March 2024 in photos: Paste BN's most memorable pictures of the year
In early March Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark broke Pete Maravich's 54-year-old NCAA scoring record. She would go on lead the Hawkeyes to their third straight Big Ten title in a thrilling, back-and-forth overtime game that ended with Iowa pulling out a 94-89 win. Clark was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for the third consecutive year. She scored 34 points and dished out 12 assists, recording her 21st double-double of the season, along with grabbing seven rebounds and three steals.
Des Moines Register photographer Lily Smith covered Clark across her four years in college. “She has an effect on an audience that I've never seen another athlete have before,” said Smith. “She captivates her audience, from seasoned sports fans to young girls watching basketball for the first time, and they focus on her every move. The way she conducts their energy and uses it to motivate her teammates up into their best performances time and time again will never cease to be impress me.”