Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin preview West Virginia

For the final time on Monday night, five seniors on the Iowa Women’s Basketball team will walk out of the tunnel at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the final time. They are hoping to end the night celebrating a trip to the Sweet 16. Two of the seniors, Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin, spoke with the media on Sunday afternoon to preview their matchup with West Virginia and discuss their time at Iowa.

Q. What are your initial thoughts on watching West Virginia? It looks like they play a pretty aggressive style of defense, both half-court and full court. I’m curious what you guys have seen from watching film on them?

KATE MARTIN: They hang their hat on defense. They’re a really good defensive team, and they try to turn you over, full court press, and we’ve seen a lot of teams do that to us this year. Yeah, they’re definitely going to try to speed you up and want to turn you over. So that’s how they get into their offense really is they turn defense into offense. We’re just going to have to stay composed and handle their pressure.

CAITLIN CLARK: Like Kate said, they’re going to want to turn us over, and that’s exactly what they did to Princeton last night in the third quarter. I think that was kind of the point in which the game changed. They’re one of those teams that really feeds off of turnovers. One turnover can turn into five for a team.

So I think that’s going to be the biggest thing is taking care of the ball. We expect them to play some zone, play some man. That’s what we’re prepped for, and it will be a good battle. They have good guards on their team, they’re long, they’re athletic. I think the biggest thing for us is going to be taking care of the ball.

Q. Caitlin, you spoke a little bit on the guard play from WVU, a big part of that is JJ Quinerly. What have you seen from them as a whole but also on her in specific as a player and a defender?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think their guard play is really where they thrive offensively. That’s going to be something that we really focus on. I think JJ specifically is somebody that’s really going to put her head down and want to get to the basket. I think that goes for all their guards, and that’s kind of what they hang their hat on.

They’re capable shooters, but I think they want to drive first and create opportunities there. So we’ll throw a few different things at them. They’re a really good team. They run some really good stuff.

We’ve been prepping for them for a few days going through their actions. I think that will be the biggest thing. Obviously she’s a great defender too. They’re all good defenders, 1 through 5. Being able to handle the pressure and not let one turnover turn into multiple turnovers and then start stacking up.

I think just staying patient and running our offense and running our stuff will be really good.

Q. From both you guys, just dealing with the emotions of the last home game, this is going to be it.

KATE MARTIN: Yeah, it’s definitely bittersweet. I feel really grateful to have extended my time into six years and I’ve gotten to play a lot of games out here on this court, and I feel really grateful for that. So just staying in the moment. And we can deal with that after the game, but first we’re obviously focused on getting a victory tomorrow and just enjoying every single moment with our teammates, trying to have fun out there and smile a lot and just play some basketball. I don’t think it will hit me until the season’s really over. But I feel lucky that we’ve gotten two extra home games on our home court here.

CAITLIN CLARK: Yeah, what she said. I would echo all that. I think the biggest thing is just being grateful. How lucky are we that we get to play two March Madness games on our home court in front of our fans and never letting that opportunity pass us by?

Like Kate said, it’s all business. We’re going to be locked in. I don’t think any of us five seniors are going to be thinking, oh, my gosh, this is our last game. I think the environment is too competitive. You’re wanting to win so hard that’s not really what you’re focused on. Like she said, I feel that’s something that will hit you either after the game or once the season ends. I think more than anything, we need to use the crowd to our advantage. Having 15,000 people that want to cheer for you, that’s huge.

Q. This question is for Caitlin. To your left is Kate Martin, who you’ve played with for a long, long time. How has she impacted your career at Iowa, in what ways? And then also University of Iowa athletics.

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, wow, I think the thing about Kate is she’s been somebody that’s been here with me through it all. It’s kind of crazy to think about. When I first stepped on campus, Kate was already a captain. She was in her junior season, she was two years older than me. She’s somebody that I admired and looked up to, and she became one of my best friends.

I think everybody in our locker room and even one of the coaches would say she’s someone we learn from every single day, somebody that has our backs, somebody that’s one of the best leaders any of us have been around. I feel like the coaches would even say that. I feel like the coaches have learned a lot from Kate, how she goes about her business and what she does on a day-to-day basis.

I’ll miss playing with her. She’s just somebody that’s really been there for me. She’s somebody that’s wired the same way as me. At times that means me and Kate butt heads, but at the end of the day, we know how much we love each other. We step off the court, and it doesn’t matter, we just make each other better.

