WATCH: Caitlin Clark Turns Furious, Screams at the Referee, and Gets Slapped With a Technical on a Triple-Double Night

Purdue women’s basketball team fell 96-71 to the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday night, in what was the second sellout of Mackey Arena under Katie Gearlds’ direction. Interestingly, star standout Caitlin Clark was slapped with technical fouls in the match where Boilermakers put up some brave face.

But despite their defiance, Purdue were unable to contain Clark’s impressive performance. This defeat marks the highest scoring total the Boilermakers have allowed this season, surpassing their previous loss to UCLA. But the match hogged headlines for some other reason too.

Clark in confrontational mode

Less than three minutes into the contest, Iowa jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, mostly because of two three-pointers from Caitlin Clark that placed Purdue in a tough spot. After Abbey Ellis made her own three-pointer, Madison Layden and she exchanged baskets to start the Boilermakers’ scoring run at nine points. However, two incidents involving Caitlin Clark and referees cause hassle amidst an intense game.

The first incident occurred when Caitlin Clark hit a three-pointer that was initially ruled as a basket. However, upon review, the referees determined that her foot was on the line, resulting in the shot being counted as a two-pointer instead. This decision infuriated Clark, who vehemently argued with the officials, resulting in a technical foul being called against her.

The second incident occurred shortly after, when a player from Purdue intentionally pushed Clark while she was attempting to drive to the basket. Surprisingly, the referees did not call a foul on the play, further escalating Clark’s frustration. She once again voiced her displeasure towards the officials, resulting in her second technical foul of the game. These incidents not only disrupted the flow of the game but also showcased the mounting tension between Clark and the referees.

Caitlin Clark’s triple-double feat

With 3,244 career points, Clark presently has the fifth-best scoring position in women’s collegiate basketball history. In the previous two games, she has recorded a triple-double in each. The most recent one was on January 10 against Purdue, when she led Iowa with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Clark had his 15th triple-double of the career with that. She scored 40 points in Iowa’s 76-73 victory over Michigan State exactly one week earlier, marking her tenth career 40-point effort.

In front of a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena, she finished off that amazing performance with a buzzer-beating, game-winning strike from the logo.