Holy Cross women's basketball departs for NCAA Tournament with hopes of facing off against Caitlin Clark, Iowa

WORCESTER -- The Holy Cross women's basketball team are Patriot League champs for the second straight year, thanks to Sunday's win over Boston University at a raucous Hart Center.

On Tuesday, they were on their way to the NCAA Tournament.

"It's definitely been an unbelievable 48 hours," said senior forward Janelle Allen. "A nostalgic 48 hours, but it's definitely been a great, great time."

Following an early morning sendoff, the Crusaders boarded a bus for their flight to Iowa. They'll face off against Tennessee-Martin in a play-in game on Thursday, hoping to avoid last year's "one and done" loss at Maryland.

"We have 11 of 12 returning from last year, so a lot of us did have [to live through] that," said sophomore guard Kaitlyn Flanagan. "So I think it's another level of calmness."

The Crusaders are focused on Thursday, when they'll take on a 16-16 Tennessee-Martin team. But they're also aware of what would be waiting if they win: Caitlin Clark and the No. 2-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on national TV on Saturday.

"She's incredible," Holy Cross head coach Maureen Magarity said of Clark, who is two weeks removed from becoming the NCAA's all-time leading scorer. "Just to be able to watch her; I have young daughters that have watched. I joked, [my daughter] Charlotte is going to have a better scouting report on her than I'm going to have on her."

"She's the face of college basketball -- men's and women's right now," said senior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy. "It's huge and as a female basketball player, I just have so much respect for her and what's she's done for the sport."

When you talk about Caitlin Clark, you're talking about a "once in a generation" kind of player. Years ago on the campus of Holy Cross, they had the same type of player in Bob Cousy, the legendary "Houdini of the Hardwood" who went on to dazzle fans and win titles with the Boston Celtics.

"You think about her scoring, but when you really sit down and watch her, she's very similar to Bob Cousy and 'Pistol' Pete Maravich, just how she passes the ball," said Magarity.

And here's hoping that come Saturday, Holy Cross isn't watching, but actually playing against her in Iowa.