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Iowa’s Lucy Olsen dismisses Big Ten's pressure building up to season without Caitlin Clark: “Basketball’s all the same”

Iowa's newest transfer Lucy Olsen has some big shoes to fill at the Hawkeyes. Those shoes belong to one Caitlin Clark, who has left the Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA.

Olsen, a senior out of Pennsylvania, spent three years at Villanova before she made the switch to Iowa. Speaking to media ahead of the 2024-25 women's basketball season, she highlighted a key bit of advice she received from her dad about the importance of keeping basketball the same throughout.

"My dad always reminds me I've played Big Ten teams before," said Olsen. "Obviously the Big Ten's adding some teams, so I've never played USC, UCLA... but he's like, 'You've played three levels of college basketball, you've played tough teams, it's still basketball.' You're going to be with a new coaching staff and new team, but basketball's all the same."

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In her three years at Villanova, Olsen was named to the Big East All-Freshman team and two All-Big East Teams. She also won the Big East Most Improved Player award last season.

Lucy Olsen on her fit in Iowa system

Lucy Olsen comes into the Hawkeye program off the back of a career year at Villanova, where she averaged 23.3 ppg (third in the country), 4.8 rpg, and 3.8 apg on 43.8% shooting.

She replaces Clark who, in her four years at Iowa, averaged 28.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, and 8.2 apg on 46.2% shooting. That's quite a jump-up for Lucy Olsen, but one she believes she can make.

Speaking about her fit in the Iowa system, Olsen says she is now getting the hang of things.

"Now that I know the offense a little better, I can use my voice more because I know what's going on, and I'm more confident in myself being able to share with others what I've been learning. So, I think it took some time but I'm figuring it out."

After witnessing one of the greatest college players in the women's game for the past four years in Caitlin Clark, Hawkeye fans will be hoping that Lucy Olsen can continue carrying the baton, potentially even further.

Olsen and the Iowa Hawkeyes begin their season with an exhibition game against Missouri Western on Oct. 30 before officially tipping off against Northern Illinois on Nov. 6 at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

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