5 reasons why Lucy Olsen is the best Caitlin Clark replacement for Iowa in 2024
The Iowa Hawkeyes have found a replacement for all-time NCAA Division I leading scorer Caitlin Clark, as incoming senior Lucy Olsen expressed her commitment to transfer to the two-time NCAA women's basketball runners-up in the 2024-25 season.
Olsen, who was third in scoring in the 2023-24 season, behind USC's JuJu Watkins and Clark, confirmed her transfer on social media as the development softens up the impact of the Iowa great's WNBA move.
The Collegeville, Pennsylvania native has played 105 games with Villanova and is set to become one of the team's leaders next season after four of the senior guards from Iowa have graduated. They are Clark, WNBA second-round pick Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and Molly Davis.
Olsen filled up the 15 scholarships allowed by the NCAA for a team. The Lisa Bluder-mentored squad has nine returnees and five freshmen for the 2024-25 season.
Her commitment to Iowa gives the Hawkeyes a new weapon that has underrated passing and defensive abilities. On that note, let's delve into five reasons why Olsen is the best Caitlin Clark replacement for Iowa next season.
Lucy Olsen's stats this season
Olsen averaged 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game for Villanova in the 2023-24 season.
She played for 35 games and shot 43.8%, an improvement from 41.1% in the previous season. Her free-throw shooting percentage also improved dramatically, as she made 80.7% of his shots in the recently concluded season.
Her 3-point percentage dipped to 29.4% from 35.6% in the 2022-23 season. But it was more due to Olsen taking more attempts from deep as the top option for the Wildcats. She could improve in Iowa with proper looks at the basket and good decision-making.
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Five reasons why Lucy Olsen is the best replacement for Caitlin Clark in Iowa
#5 Olsen's playmaking skills are excellent
Lucy Olsen became the No. 3 scoring leader in the nation, behind Watkins and Clark, as she was Villanova's top option this season.
What's hidden in Olsen's bag of tricks is her playmaking ability. The incoming senior averaged 4.4 assists in the 2022-23 season and declined to 3.8 in 2023-24 as she adjusted to the lead role.
During her four-year stay with Iowa, Clark developed the ability to find an open teammate, as she couldn't rely on her scoring ability. She improved her assist numbers each season and in her final year with the Hawkeyes.
Clark averaged a season-high 8.9 dimes per outing. With Bluder calling the plays, Olsen could have a dramatic improvement in her assist numbers the next season.
#4 Olsen's defense is a lock-down
Lucy Olsen's defense has improved through the years for Villanova. She's a dependable backcourt defender who is capable of swiping away balls proficiently. The improvement in her steal averages is evidence of her defensive prowess.
Olsen averaged 1.1 spg in her first year and followed it up with 1.4 spg in her second year. Her final season with Villanova was an outstanding one, as she normed a shade under two steals per game.
Her blocking improved in the 2023-24 season, recording 0.6 bpg, up from 0.2 the previous season.
#3 Olsen's scoring has improved dramatically
Lucy Olsen averaged 12.4 points for Villanova in 2022-23. She bounced back big-time the following season, as she tallied 23.3 ppg. This offensive explosion helped her finish as the third-best scorer in the nation.
Olsen shot the ball more frequently, attempting 20.3 shots per game and made 8.9 of them for a 43.8% clip. She raised her 3-point attempts this season due to her new role, as she tried 5.3 attempts last season.
The 5-10 guard shot 80.7% of his foul shots, a significant improvement from 76.2% in the 2022-23 season.
#2 Olsen's leadership has stepped up several notches
Being the top-scoring option for Villanova last season also meant that Olsen had the power to lead the team.
Wildcats coach Denise Dillon gave the free reins to Olsen to spearhead the team's offense all season. That resulted in a 22-13 record and a final appearance in the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament.
Olsen topped the team's offense in most of their matches this season, including a 40-point explosion in Villanova's 90-62 win over Temple.
She scored more than 30 points for Villanova 10 times this season, and her transfer to Iowa could mean that she could also lead the Hawkeyes to another NCAA Tournament appearance along with her 14 teammates.
#1 Hunger to succeed
Lucy Olsen has led Villanova to the WBIT finals and lost to Illinois in the final.
Clark, meanwhile, spearheaded Iowa to their second-straight national final, only to lose to South Carolina. Olsen doesn't fear the big stage, as she has willed the Wildcats to four straight victories in the WBIT.
She's expected to bring her hunger to succeed in the bigger stage in her transfer to Iowa, and the guard hopes to lead the Hawkeyes to another big run to the final.
Read More: Is Lucy Olsen the next Caitlin Clark? Taking a closer look at Villanova guard's collegiate career
Will Lucy Olsen lead Iowa to another successful season a year after Caitlin Clark departed for the WNBA? Let's know in the comments section below.