I think for myself the thing that I’m going to miss the most is just being around her every day, somebody that’s one of her best friends, she’s one of mine. It’s been fun to see her evolution as a basketball player. I think to me she’s a pro. She’s somebody that should be drafted. She’s somebody that can offer a lot to a professional organization. If not, she’ll make a really good coach one day. So I’ve been very lucky over the course of my four years.

KATE MARTIN: Thanks, Caitlin.

Q. This is for both of you. Harrison and Quinerly on the WVU side, both top 15 in the nation in steals per game respectively. Does that guard play remind you of anybody in the Big Ten, or do they seem to pose a completely different threat?

KATE MARTIN: I feel like with their press and their pressure, it kind of reminds me of Penn State a little bit. It definitely reminds me of Georgia a little bit from last year. They like to go back into their zone after their press sometimes. I don’t know, I just think they’re really active and they like to put ball pressure, and they just kind of want to get in your face and intimidate you. We’re just going to have to really stay composed and handle that. If people are doing that to you, there’s counter options, and we’re going to have to take advantage.

CAITLIN CLARK: I would say the same. I think within the Big Ten, they kind of remind me of Illinois with really good guard play at the guard position. I think also additionally with the way they press, I would say Ohio State, those two teams kind of combined.

But they’re unique in their own ways. I think they run a lot of good stuff. They rotate quite a few post players in and out of the game when all those post players are kind of unique in their own way. Some can shoot. Some don’t shoot as much. I think the biggest thing is knowing our scout. It’s easier when you’re in the Big Ten and you’re really familiar with teams and you get in this situation and you have a couple days to prep for a team like this. You’ve got to know your scout and watch extra film.

But like I said, really good guard play. They’re going to want to create turnovers. They’re going to get their hands in the passing lanes. It’s going to be a physical game. You can’t expect the refs to call fouls 94 feet. That’s not how it’s going to go. That’s not how you want it to go. We don’t want to get in a free-throw-shooting contest. They’re very fundamentally sound. They’re well coached. I expect it to be a really good game.

Q. Caitlin, you said all along, especially when you get to the second round, every game is dangerous. You’ve reiterated that. We saw Ohio State lost today on their home court. You guys have been through that before. Is there any key when you’re sort of the favored team, but there’s a lot of pressure on you, to sort of make sure the underdog, if you will, doesn’t get a foothold in the game? Or do you think about it from that standpoint?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think coming out with a strong start will be really important for us, but I think that goes for any game. You want to come out and set the tone. Also, our group has played in quite a few March Madness games where we didn’t come out and set the tone, and we were able to take a breath and respond.

I think understanding we’re not going to win by 25 points. That’s not what this is at this point. It’s going to come down to single possessions, and you have to execute possessions. You need to get O boards. We need to not turn the ball over. Little things like that.

That’s kind of what Coach Bluder has been preaching. Yeah, I think our group knows better than anybody this is a game that it’s going to be close. Every team that you play from here on out is a top 25 team. Doesn’t really matter what number is next to your name. It’s going to be a great battle.

That’s what makes this tournament so fun. You’ve got to come ready to play. Like Kate said earlier, they do remind us of Georgia in a way. Georgia gave us a great battle. We only won by, I think, six points. It was two points with a minute to go. It just shows how important singular possessions are in these type of games.

Q. Caitlin, with the 13 days between games, that’s a long time in basketball. Was it any harder keeping your mind relaxed? Mostly ignoring the outside world, all the talk about you and just everything that surrounds you?

CAITLIN CLARK: Honestly, it was nice to have a couple weeks off, especially after playing three games in three days at the Big Ten Tournament. I don’t think it’s like any different than what I’ve experienced over the last two years. I think I’ve been able to kind of step away and focus on my business and what that is, and that’s on helping this team win. Certainly I know that spotlight is there. Certainly I know that pressure is there, but that’s not anything you ever shy away from. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I think it’s something this team has deserved and really earned over the course of the last two years, obviously with our run in March Madness. But I’m not sure a lot of people coming into this year would have thought we’d be a 1 seed in this tournament and had the year we did with losing Mon and McKenna. I think a lot of people have stepped up into roles they didn’t have last year, and I’m really proud of them.

