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

Former Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder opened up about one of her most frustrating experiences on The Ringer WNBA Show on Monday. While at Iowa, Bluder and her team found themselves stuck in a logistical nightmare during the 2023 NCAA Final Four, forced to wait long hours before addressing the media.

The reason? A long-standing NCAA rule required the losing team to take the podium first, which in turn delayed the winning team’s ability to rest and recover before the championship game. Bluder recalled the difficulties Iowa faced after their semifinal victory over South Carolina.

"The losing team has all the time in the world to stay up all night and do whatever they want," Bluder said (Timestamp: 6:47). "But the winning team has to go back, get the scout done, and get their kids rested. That's tough when you don't even get back until midnight."

Bluder recalled how her team couldn’t return to their hotel until early morning due to prolonged postgame obligations.

Lisa Bluder, who led Iowa to back-to-back national championship appearances in 2023 and 2024, raised concerns with the NCAA about changing the rule so the winning team would speak first at the postgame press conference. That adjustment was implemented in 2024.

"It was the right thing to do for the game," Bluder said, referring to the change.

However, Iowa lost to South Carolina in the championship. Still, Bluder noted that the Hawkeyes were better prepared the second time due to the change. She retired in May 2024, passing the torch to longtime assistant Jan Jensen.

Lisa Bluder reflects on Caitlin Clark's lasting impact

Syndication: USA TODAY - Source: Imagn

Lisa Bluder had nothing but praise for Caitlin Clark’s transformative influence on women’s basketball during the former Iowa guard's jersey retirement ceremony.

"I've spent my entire life trying to improve young women. You've (Caitlin Clark) done more of that in the last four years than anybody could imagine," Bluder said.

She highlighted how Clark took the game to a whole new level, cementing her legacy as a game-changer both on and off the court.