“Losing team has all the time in the world”: Lisa Bluder shares irksome experience of waiting behind Dawn Staley’s team for post game interview

After 24 years of leading the Iowa Hawkeyes program, Lisa Bluder retired in May 2024. In her time, the Hawkeyes, led by Caitlin Clark, took back-to-back trips to the Final Four and NCAA championship game.

On Tuesday, Bluder joined "The Ringer WNBA Show," where she spoke about a specific incident regarding postgame interviews. The former Iowa coach spoke about the 2023 Final Four game in Dallas when the Hawkeyes took on Dawn Staley's South Carolina and won.

Per the NCAA rules, the losing team had to finish the press conference first, something which Lisa Bluder and Iowa found entirely difficult.

"We didn't get back to the hotel till almost midnight from that game and that's just, not really good," Bluder said (8:41). "I mean, the losing team has all the time in the world to stay up all night, do whatever they want."

"But the winning team's got to go back and get that scout done, get your kids rested and get them ready for, try to get a good night's sleep with all that adrenaline going."

Bluder added that the Iowa Hawkeyes spoke with the NCAA to get the rules changed, and it proved beneficial for them when they won against the UConn Huskies in 2024.

Lisa Bluder comments on Caitlin Clark's jersey retirement

After four historic years with the Hawkeyes, Caitlin Clark left for the WNBA where she was picked No. 1 by the Indiana Fever. To celebrate and honor the guard, Iowa retired her No. 22 jersey on Sunday.

Talking about Clark and her basketball journey at Iowa with The Ringer, former coach Lisa Bluder said:

"I remember going into Carver (Arena) many of times with Caitlin and looking up at Megan Gustafson's retired jersey, Michelle Edwards' retired jersey and saying 'Yours is going to be up there someday, kiddo,'" Bluder recalled.

At the jersey retirement ceremony, Bluder praised Caitlin Clark for bringing more attention to women's basketball and helping it grow.

"I've spent my entire career trying to empower young women," Bluder said. "That's what it's all about. You've done more of that in the last four years than anybody could imagine. ... You've showed everyone that you need to invest in women's sports, why it's wise to invest in women. It's not only the right thing to do. It's the smart thing to do."

Caitlin Clark has continued her record-breaking ways in the WNBA, where she wrapped her rookie year as Time's Athlete of the Year.