Caitlin Clark or Trae Young? That was the mix-up at the center of a strange Senate hearing moment on Tuesday, when U.S. senator Eric Schmitt tried to pin U.S. attorney Jack Smith to a February 2024 basketball game and wound up mixing up the Hawks with the Hawkeyes.
Schmitt, who represents Missouri, was pressing Smith as part of questioning tied to the separate investigation into Donald Trump led by Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis. Schmitt said he had text messages showing Smith was in Atlanta on Feb. 3, 2024, and asked, "What would you say if I had a series of text messages from your team that said you were in Atlanta at a Warriors-Hawks game on Feb. 3, 2024, the day after Willis and [former special prosecutor Nathan Wade] announced their affair?" Smith denied being at an Atlanta Hawks game.
The problem: the texts Schmitt was referring to were about the Iowa Hawkeyes, not the Atlanta Hawks. Once the confusion started to unravel, Smith realized he had actually attended the Iowa-Maryland women’s basketball game in College Park on that date.
Smith was at the right game to see Clark at her best. Iowa’s then-senior star put up 38 points and 12 assists in a 93-85 road win over Maryland. The Hawkeyes built a 14-point lead by halftime and held off a late Terrapins push.
Schmitt later said he would accept that Smith is a "Caitlin Clark fan."
"That’s what these hearings are for. You ask questions, you get answers," Schmitt said.
"You know, Jack Smith has perjured himself before, but if he says he’s at the game, maybe he’s a Caitlin Clark fan. We’ll accept that."
Some online sleuthing backed up Smith’s account, with one viewer saying a replay of Clark’s first 3 showed Smith sitting in Section 109, Row 1. The game was listed as a sellout with 17,950 fans.
The Atlanta Hawks did play that same day, and Stephen Curry was in the building. Curry exploded for 60 points on 22-of-38 shooting as the Warriors faced the Hawks in one of the highest-scoring games of his career.
Even that outburst wasn’t enough for Golden State. Atlanta won 141-134 behind 35 points from Trae Young, 22 off the bench from Onyeka Okongwu and a near triple-double from Jalen Johnson.
In Other News...
Keith Veneys Return Could Matter For Marylands Basketball Pipeline
Keith Veney is back in Maryland high school basketball, and his new job could have ripple effects beyond one gym in Leonardtown. St. Marys Ryken has hired the former Dallas Mavericks player development coach as its boys basketball head coach, giving the program a seasoned hand with experience in the pros, at the high school level and in player development. He replaces Jamal Hulum and arrives with deep ties to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, a familiar proving ground for some of the regions best prospects.
For Maryland, the move is worth watching because Veneys background gives him instant credibility in a part of the state where college coaches regularly track emerging talent. A former NCAA record-holder and professional player, he has spent years around the game in different roles, and that kind of profile can matter when local pipelines are built on relationships as much as results. What happens next at St. Marys Ryken will help show just how much pull he can still have in the DMV basketball scene. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Locksley Heads Into Nebraska With Pressure Suddenly Rising
Maryland heads to Nebraska trying to stop a two-game skid, but the bigger storyline around the program has quickly shifted from the standings to the temperature around Mike Locksleys job. After the lopsided loss to UCLA, the Terps coach found himself answering questions not just about what went wrong on the field, but also about the atmosphere surrounding the team and the way the program handles its public messaging.
Locksley said he remains focused on the work in front of him and has taken the tough questions coming his way, a familiar posture in a stretch where every setback seems to invite more scrutiny. With Maryland under growing pressure because of its recent play, the trip to Nebraska carries more than just the usual Big Ten road stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland's Slow Starts Are Becoming A Serious Problem For Malik Washington
Marylands trip to UCLA turned into another lopsided reminder that the first few possessions keep putting the Terps in a hole they cannot climb out of. In the 54-3 loss, the offense again struggled to find rhythm early, and the running game never gave the passing attack much support as injuries continued to thin the group. Coach Michael Locksley pointed to the need for better efficiency on early downs, a theme that has started to loom larger as Maryland tries to steady itself.
For Malik Washington, the burden has only grown heavier when the offense stalls before it ever settles in. He threw four interceptions in the game, part of a night when the Terps had little margin for error and even less help from the ground game. Maryland is hoping a few injured players can return in the coming week, but the bigger issue remains the same: until the opening drives look cleaner, Washington will keep carrying too much of the load. [Read more 🡒]