“She’s crafty; she’s fun to watch”: Jan Jensen praises Lucy Olsen, hyping up Iowa fans for season after Caitlin Clark’s departure

Jan Jensen might be well-equipped to build on Lisa Bluder's success with the Iowa Hawkeyes, but she will not have Caitlin Clark in her roster. Clark's impact was monumental in filling up arenas and Hawkeyes' back-to-back deep NCAA tournament runs.

Nevertheless, Jensen orchestrated one of the biggest transfer portal moves this summer, bringing in Lucy Olsen from the Villanova Wildcats. While Olsen is a different player, she continues to impress Jan Jensen with her tactful movements on the court. The coach discussed Olsen's qualities with John Bohenkamp for the Hawkeye Nation.

“She plays with the pull-up jumper,” Jensen said. “It has a little bit of a little bit of a little hitch to it. She can double-clutch you a little bit. She's crafty. She's fun to watch, because she can kind of come out of a screening action where you think she's stopped.

"She kind of reminds you of a running back that's small, and they're kind of hard to tackle. And you think, ‘How is that guy, getting through that backfield?' And that's how Lucy Olson is," she added.

Lucy Olsen is coming off averaging 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals last season.

While her 3-point shot will need more repetitions, she has a smooth mid-range shot and enough skills to launch one every time she wants. Olsen made 46.3% of her shots from inside the perimeter last season.

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What is Jan Jensen changing in the Hawkeyes to enable Lucy Olsen?

Jensen plans on changing the way the point guard role is played in Iowa. Lisa Bluder deployed a motion offense that used to capitalize on Caitlin Clark’s qualities.

However, Lucy Olsen, Iowa’s new starting guard, doesn't let it fly like Clark. Even though she's great at finding open teammates, Olsen doesn't tend to mount long passes either. The former Wildcats also prefers the midrange more than the arc.

With that, Jan Jensen and Lucy Olsen plan to play more crafty style of basketball. Expect Olsen’s skillset to be on full display, as she drives for her hot spots on the floor. The players will also be a part of certain actions to get open looks.