.”

That talent set took heart stage on Saturday, when Watkins shot 8-of-28 (29%) from the sphere in opposition to a Baylor protection intent on limiting her early alternatives. Watkins’ potential to get to the foul line within the fourth quarter powered USC to the Elite Eight. She scored seven of the Trojans’ final eight factors on free throws, together with back-to-back makes twice within the closing 30 seconds of a one-score sport.

Total, Watkins was 12-of-13 from the charity stripe, permitting her to attain 30 factors on an off evening from the sphere.

“Clearly she’s at her finest when all three ranges are clicking,” Gottlieb stated, “however you all the time know she will be able to get to her pull-up or get to the free throw line, one or the opposite. Defenses cannot take away every thing.”

As the extent of competitors will increase, poor taking pictures from Watkins might doom the Trojans. Plum’s 2016 run, which noticed her common 26.3 PPG on 38% taking pictures over the primary 4 video games, ended within the Last 4 with a 5-for-18 outing in a 21-point loss to Syracuse.

For now, Watkins is doing what it takes for USC to advance.