NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - CREIGHTON VS IOWA

March 19, 2022

Lisa Bluder

Kate Martin

Caitlin Clark

Gabbie Marshall

Iowa Hawkeyes

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Iowa.

Q. What have you seen of Creighton on film? And if they were any different from your scrimmage before the season started?

KATE MARTIN: Creighton is a really good 3-point shooting team. They play a lot of 5-out, and they're going to shoot the ball a lot. And they push the ball well in transition. I think they're similar to us in wanting to shoot the ball. But they don't play as fast-paced as we do. But there might be some matchup issues inside. But they're a pretty good team. And there's not much difference from the scrimmage; but, yeah, we're just getting prepared for that, and we'll be ready to guard the 3-point line.

CAITLIN CLARK: Yeah, I'm right there with Kate. Obviously kind of small ball. I think, it will play into our advantage having played that before. Obviously not something you really see in the Big Ten. That will be a little bit of adjustment. But obviously I think we have an advantage inside. So we'll really need to use that to the best of our ability tomorrow.

But I think, obviously, playing in October and then playing in March is a lot different, obviously. We play the same style of basketball, but we've improved over the course of the year. You got used to playing with your teammates. So I think we're a completely different team than we were then, having a lot more games under our belt, a lot of close games. And having that experience of playing them in the scrimmage and their style of play, which is different, having that experience will be beneficial for us.

GABBIE MARSHALL: I think you guys said everything that needs to be said. It's important to guard the 3 line because they are a good 3-point shooting team. Trusting our game plan and using our advantages to our advantage, Monika inside and just sticking to what we do best and playing team basketball, Iowa basketball, and we'll be successful.

Q. You've had to endure last year, the pandemic year where you didn't really play in front of fans, and then the bubble, of course, and then now. And you had some issues in December. What's Lisa been like throughout this whole thing? Has she been a calm, steadying force? Has she changed with the situation? How would you kind of describe the way she's kind of impacted you personally and as an athlete?

GABBIE MARSHALL: I think she's been calm through it all. It's new to all of us, we've never had to deal with something like COVID. So I think just being able to be open-minded, ready for, like, what the new changes are going to be and just trying to just stick together through it all. I think that's really important. We just had to trust in each other and be ready for whatever was going to come our way and just, I don't know, keep being us through it all.

CAITLIN CLARK: Certainly. I think Coach Bluder is the same person every single day. She gives you 100 percent every time she shows up to practice and film, if you have a meeting with her, and that's what I appreciate so much about her. But obviously we're faced with a lot of adversity this year, but so were other teams.

We didn't make excuses. We just came back and got better every single day. I think the coaches never didn't believe in us. They believed in us really more than we probably believed in ourselves.

Obviously it's hard going through injuries, having seven available players, losing close games you know you should have probably won.

She knows what she's doing. And she's been doing this for a long time. Really, we trusted in her and trusted in the rest of the coaches. Now to really be at our best when we need to is really what we've wanted the whole year and to be at our best when we need to is basically great for us.

KATE MARTIN: I think she stayed calm through it all. Sometimes surprisingly calm. I really believe that. And I think what I love most about her is her confidence in us. And throughout this entire year, even if we were going through rough stretches, she had the utmost confidence in us the entire season.

And so I really admire that about her. And she just instills that in us every single day, whether it's in practice or in a game, she's the same each and every day, and she's always bringing that smile and that encouragement, always yelling "beautiful" at us.

It's pretty awesome that she's remained pretty calm throughout this entire year and throughout COVID.

Q. Tell us a little bit more about the scrimmage. Did you keep score? Is it like a game? Did you work through certain situations? What was kind of the competitive level of that back in October?

CAITLIN CLARK: Yeah, it's competitive. We treat it like it's a real game. We go through a scout. We warm up like it's a real game. It's your first kind of real game experience. It's a freshman's real game experience.

I don't think we're allowed to keep score. So I'm not sure if we did. But honestly, I'm pretty sure it was a very competitive game. Played a lot of different defenses, ran a lot of different sets. It's one of those things where you try different things out at the beginning of the year. But they're a great team.

