Lisa Bluder: 'Nobody thought we'd be here again'

Iowa fell just one game short last season, losing to LSU in the national championship. Lisa Bluder has been able to replicate the success for another year and the Hawkeyes are back in the Final Four. She does not believe many people thought they could get back to college basketball’s biggest stage.

“When we were here last year, nobody thought we’d be here again this year,” Bluder said. “And we didn’t listen to anybody. We just listened to the people in our locker room and our family and our circle, and here we are again. So I’m proud of the women and how they kept believing no matter what.”

A lot of the program’s success is thanks to Caitlin Clark. Not many have taken over their respective sport like she has, turning into a superstar across the country. Iowa has been must-watch at times and remains true heading into the Final Four matchup vs. UConn.

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Geno Auriemma has a star player of his own in Paige Bueckers, with the matchup against Clark being the main storyline surrounding Friday’s game.

As powerful as the two respective stars are, Bluder hopes people out there see the game as Iowa vs. UConn, not Clark vs. Bueckers. After all, the Hawkeyes and Huskies are two of the more well-known recent brands in women’s college basketball.

“Obviously, we have one of the best players in the country on our team, and we’re thrilled to have that,” Bluder said. “But I do not want this to be a game that’s promoted as Caitlin versus Paige. And I know it already has been. But I don’t want that. I want it to be Iowa versus UConn and let these two women do what they do best.”

Taking down UConn is the first step of Bluder’s goal while in Cleveland. Returning to Iowa City with anything other than a national championship would be a disappointment. Especially coming so far after the last two years.

South Carolina and NC State are on the other side, wanting to achieve the same thing. Everyone is so close to accomplishing their goal in what should be an exciting ending to the tournament.

“We are obviously extremely excited to be here,” Bluder said. “This is everybody’s goal, right, at the beginning of the year, to be in the Final Four and have the opportunity to play for a national championship.”