Feelin' 22, Caitlin Clark + Nika Muhl

Final Four pt. 2

"Sorry for the delay, folks. It seems there was a bit of an altercation between the two star players, Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. The officials are currently reviewing the situation to determine whether or not these two players will be allowed to participate in the second half."

"That's a big deal. Where would that leave their teams? Both of them play such crucial roles."

"Honestly, I'm not sure. All I know is that there was some kind of altercation in the back, and fists were thrown. The tension between Bueckers and Clark was very intense throughout the first half. It was harsh, it was sloppy, and you could just feel something was going to give-"

"Oh, wait a minute! Here we have both teams running back onto the court. I think I see Clark. Where is Bueckers? Oh, there she is! This is going to be very interesting to see how the second half plays out with all that tension still in the air."

••••

As I walked back out on the court, the tension was so heavy you could almost feel it in the air. I could see Lily walking out slowly, her demeanor completely changed after what had taken place. Her eyes were still red and puffy as she recorded the girls walking back out to the court, capturing every moment with a somber expression.

"Hey Lils," I said softly as I walked over to her, giving her a tight squeeze once she was finished recording. "I love you, everything is going to be okay." She only gave me a nod in response, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, before we both started snapping pictures and videos of the teams, trying to focus on the game despite the heavy atmosphere.

By the third quarter, Iowa had fully taken advantage of the rift that had formed between Nika and Paige. The two girls, who were once playing so well off each other, were now struggling to find their rhythm. Paige occasionally yelled at the Croatian, calling her names when their plays didn't work out. Nika didn't respond, knowing she was partly to blame for what went down. The confidence that the girls once had was completely shattered, and you could see it in their game. Their movements were hesitant, their passes lacked precision, and the synergy that had made them so formidable was nowhere to be found.

Nika's defense on Caitlin wasn't as strong as before, and it was painfully obvious. Clark was running circles around her, effortlessly making three after three. The frustration was clear on the court.

"What the fuck, Nika?" Paige's voice cut through the noise of the crowd as she yelled out to the brunette after Caitlin scored yet another three. The tension between them was boiling over, and it was clear that their once cohesive teamwork was falling apart.

UConn had only managed to score 19 points in the third quarter, while Iowa racked up 25. My heart sank, knowing that all of this was my fault. My old team and my new team were suffering because of my selfish acts. I felt a heavy weight of guilt as I watched Geno angrily berate the team during the timeout. His face was red with frustration, and he gestured wildly as he tried to get through to the players.

On our side of the court, Bluder was all smiles as she congratulated the girls on how well they played in the third quarter. The contrast between the two coaches' reactions was stark. Bluder's team huddled around her, their faces lit up with determination and pride. The energy on the Iowa bench was electric, while UConn's bench looked deflated and defeated.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the score was tied 51-51. The tension in the arena was high, and every fan was on their feet, chanting and cheering for their team. Although UConn struggled to find their rhythm at the start of the quarter, they quickly managed to find some sort of pace. They were not making it easy for Iowa, and the battle on the court was fierce.