I know we scrimmage them every single year. We didn't last year due to COVID. But their style of play is different, but we'll be ready to go. Like I said, I think having that experience of playing them in the scrimmage, getting used to that small ball-style, not being shocked when we get out there tomorrow, is going to play to our advantage. But the scrimmage was very competitive. We take it very seriously. So I think it's great we kind of have that experience going into tomorrow.

Q. Lauren Jensen, obviously former teammate now starts for Creighton. Do you see that as an advantage with your familiarity of her, disadvantage of her familiarity of you?

KATE MARTIN: Sure. Yeah. I mean, we love Lauren. No hard feelings there. And we're really happy for her because she's been so successful at Creighton.

And I mean, maybe it's an advantage for her because she's used to this gym. But I don't know, it's still going to be in a crowd of 15,000 people. So we'll see. I wish her the best. But yeah, that's it.

CAITLIN CLARK: I think the same as Kate. Obviously we love Lauren. We wished her the best when she was moving on from here. She's had a tremendous year for Creighton. It's been fun getting to follow her success. And was happy to see that.

But I think getting on the floor tomorrow, like you're both competitors, you're both wanting to compete, is the biggest thing, and we'll have our game faces on. And that's all you can expect in a round of 32 game with a chance to go to the Sweet 16 on the line. We'll be ready to go.

I'm not sure if I would say we have an advantage or she has an advantage. I really wouldn't say that because we haven't played with her or against her really for once other than the whole year. So I wouldn't really say that now.

Q. Kate, how much did your upbringing kind of shape your competitive nature, and just wondering if you have any good stories from your football days?

KATE MARTIN: That's a good question. I'm the youngest of three. I have an older brother and older sister. Things were super competitive in our household. My dad's a football coach, has been my entire life. So he's always roughhoused with us. And he always says he didn't treat me and my sister any different than he raised his son. So we were all kind of raised the same with that same toughness always.

And I was the only girl on our fourth grade football team. I was the quarterback, kicker, and linebacker. So I have some good stories.

I wanted to quit actually the first time we played. I kept getting hit so hard before I could even get the snap out of the center's hands. I went over crying to my dad, I was like, dad, I'm done, I don't want to do it anymore. He looked at me and he said, you begged me to play; you're finishing out this season. So that kind of taught me some toughness right there, too. It's kind of a funny story.

But I think just having my dad -- my mom's really tough, too. She gets upset because I don't mention her too much. So my mom's tough as well. I get a lot of that from her.

I think just having those siblings playing football has kind of shaped me. But it was a cool experience and I'm glad I can keep living that toughness out.

Q. I know you guys kind of dealt with this last year on somewhat of a stage, but it's going to be sold out in here tomorrow. And you're going to get the ABC viewing audience. Have you thought about at all what this means externally beyond what's just going to go on between the lines for the game itself?

GABBIE MARSHALL: I mean, obviously it's super cool we got to sell out not just one game but two back to back. But getting that viewership for women's basketball in general, it's showing that more people are wanting to watch women's basketball and wanting to watch us play. It's exciting, that's what you want, as a woman's basketball player, it's cool to see the amount of people that are watching your games.

CAITLIN CLARK: I think it's tremendous. Obviously getting the ABC time slot is a super big deal for women's basketball. I think the only other time we played on ABC was UConn last year. The numbers for that game were tremendous. A super, super cool opportunity.

Obviously ESPN is great but ABC is a whole different level. We're excited getting to play in front of 14,000-something, due to NCAA seating. That's a huge deal as well. Those two combined together, what better platform can you ask to play women's basketball on and to grow the game?

I think it just really shows the excitement and growth this game has going forward. But we're super thankful for the opportunity and we don't take it for granted. And I'm just really excited.

Q. You talk about small ball. I'm not really sure I understand what that means.

CAITLIN CLARK: They basically play all guards. All of them can shoot. It's just their style. It always has been. A lot of screening action on the perimeter. So we'll basically be defending from the outside/in. And that's not usually what you see in the Big Ten. Usually they're playing at least one solid post at a time.

