Two of Iowa’s biggest basketball names flew to Indianapolis specifically to watch Caitlin Clark, and the night didn’t go the way anyone hoped. Lisa Bluder and Jan Hansen were in the crowd Wednesday as the Golden State Valkyries beat the Fever 88-75 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Their presence became its own story before the opening tip even happened.

The WNBA’s official account spotted them first.

“Hawkeyes representing for tonight’s game,” the league posted on X. “Former Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder and current Coach Jan Jensen are in Indy for the Fever vs Valks!”

Cameras caught both coaches smiling, waving, and blowing kisses to the crowd once they were spotted. Their trip wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision either. Jensen posted an Instagram Story hours before tip-off showing the two of them mid-flight, captioned, “Wheels up to see @caitlinclark22… with a few good friends and goat emoji coach!” Around the same time, commentator Jason Whitlock added his own praise on social media, writing that Bluder “might be the greatest coach in the history of women’s basketball.”

That kind of buildup made Clark’s actual night sting a little more.

Playing 26 minutes, Clark shot just 4-of-14 from the field and 1-of-8 from three, finishing with 13 points and six assists. Golden State’s length and constant traps never let her settle into rhythm, and a late basket got wiped out by a shot-clock violation right as the Valkyries pushed their lead to 80-65 in the fourth. She also grew visibly frustrated by a non-call earlier in the game and kept voicing that frustration well after the final buzzer.

Indiana’s other stars couldn’t pick up the slack either. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 20 points and Aliyah Boston added 15, but the trio combined for just 48 points against a Golden State defense that came in ranked first in the league. Gabby Williams led six Valkyries players in double figures with 16 points, and the win extended Golden State’s streak to eight straight, a new franchise record, capping off a perfect finish to their five-game road trip.

That gap between the hype of the reunion and the reality of the box score is exactly what makes Bluder and Jensen’s relationship with Clark worth revisiting.

Caitlin Clark once called herself ‘lucky’ to be coached by Lisa Bluder 

Clark and Bluder’s paths split in 2024, after leading Iowa to a second straight national title game appearance. Clark went No. 1 overall to the Fever, and Bluder retired following 24 seasons at the helm. The distance never stopped Clark from crediting her.

“I think she’s one of the best leaders I’ve been around. She values every single person in her program from top to bottom,” Clark said, sitting beside Bluder at a press conference. “I’m just lucky to be coached by her.”

She’s kept that sentiment alive since. Later that year, Clark reshared an Iowa Women’s Basketball post featuring Bluder with a simple caption: “Runs the city.”

That same day carried one more piece of news relevant to their bond. Clark, Boston, and Mitchell were all named 2026 All-Star starters, the most of any team in the league, though the league’s new draft format split them across different squads. Clark said she “would’ve liked if we were all together” but knew it was unlikely, adding, “I love that I got AB with me.”

However, now it’s definitely the time for the Fever and Clark to buckle up quick. Indiana gets a quick chance to respond to Wednesday’s loss, hosting Seattle on July 17 before a stretch that includes New York on July 18 and Connecticut on July 22.