“It was hopeful that she hits tough shots just like JuJu Watkins does”: Lucy Olsen reveals how Iowa used Caitlin Clark to prepare for USC

On Feb. 2, the Iowa Hawkeyes faced their toughest game of the season thus far. JuJu Watkins and her No. 4-ranked Trojans were in town for a Big Ten battle. Adding to the excitement, Iowa legend Caitlin Clark's jersey retirement took place that day, drawing a sellout crowd to Carver-Hawkey Arena.

Pressure was high, but thankfully, Clark was there to help the Hawkeyes prepare. The Iowa alum joined her former team at practice ahead of her big day. Hawkeyes senior guard Lucy Olsen recalled practicing with the WNBA star on an episode of "Courtside Club" published Monday.

"She's competitive," Olsen said, referring to Clark. "It was hopeful that she hits tough shots just like JuJu [Watkins] does."

Clark's preperation tactics were clearly successful. The Hawkeyes looked better than they had all season as they outscored the Trojans 18-4 in the first quarter. They were then outscored 25-10 in the second, trailing by a single point at halftime. However, Olsen's squad refocused in the second half to pull away with a 76-69 win.

The Hawkeyes couldn't stop USC star Watkins, who put up 27 points, but their practice with Clark made them equipped to respond. Olsen led scoring with 28 points, which was a season-high for her at the time. She went on to score 32 points in a road win at Nebraska on Feb. 10.

Clark's advice and practice with the Hawkeyes came through clutch, helping them secure a big win on the day of her jersey retirement.

Syndication: Iowa City Press-Citizen - Source: Imagn

Lucy Olsen's Senior Season at Iowa

Lucy Olsen is in her first season with the Iowa Hawkeyes after serving as a three-year starter for Villanova. The senior guard has made 25 starts for Iowa this season and averages 34.2 minutes on the court.

Although Olsen's 17.8 points per game are down from 23.3 for the Wildcats last season, she has had some standout performances as of late. In February, the guard scored 25-plus points in four of six games. Her average of five assists per game is up from 3.8 in her final season at Villanova, and she has also found increased success beyond the arch, shooting 33% compared to 29.4% in 2023-24.

NCAA Womens Basketball: UCLA at Iowa - Source: Imagn

The game that kickstarted Olsen's dominant February performance was the win over USC, and she has Clark to thank for preparing her for the conference contest.