And their girls can go inside and post up and do that but they can all shoot the 3 at the exact same time. Small ball more like all guards basically on the floor at once.

Q. If you're going to be all across the floor defending the 3-point line, how do you keep an eye on the lane? Monika just have to stand there, or are you going to be able to help?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think it all depends on matchups and who they have in the game. And obviously help side will be a key for us. And being able to see our ball and the player at the exact same time. A lot of screening action.

That's why you watch film. That's why you go through it in practice. That's why you have a scout, so you're ready and prepared when you step on the floor tomorrow. But those will be keys to the game for us for sure.

Q. Creighton, I think, leads the nation in assists per game. You guys are right up there, too. How much do you appreciate their brand of play and vice versa?

KATE MARTIN: I like watching high-assist basketball teams. It's pretty similar to us in that aspect. I can appreciate a team that shares the ball well. And they're a hardworking team. They're a really good team. They're fun to watch. They're great shooters. So I really appreciate their high assist/low turnover type team.

GABBIE MARSHALL: I think they're pretty similar to us in that way. I think that contributes also for them being able to shoot the 3 ball. That's probably how they get their high assists.

But I think they're similar to us because we really value a great shot over a good shot and just having those high-assist games.

Q. Caitlin, you guys talk about how you guard a team like Creighton. What about in terms of how you attack them offensively, because Lisa, there's not much wrong yesterday, but Lisa said you need to get Monika more touches. Is that a little bit easier to do, or what are the challenges against a spread offense like that one there when you're defending?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think we should get Monika the ball no matter who is guarding her, a big or small, no matter what. Obviously only six shots yesterday. She was getting triple teamed at one point in the first quarter.

I thought she did a really good job finding her teammates and setting open 3 looks. I think she's done a great job of this year, passing out of double teams, triple teams. That's a lot harder than it looks.

But I think we'll have an advantage inside. I think that every single game because Monika is the best post in the country.

I think really taking advantage of that. But not only that, driving will be huge for us, cutting hard, getting our feet in the paint is really some keys to the game offensively for us.

COACH BLUDER: Excited to still be playing. It's fun to enter the field of 32. Obviously everybody is trying to get to that next level. And we have a great opponent in Creighton, somebody that we're familiar with. They're familiar with us. It's kind of unusual because in the NCAA Tournament usually you play against people that you don't see or you don't know as much.

And obviously we know each other pretty well. Having our scrimmage against each other every year in the closed scrimmage. Very well-coached team. Very offensively explosive. Can shoot the 3 really well. Passes the ball really well. They do some of the things we like to do. And it could be a real track meet tomorrow.

Q. What are your recollections of that day when you played in October or early November, whatever it was, and how do you expect things to be, maybe the same or different tomorrow?

COACH BLUDER: I think we're both the same as far as offense and defense as we were in October. But we're both better than we were in October. Both teams are extremely -- when we watched that game we're like oh, my goodness, you just can't believe some of the things you do. I don't know that we've changed a lot but we're a lot better at it.

Q. How many years have you been scrimmaging them? And how did this all kind of come about?

COACH BLUDER: Well, when the NCAA started the rule of a closed scrimmage you can have an NCAA Division I closed scrimmage, I can't remember the year, I think it's been about eight years, possibly. It might have even been longer. I don't remember the year that it became -- as soon as it became that we contacted Creighton because, A, they're close. They're always willing to come here. And they're really good. And so it gave us an opportunity to play somebody in a closed scrimmage like that. And we've just had a good relationship. So we've been kept going every single year.

Q. Over the last ten years you've had almost a superstar every couple of years, whether it's Sam Logic at point guard, or Megan or Kathleen or, now, of course, with Caitlin. Your style seems to remain in place but with a few alterations. How do you kind of decide to keep the tempo the same but change some of the alterations to enhance the strength that you have among certain players?

COACH BLUDER: I think that comes in the recruiting process. I think you recruit players that fit your style, that I mean obviously we recruit players that are pretty offensive minded that want to be up-tempo, that are willing to pass the ball. Those are things -- I know like you look at Megan and she may be different than Sam and Kathleen and Caitlin, but I'd say right now we have two stars. I really believe Monika Czinano is a star in her own right.

