Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes may be getting a lot of attention in the NCAA Tournament. But in no way are they getting distracted by it.
The Hawkeyes understand and acknowledge that having one of the best, if not the greatest college hooper today naturally comes with plenty of media hype and focus, no matter how unnecessary that may be. In the end, they have learned to embrace it.
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes’ Mindset Amid Massive Attention
The Hawkeyes are now heading to the Sweet 16, and unsurprisingly, there’s an increased attention on them. Clark, the NCAA’s leading scorer regardless of gender, is playing in her last year for the team before heading to the WNBA. With that said, a lot of eyes are on her as fans and critics alike watch whether or not she can deliver Iowa to the promised land.
Iowa’s games are always a blockbuster, as proven by the fact that their first- and second-round games made records when it comes to TV viewership.
For many, having that kind of media attention can be distracting. And in a tournament where one defeat spells the end of their journey, teams simply want to avoid the spotlight as much as possible.
But the Hawkeyes aren’t any other team. They are Caitlin Clark’s team. Having said that, they understand the pressure of having one of the best players in the game. They are always expected to win, but that’s not holding them back in any way. In fact, they always make sure they have fun.
“Yeah, I think it’s something that we’ve kind of embraced over the course of the last two years,” Clark said when asked how they are dealing with the massive attention they are getting, per Carmine Gemei of FOX Carolina News.
“If you want to be able to play at the highest level and have this spotlight on us, it’s just something that kind of comes along with it. But at the same time, we just have fun with it. I think that’s not anything we’ve ever lost is like the fun and the joy that we have playing this game and going on road trips together and every little event in between. Like, we make it fun, we enjoy it together. But at the same time, I think that’s what brings us so much success is we don’t want this to end. We want one more practice. We want one more game. And that allows us to play our best basketball.”
That is definitely a great mentality to have. Amid all the distractions present, the Hawkeyes are focusing on themselves and doing what they have been doing all season long. No wonder they are so hard to beat.
Of course for a team that has a target on their backs, the journey hasn’t been easy. But clearly, Clark and Co. are in a good space mentally and more than ready for the battle that awaits them.
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes in NCAA Tournament
The Iowa Hawkeyes have been dominant so far in the NCAA Tournament, beating the Holy Cross Crusaders and the West Virginia Mountaineers to secure their spot in the Sweet 16.
Clark, for her part, has collected 59 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists through those two outings, which they won by a combined margin of 36 points.
Now, the Hawkeyes are set to take the Colorado Buffaloes in the Sweet 16, and while it will be a way more difficult challenge considering that the Buffaloes are ranked no. 5, Iowa remains the favorites to win in Albany.
For More Great Basketball Content
Follow me on Twitter at @BeatKit22 and follow us @HardwoodHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional sports, click here!
