Iowa City, Iowa – Most students Iowas went home on Sunday before Thanksgiving. And more than two hours before the start of the women’s basketball game against Washington State, the line at the gates of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena already went into the hundreds.

Trenton Mendoza and his 9-year-old daughter Riley were among those who arrived early. The Mendoza’s life in Atlanta, but were in Iowa for a week to visit their family. In the last few seasons, Riley fell in love with Caitlin Clarks patented step-back 3 points. The day before, Trenton Riley surprised with tickets.

“One evening we watched the (Hawkeyes) before going to bed,” said Trenton. “(Riley) turns around and says: ‘Dad, we will be in Iowa. What if the girls play while we’re there? We have to go! ‘ I already had the tickets. It was difficult to say nothing and keep the surprise.

Clark has moved on-it was drafted by the Indiana Fever in April-but it was only at Carver-Hawkeye that she developed into one of the greatest stars of all sports. She shone with a boundless 3-point range and sophisticated passing game. As a two-time national player of the year and three times unanimous all-American player, Clark exceeded the scorer list and the ratings on television. During her last post-season run with IOWA, more spectators switched on to pursue the women’s NCAA tournament than that of men. Later this season, the Hawkeyes are planning against an opponent of the Big Ten, who is still announced, to take Clarks jersey with number 22 in the presence of Clark.

The momentum and the magic that Clark created in women’s college basketball did not subside, especially in Iowa City. Last year, at the climax of Clark mania, the contingent of 15,000 seats for the Hawkeyes was sold out for the first time. This year – with Clark in the WNBA and the Hawkeyes, who for the first time since their first year in 2020 go into the season without ranking – Iowa was sold out again.

“I still have people who want to borrow my (permanent) cards,” said Ashleigh Determann from Dewitt, Iowa, who brought her niece Addison to the WSU game. “As you can see, it continues this year.”

The transition to a life without Clark who leads the show was not smooth. The Hawkeyes achieved 30 ball losses-most in a game in 22 years-in the 78: 68 defeat against Tennessee on Saturday at the first Women’s Champions Classic in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Lady Vols scored 42 points from these ball losses and set off in the fourth quarter of what Iowa gave the first defeat of the season. Nevertheless, Doubleheader, which was broadcast nationwide on television, in which Louisville also started almost 10,000 tickets against the second -placed Uconn and Paige Bueckers – the favorite to succeed Clark as international of the year.

On Wednesday, the No. 21 Hawkeyes (8-1) will try to get back on their feet in a showdown against No. 18 Iowa State, which already means a further sale of the Carver Hawkeyes.

“Caitlin gave the game new eyes and the attention it deserves,” said Ashleigh. “It will just go on.”

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Ten minutes before The fans stood on the tip against the Cougars and called: “Let’s go, Hawks.” Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen took over Clark as a point guard for Iowa. After taking third place nationwide with the wildcats last year, the 1.75 -meter senior citizen leads the Hawkeyes with 18 points per game, even though after a fall in training, she contracted a cut on the knee that sewed had to be and forced to sit two games.

The 1.80 meter tall senior striker Addison O’grady emerged as a starter in her first season and gives Iowa another danger alongside the junior Hannah Stuelke. She and Stuelke – one of the few important holders from last year’s squad – achieved an average of 29 points and 13 rebounds.

Behind Olsen, Stuelke and O’grady, the Hawkeyes built up a lead of 15 points in front of the WSU at halftime and then received thunderous ovations when they stormed into the changing room.

Lisa Bluder, who has retired in May after 24 years as a trainer of Hawkeyes, including the last four years with Clark, proudly watched from the stands for a program that she became an epicenter of the women’s college basketball had built up.

“The excitement of the past few years has decreased and has now become part of life here in Iowa City – and that’s how it should be,” said Bluder and noticed that Clark “changed the game” for Iowa. “You can see all these little girls walking around in their jerseys. But honestly, you can see many adult men walking around in these jerseys. That’s great. “

Zach Hayworth from Washington, Iowa, was one of these men who wore a Clark jersey. He and his wife Stefanie brought the five -year -old daughter Stella to their first game in Iowa. Stella, who also wears a Clark jersey, now tirelessly throws baskets at home, either on her Little Tikes basket at the top or in a pop-shot in the basement.

“What (Clark) did for sport is enormous,” said Zach, who added that he started to watch the WNBA-and not just FEVER games-as much as football. “What she did for the state and sport is incredible.”

The eleven -year -old Gianna came with her father Pete from Chicago to see the Hawkeyes. Last season, also during the Thanksgiving break, they watched how Clark scored 35 points and scored 10 assists in a 113-90 victory over Drake. Gianna called it “so inspiring” that she decided to try it out for her school’s basketball team. During his studies, Pete did not visit a single women’s basketball game in Iowa. Now he is in a text chain with college friends where you are talking more about Iowa women’s basketball than about Hawkeyes football or men’s basketball.

“It’s a phenomenon,” he said. “I would never have thought in a million years that we would be here if we came here because of the (women) basketball games. … that has taken the greatest priority. “

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With 5 minutes In the game against the WSU, Jan Jensen, head coach in the first year, who worked as an IOWA assistant during Bluder’s entire term at the Hawkeyes. The crowd broke out when the substitute player Jada Gyamfi came from Iowa came into play and achieved her first 3-point throw of the year.

Stuelke grew up in nearby Cedar Rapids and began to get to the women’s games in Iowa as a child. Stuelke remembered curtains that hung down from the rafters and blocked the empty seats. Now she is awe of energy and excitement that she feels of the crowd.

“We make sure that the fans enjoy it,” said Stuelke. “I think a lot of people are interested in women’s basketball and it is new and exciting. The whole hype we had has broadcast. … and we still reach a lot of people. “

Steve King and Chip Haney stayed with most of the people present at the 72:42 win Iowas via the Cougars. King pulled back from Illinois and immediately bought season tickets for Clark’s final year. His two seats are in the back row, although King prefers to stand behind it on the railing. He also has the best view of the audience with every game.

“It’s funny when you sit up here, you can see all these big guys torn-and they have the Clark jerseys on,” said King from Cedar Rapids, who invited Haney to this game. “It’s just great.”

Kevin Pearce from Rockwell with his 13-year-old daughter Ava said that he was now a lifelong fan of women’s basketball in Iowa. He has just started looking at the WNBA.

“It just started speed,” he said. “It’s huge now.”

Craig and Heather Labath from Coralville, Iowa, bought the WNBA League Pass so that you can see all the Fever games with your two daughters Olivia (6) and Adeline (9), who saw how Clark the deep buzzer-beating-three hit the Michigan State defeated last year.

The WSU matchup was their second game this season. And they plan to get to many other events.

“It is so nice to see that women’s sports are sold out,” said Craig. “We never had that before Clark. Now we have it without Clark. “