And I just they both are. Megan and Monika are willing to run the floor. We need posts that are willing to do that because we want to be up-tempo. We've just coached that way. We enjoy it. We think the fans enjoy it and I think our players really like to play that way.

Q. I know you had your full focus on Illinois State. When you saw the brackets, saw that Creighton could be a possibility, did you want that familiar prep? Do you feel like that makes a difference at all? And I know the rosters are different, but was there anything that you learned from prepping in 2018 for facing them, just because you guys are so overlapped and intertwined and now and now facing each other on the biggest stage?

COACH BLUDER: I was actually hoping to play Colorado. I thought we matched up with Colorado a little bit better, because with Creighton playing a five-guard offense, basically, it's harder for us to defense them. So I was kind of hoping to play Colorado. The second part of that was about 2018...

Q. Because you guys are so intertwined, I remember you talked last year about how you're prepping for them. Anything from that you learned about that situation?

COACH BLUDER: I just really like our players -- they know 2018 we lost to them, right? And that's good. That's good for them to know that. It's good for them to remember that.

I'm sure Creighton thinks it's good to know that they have the confidence coming in here, too. So we'll both spin it the way we want to spin it as far as coaches.

I don't know that there's any advantage to it. Again, I think in the NCAA Tournament you kind of look forward to playing against people that you're not seeing all the time. So we're not getting that as much right now. And you kind of like having people that don't play against you all the time that you get to go against in the NCAA Tournament.

Q. Emma Ronsiek is pretty versatile in the fact she can go inside in the post, but also step out and shoot a 3. Just talk about kind of the challenge she presents on the offensive side. And without giving up your game plan, what are some broad things that you can do to slow down someone that is as versatile as she is?

COACH BLUDER: She's a great player. And you just hit the nail on the head Kyle. She's so versatile. That's what makes her so good. That's what makes players, elevate them from being a good player to a great player when they can score in a variety of ways when they can put the ball on the deck, post up, shoot 3s, that's what she can do. She's huge. How do you defend her we've gone against good players all year. I don't think we can get hung on that. Yes, we'll have a game plan to try to defend her just like we have to defend Lauren Jensen who is a tremendous 3-point shooter. You're right, I'm not going to talk about it a whole lot. But she is a superb player.

Q. Kate Martin, in particular, you talk about her being the glue of this team. What were some things when you recruited her that really kind of stood out that made you feel like she'd be a really good fit here?

COACH BLUDER: I have known Kate Martin since she's been about four years old. We go back a long ways. And so it wasn't a matter of understanding that she'd be a good player, a good person on our team, because I know her. She came to our camps before that.

She's a niece to Jan Jensen, I don't know if you knew that or not. She's been around our program forever. And she dreamed about being a Iowa Hawkeye. I have pictures of her and I together when she was four years old she's wearing a Hawkeye jersey with a backwards baseball cap on. She was always a Tom boy, ready to play basketball for the Hawkeyes. It was never a matter of fact that I had to think about is she going to be a good fit for our program. She grew you wanting to be a fit for our program. She grew up trying to emulate being a part of our program.

Really, in my recruiting process with her, just having to figure out was she good enough. Was she good enough to play for us. And the answer is yes.

Q. The last two years or so, really it was about two years today-ish when the world kind of collapsed and with the pandemic and that tournament got canceled. The next year all the uncertainty. And even for you, this last December, you had to deal with your own bouts on the team. How have you handled this adversity on a personal way and how have you tried to project that with the players to ensure that it doesn't affect them mentally, because I know it all affects everybody in this room?

COACH BLUDER: Two years ago was something I will never forget. We were playing really good basketball. And we had been through the conference tournament, and that week, it was one of our best weeks of basketball. That's what makes that so disheartening. We had Kathleen Doyle, Big Ten player of the year. We honestly felt like we had a Sweet 16 team on our hands. That's what's disappointing if you felt you had a really good team and all of a sudden you get that phone call saying wrap it up. And having to bring those women together and tell them that their careers are over; their basketball season is over. Something I'll never forget.

