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LSU’s Hailey Van Lith had a night to forget in the Elite Eight – well, it seems like she’s doing her best to do so.
After just one year with the Tigers, Van Lith has reportedly entered the transfer portal for the second time in her college career.
Van Lith was tasked with the tough challenge of guarding Iowa star Caitlin Clark on Monday night, and it seemed much more difficult than she anticipated.
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LSU guard Hailey Van Lith brings the ball up the court during the game against Tennessee on Feb. 25, 2024, at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Clark, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, dropped 41 points and hit nine 3-pointers, carrying No. 1 Iowa to the Final Four in a rematch of last year’s championship (LSU won that game, but without Van Lith, who was playing for Louisville). It was Clark’s fifth 40-point game of the season and the third time she hit nine 3s.
Van Lith, while reportedly battling an illness, could do nothing but shrug after a Clark 3-pointer, which naturally became an internet meme.
Van Lith spent her first three college seasons with the Cardinals, twice earning first-team All-ACC honors. She put up a career-high 19.7 points per game in her final year at Louisville, but that number dipped to 11.6 this season with LSU. Her 37.8 field goal percentage was the lowest of her career, and she saw her minutes drop from 36.9 to 31.3 per contest.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) works against LSU’s Hailey Van Lith during the first half of their Elite Eight matchup of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 1, 2024, in Albany, New York. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Of course, she joined a much better squad, so there were plenty of minutes and scoring to go around, but perhaps the numbers dipped a bit too much.
Despite this being her senior season, Van Lith has one more year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Van Lith had until Wednesday to declare for the WNBA Draft, but the day came and went without her doing so, despite dubbing herself a “pro-type player” after LSU’s loss to Iowa.
Head coach Kim Mulkey praised Van Lith after that game.
LSU guard Hailey Van Lith (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images/File)
“I hope it’s not her last game. But if it is, I’m proud to have been her coach for a year,” Mulkey said. “She wanted to experience all the things I guess she saw from afar with our championship last year. For her to take that leap of faith and leave her comfort zone at Louisville, you don’t see many players do that.”
Angel Reese declared for the draft earlier this week, leaving the Tigers without two of their best for next season. Flau’Jae Johnson, who dropped 23 against the Hawkeyes, will enter her junior year.
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