For athletes like Caitlin Clark, it’s kind of hard to top the rookie season with all the hype, all the awards, and all the fun! But that’s not really on her mind, she just wants to hoop. Or as the Iowa alum said during her junior year, “I hope people remember me for the way I played with a smile on my face, my competitive fire.” After all, surpassing expectations is second nature for Clark. In just her rookie year, the Indiana Fever star took home the ROTY award despite some tough competition from Angel Reese, and even came 4th in MVP voting. But fans knew she could do more, and so did she!

Honestly, with how much work Clark had put in this off-season, expectations were at an all-time high. And she, as always, delivered! The six-foot-tall point guard burst onto the scene with a 20 point triple-double against Chicago, and kept up her rockstar performances against Atlanta. But these highs can’t always last, and there’s always a build up before the storm.

Against the New York Liberty, Caitlin Clark had her first bad day of the season. It got to the point that even commentator Jordan Kent from CBS had to point out her failings. With just two minutes and some change left in the first quarter, Caitlin Clark tried to spin baseline against Natasha Cloud. And with how her day was going, she ended up turning the ball over. “And Cloud all over Caitlin Clark. That’s her fourth turnover already.” The Indiana Fever star seemed to be in a rush, and wasn’t taking her time with the rock. And that was the case with her through the entire game, honestly.

She wasn’t able to find her rhythm, and looked slightly disjointed as she competed against the Liberty. Early in the first quarter, she picked up 4 turnovers, and honestly? It was hard to watch. Not only that, she was getting into foul trouble, and her efficiency was not anywhere near what we expect. Clark finished the game with 5 personal fouls, and many missed opportunities.

Following such an impressive rookie season, having two consecutive games around the 30-35% field goal efficiency mark sends the wrong message. Not to mention, she shot less than 20% from three, carrying on her slump from the previous game. When Kent pointed out her struggles in the first quarter, it ended up being a prelude to something much worse. CC’s overall performance was quite underwhelming from a potential MVP candidate, and highlights even more faults and questions targeted towards the Indiana Fever.

However, that is not to say that she wasn’t impactful. Although CC ended up with 10 turnovers against the Liberty, her box-score showed a plus-minus of +6, and she even got a 10 assist double-double! There is no doubting that the Indiana Fever star has a lot of ways to contribute to the floor, and to help her team win. But there was a moment in this game that was defining for the Iowa alum.

Caitlin Clark buzzer-beater renews hope for Fever fans

It is always a stressful time when a franchise super-star stops scoring the way they normally do. For example, let’s look at Caitlin Clark’s most recent conundrum. The Indiana Fever star is known for her flashy looks from deep, and a relatively efficient mode of offense. However, everything seemed a little bit off ever since her second game with the Atlanta Dream this season.

Coming off a 27 and 11 performance, fans expected Clark to take over the second game as well, putting on an absolute clinic from three. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Caitlin Clark ended up going the entire game without scoring a single three-pointer, and her struggles reflected in her score–11 points on 36% shooting.

And with how she turned the ball over early in the game against New York, there were definitely hints of concern for the Fever. However, we were reassured that things were back to normal after an exquisite performance in the third quarter. More particularly, at the very end. \

With less than 5 seconds left in the third quarter, Caitlin Clark sprinted down the court in transition while being pressed by the on-ball defender, and managed to get off a 30-footer right before the buzzer! It was a fabulous way to enter the last portion of the game, and a staunch reminder to the NY Liberty that Clark was a threat from deep.

However, it might have been too little too late. CC’s inefficient night from three was capped off with a heart-breaking 90-88 loss. Although some might say that the last possession was a foul, the refs made their calls and it’s not like it can be overturned now. It is crucial for the Indiana Fever to have Clark shooting well, and this shot was a light in the darkness that surrounds them right now.

It will be interesting to see if that was the turning point for Caitlin Clark’s supposed two-game slump, but one thing is for certain–the Indiana Fever star is gonna stop at nothing to win. She affected the game in several ways tonight, though to no avail, and will always be pushing to reach the next level.