This year, we've had a lot of unusual situations to deal with. But that's what I admire about this team is the resilience of being able to handle this and to stay positive and to bounce back no matter what. And it's incredible. I mean, we've had players get injured. We've had delays. We've had four games in eight days. We've had travel problems getting back. It never fazed them. It was honestly -- it's so rewarding to see young people that are so resilient and so positive and you just want to be around those kids, right? Because it's going to rub off on you a little bit. Everybody wants to be around kids like that. I just admire them, I'm really proud of them.

I think it's our leadership. We have great leaders with Monika, Kate and McKenna are our three leaders. I think Caitlin as a leader by virtue of her status does just a marvelous job. They're always laughing and bringing fun things to the table.

Even when we got delayed at Penn State forever, they're just having a great time. They have a great time together. It didn't matter that we were getting home at 4 o'clock in the morning from Rutgers. They're having fun.

So I think when you enjoy the people you're around, you can get through a whole lot of difficulty.

Q. How have you seen Caitlin Clark over the last two years balance, I don't know, playing with an edge, which she clearly does, and keeping her cool at the same time? And not just tomorrow's game, which is a huge stage, but as you progress in this tournament, her need to do that and how she's grown doing that, and maybe she still has to grow?

COACH BLUDER: I think it's a fine line when you coach somebody like Caitlin because she does have an edge. And you never want to take that edge away as a coach.

I've talked about this with our staff. We have to manage her but we can't control her. You can't put a bushel basket over the light. You don't want to do that, right?

Part of what makes her great is that edge. Part of what makes her great is her passion. Part is her competitiveness. And part of that is taking logo shots. I mean, if I was going to take that away from her all the time, I would be taking away, I think, one of the strengths of her game. Do I want her shooting logo shots all the time. Heavens no. She's learning a right time and a place for that and she's grown in that this year. I think she's gotten much better in that this year. But am I ever going to tell Caitlin exactly what she can and cannot do? No because that's taking away the player that she is in my opinion.

Q. Through the years you've always talked about how much you love the assist. That being said, Creighton leads the nation in assists. How much fun you talk about beautiful basketball and all that. When you see Creighton, do you see that as the way you kind of see it in your own team as well?

COACH BLUDER: I love any team that can shoot the ball and share the ball and run the ball. And they do all three of those things.

So, yes, there's an excellent team. And what makes them hard to guard is we've talked about Emma. And what a great player she is. But they all have the possibility to have a great night against you. That's what makes them hard to guard. It's not just one or two people you have to worry about but everybody in this team that has the possibility to hit a 3 on you. When you put five players on the floor that can hit 3s, that's hard to defend. So, yeah, I think they play a pretty style of basketball and they execute it very well.

Q. You've been in the game a long time, and know like how pivotal last year was in terms of exposing some of the inequities. I'm wondering if you feel like, is there a different feel this year? Are we far enough into it to know that, or has it been cosmetic or is it genuine, and do you have a thought on what you would use to measure that, if you will?

COACH BLUDER: That's a big question. But I think we can all see some of the things that they've made adjustments on. We all notice March Madness being logoed all over the place. But, man, that's a small victory, isn't it?

There are definitely some things I know that the NCAA is doing, but we're not even close to being where we should be. And shame on us for getting down this path this far with nobody ringing the alarms. Scott, you talked about the pandemic and COVID. Thank goodness for COVID. COVID might have been the best thing for women's basketball that could have ever happened, because what it did is put us all together and put one kid with a social media out there to get this ball rolling in the right direction.

If we would have had no COVID, if we would have had no social media, I don't think any of this would have happened. We'd still be playing in the dark ages. And I know we're making steps. And I'm so glad that we're making steps, but there's a whole lot more steps to go.

I mean, when you look about lost television revenue and unit distribution, how women are getting none of that, we've proved that we can handle it; that we can sell our product. But they're just not allowing us to sell our product.

I think it's getting better and I think it will continue to get better and we can't be satisfied with where it is right now.