The biggest thing our team needs to remember is we’ve worked for this, we’ve earned it. Sure, there’s pressure, but it’s not anything you shy away from. We’ve performed to that level all year long, and these are some of the most fun moments of basketball right now. So just enjoy that and continue to rise to the occasion.

Q. Question to Caitlin. I know we’re still in the middle of the college tournament, but thinking about the years to come, about your future, what kind of a champion, what kind of a person and personality would you love to become?

CAITLIN CLARK: You ask the hard questions. I don’t know, the way I’ve gone about my college career is how I want to continue to live the rest of my life, whether it’s playing professional basketball, whether it’s my dreams outside of basketball. I think that’s what has allowed me so much success as a basketball player is everything I do is the same way I live my personal life.

I want to give a full effort. I want to rely on a team and other people around me. I know not everything can be done by myself, and I have a lot of people that support me, whether it’s my teammates, whether it’s my coaches, whether it’s my family. I have a lot of goals and aspirations in basketball and enjoying that, but at the end of the day, basketball isn’t the end all, be all for me.

I told my mom earlier this week I know I can hold my head high whatever happens in this tournament because I’ve given my heart and soul to this program, and so have my teammates. I’ve loved every single second of wearing Iowa across my chest.

That’s goes for everything that I do in my life. I do it with 110 percent effort. Maybe at times that’s bad, but that’s just how I go about my life, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do as I become a professional working adult. I think it would be the same for any other normal individual too.

Q. Kate, question for you. Caitlin had some nice praise for what she’s learned from you over the last few years. I’m curious if we can turn the tables a little bit. Obviously you’re two years older, had some college experience before she was here, but over the last four years, what have you learned from Caitlin?

KATE MARTIN: Great question. Caitlin, close your ears.

No, I’ve learned a lot from Caitlin, and I feel grateful I’ve gotten to spend four years with her. She’s just come in since her freshman year and made everyone better around her. That’s what the greats do is raise the level of competition every single day in practice.

She had goals, and I hadn’t really — typically I was looking up to people who were older than me. Then somebody younger coming in with such a fiery mentality and wanting to win, and I just loved it. Sometimes you don’t really think about looking up to somebody who’s younger than you, but I always admired her, even since the day she stepped on campus, because I knew she wanted to win.

I would take somebody like Caitlin, who’s fiery, might snap on people, over somebody who doesn’t give a crap. I would take that all day. And Caitlin’s been there for me through so many aspects of my life, mainly off the court and on the court. She’s just always going to have my back, and I appreciate that.

I’ve said this before, but I want Caitlin in my foxhole. I want her — if things go bad, I want her to be right next to me because I know she’s going to have my back and I know she’s going to give 110 percent in whatever it is. So I do really appreciate that about her.

Q. Question for Caitlin. For you, what are the priorities about the future and the development of women’s sports?

CAITLIN CLARK: I think the first thing is — it’s hard to kind of think about the future when I’m in this moment right now. So I would say that’s my main focus, being here, being in this moment. Obviously I know the future is going to come very quickly within the next month.

I think for myself, I think the biggest thing, I’ve said even throughout this year, I still feel like my game can grow so much. I feel like I can still improve a lot. Like you said, I think women’s sports in general are growing so much, and that’s so cool. As you see, it’s like all over the world. Women’s sports are really on the rise, whether it’s women’s basketball, whether it’s soccer, whether it’s volleyball, you can go down the line of every women’s sporting event that is growing. The attendance numbers are growing. The viewership is growing.

If I can be a small part of that, that’s really special, and that’s really unique. I want to do whatever I can to help move that along and help inspire young girls to maybe dream to do whatever they want to do. I guess that’s the biggest thing is continue to enjoy these moments and smile and inspire young people to want to be just like us because they’re going to be the next generation that keeps continuing to move this thing forward.

Q. Just wondered, you both referenced being hard on each other and helping each other raise the level of competition. I can remember when Beth yells at me to get better at my job frequently. Can you share an anecdote with us of a fight you remember or a moment you remember that’s like, Come on, Kate, you’ve got to do this. Or, Come on, Caitlin, you’ve got to do this.

KATE MARTIN: Do you remember any?

CAITLIN CLARK: I’m trying to think. Summer scrimmages, me and Kate are never on the same team.

KATE MARTIN: Never.

