IOWA CITY, Iowa — Holy Cross walked on holy ground.
It arrived at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where countless have trekked to experience unprecedented greatness.
They came to the court where Caitlin Clark changed the sport.
They looked to the seats where 15,000 would soon sit, so many of them wearing No. 22.
Even the friendliest of faces.
“I have two daughters and they’ve watched more Caitlin Clark games than I have,” Holy Cross coach Maureen Magarity said. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but we did go to the bookstore yesterday, so there was one shirt we were really looking for that was about to be sold out, so we might have had to buy that.
“They’re just overwhelmed and just excited to be here. I feel so lucky they can experience this.”
The Crusaders spoke like Hoosiers, of 10-foot rims and 94-foot courts.
They can pretend it is just another game.
They can watch film and watch Clark brick a 3 or throw away a pass.
They can find countless possessions where the best player in the country looks like any other player.
They also can drive through Iowa City and see billboards dedicated to the Hawkeyes superstar and a picture of the sport’s most popular player, occupying an entire side of a 7-story building.
They can see Clark’s commercials running on a loop during March Madness and see where her jersey will soon hang in the rafters, beside the banner of Iowa’s run to last year’s national title game.
They have seen Clark become Division I’s greatest scorer and bring more eyes to the sport than any player in history.
Now, No. 16 Holy Cross (21-12) will battle the living legend, when No. 1 Iowa (29-4) begins its pursuit of its first national championship in Saturday’s sold-out first round NCAA Tournament game.
There will be moments when Holy Cross can’t help but think: Holy s–t.
“She’s a celebrity. She’s the face of college basketball,” said Holy Cross guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy. “As another woman in sports, you’ve got to respect everything she’s done for bringing attention to the women’s game. Yeah, there is that kind of [wow] moment, but I think once you’re between the four lines, you’re kind of like, ‘OK, there’s 94 feet, there’s two baskets.’ ”
It is a game the mid-major participants will discuss for decades.
The anecdotes will be passed down through generations.
It is as close as they will get to the sun.
They were fans, before they were foes.
“Of course we all watch her … Everyone is watching her,” said Holy Cross forward Janelle Allen. “Of course there’s excitement. Of course there’s this little moment where it’s like, ‘OK, we’re going to be on the same court as her.’ … But once you step on the court and tie your shoes, you’re a competitor, you’re not a fan.”
Holy Cross can pretend it is another game, that Clark is just another talented player.
It can enter with that plan.
Then comes a punch in the mouth from the logo.
“It’s hard not to be in awe of everything she does,” Magarity said. “She could arguably be the best player to ever play the game, and I think what an incredible opportunity we have to just shoot our best shot.
“We just kind of have to play the game of our lives defensively and also make pretty much every shot that we take.”
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