Caitlin Clark Struggles in Team USA's Narrow Win Over Italy

In their second Group D match at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin, Team USA secured a narrow victory over Team Italy with a score of 55-52. However, guard Caitlin Clark faced significant shooting difficulties during the game.

Clark played for 18 minutes and scored only one point, missing all six of her field goal attempts and failing to make any of her three-point shots. This marked the first time she has gone scoreless from the field in any WNBA or collegiate game. Despite her struggles, Team USA's win allowed them to advance to the quarterfinals, although their total score was the lowest in a World Cup game since 1971, with a shooting percentage of just 28.6.

Head coach Kara Lawson acknowledged the need for improvement following the game, emphasizing that challenges like this can help identify weaknesses. Clark's performance has been under scrutiny, as she has averaged only 7.5 points per game in the tournament, shooting at 26.7 percent. Team USA will need her to regain her scoring ability in their upcoming match against Team Czechia.