CAITLIN CLARK: We always play pickup like three times a week in the summer, and me and Kate are never on the same team. Me and Kate get into it, and we bicker back and forth. We don’t ever punch anyone or punch each other, but like we’ll go back and forth. I think that just speaks to how badly we want it. It’s a summer scrimmage. Really at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who wins. It doesn’t matter who scores what.

But like we want our teams to win that badly that it gets super competitive. It’s honestly not just me and Kate, but all the girls get super competitive. I would say we’re probably the two biggest culprits, Kate’s team versus Caitlin’s team. That’s kind of how it goes. Once we step off the court and walk down after practice is over from the practice gym, it’s all fun and games. We just laugh. We giggle.

I think that’s the best thing about being a competitor. You can separate the two things. That’s what I love about Kate is like I hate when she beats me at things, and she definitely hates when I beat her at things. That’s how it should be. That’s what pushes you to get better. If you don’t have that competition, I don’t really know how much you’re going to be able to grow and improve in your own ways.

Q. Question for Caitlin. I couldn’t help yesterday but notice the large amount of people that wait for all of you guys to get signatures, pictures, meet you. When you look back at your time in Iowa — I know you said you’re focused on the game, but with it being your last game, what do you hope your legacy has been through your four years here?

CAITLIN CLARK: I hope we inspired a lot of people. I hope we brought a lot of people joy, whether it’s young girls, young boys, older men and women. I think we have. I think we’ve touched generations across the board. And I think also you’ll see our legacy, whether it’s me and Kate’s or whether it’s the other girls in the locker room. I hope you continue to see it for years and years to come.

I hope fans continue to support this program. Obviously they have before I arrived on campus, before Kate arrived on campus. Obviously it’s on a whole different level than it is now. I hope they continue to support this program because what Coach Bluder has been able to build here has been really special. We’ve been lucky enough to be a part of it and have a lot of wins with her.

There’s been a lot of girls in the locker room that have contributed to this year that it was their first time and they’re going to be here next year. Continuing to support them is important. But I hope there’s a lot of young boys and girls that grow up to play basketball, play soccer, play whatever they want, and they can say the Iowa women’s basketball team is the team that inspired me to go after my goals and my dreams to do what I want to do.

I think me and Kate would say we had those people growing up. I know for Kate, that’s exactly what it was. She grew up with an Iowa women’s basketball poster glued to her ceiling. That’s how much she loved this program and wanted to be a part of it. We got to live out our dream, and I hope at the same time we were able to inspire others to dream too.

Q. Kind of along those same lines for both of you, tomorrow’s the last time you’re walking out in Carver-Hawkeye Arena with that number on. What’s it meant to you to wear that for the duration of your career?

KATE MARTIN: I feel really lucky and honored to wear Iowa across my chest every single day. Like Caitlin said, it was a dream of mine as a little girl to play for Coach Bluder, and to spend six years here, that’s rare nowadays. I mean, it just is.

But I feel really lucky that I’ve had the opportunity. I tore my ACL my freshman year, and it just kind of led me to this moment right now. You don’t really know why you tear your ACL in the moment, but I got another year to play here with these girls right now, and I just feel super grateful.

There’s just a sense of pride that you get whenever you put on your uniform, run out to 15,000 screaming fans. My family comes to every single game, and to get to see them in the stands and then do that with your best friends every single day, I just feel extremely honored. I could never say thank you enough to Coach Bluder and the coaching staff for giving me the opportunity.

CAITLIN CLARK: I would say all the same. It’s crazy how fast my four years have gone. I feel like it was just freshman year and I was playing in front of nobody. Now we’re running out to sold-out crowds, whether we’re here or on the road. I don’t know that I would have been able to have the success that I do and that our team does if I wasn’t playing for Coach Bluder. She’s allowed me to be myself. She’s never taken anything away from me or held me back from anything.

I’m grateful for her and grateful for all our coaches. Also, I’ve had really good teammates that have allowed me to be me too. I wanted to play for this school because I love the state of Iowa. I love representing the state of Iowa. My family lives really close. My family hasn’t missed many games in my career.

I remember running out to our first sold-out crowd, and I got the chills. Now I get to do that every single night. That’s never anything that has got old. It will take a while for this to set in of this being my last game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, but just really grateful and thankful. Thankful to our fans the way they support women’s basketball and want the game to grow. I know when I take off the jersey whenever my last game is, I can hold my head high and reflect back on a lot of great memories inside this place.