Lisa Bluder’s first message after earning berth to Final Four came from C. Vivian Stringer
By Susan Harman
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Even Caitlin Clark’s magic couldn’t prevent the Iowa women’s basketball team from suffering the slings and arrows of modern air travel.
“We sat on a plane a long time (Monday),” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “We had some travel issues a little bit.”
Hours on the tarmac followed the celebration of the Final Four berth and the inevitable exhaustion.
“The game got over and honestly we all did crash at that point that night,” Bluder said. “Yesterday was supposed to be a travel day (directly to Dallas), but we had delays so we didn’t get here until 10:30 last night.

“So we really haven’t done a whole lot. We’re having our first team meeting here in a little bit. We’re going to practice today. We’ll have our scout meeting (an hour) before that. Actually tomorrow (Wednesday) we’re so busy we’re not going to practice. We’ll have more film meetings, which actually can be really beneficial. It will save their legs.”
The players will get some shots up, but Bluder believes film work is more important when dealing with a team they’ve never played and may have watched only casually. They’ll try to familiarize themselves with South Carolina’s style and personnel.
“It’s great to be here in Dallas this morning and be here other than a spectator for sure,”Bluder said. “We’re obviously thrilled. I thought we played really well against Louisville. We’re playing very good basketball right now, but we have to be playing great basketball in facing a storied program like South Carolina.
“We know the challenges. They’re undefeated;. they’re ranked No. 1; they have unbelievable talent. But we’re going to try to enjoy the week and give us the best opportunity we can to come out victorious.”
In the aftermath of Iowa’s victory a lot of cell phones blew up including Bluder’s.
“I heard from coach (Vivian) Stringer. She called me immediately after we beat Louisville,” Bluder said. “In fact she was actually the first voice message that I got that night. I know coach Stringer is behind us. I haven’t been able to get back to her yet, but I will soon.”
In fact Bluder has heard from former players from St. Ambrose, Drake and Iowa.

“I have players from St. Ambrose who are driving here to Dallas,” Bluder said. “When we were in Seattle we had former Drake players there. And former Iowa player Becca Gallery. And what makes it more special is the people I’m hearing from that I didn’t even coach that were Iowa Hawkeyes, that Vivian coached.
“And yet they’re saying how much they are behind us. To me that’s almost more rewarding because coming into this program, and obviously Angie Lee was coach for the five years between coach Stringer and I, but I always wanted to establish that relationship between me and coach Stringer’s players. We’re all Hawkeyes. We’ve been able to do that somewhat, but its seems like it’s growing and growing. It helps that coach Stringer is so positive about our program and that we have a relationship.”
One of the events the team might attend on Wednesday in the announcement of the Naismith Player of the Year award at 3:30 p.m. The Associated Press announcement of its POY will take place at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Indeed, Clark might have some influence over those events.