Caitlin Clark showed up at Illinois game. Players’ reaction afterward was priceless

Caitlin Clark was in attendance for Illinois men’s basketball game against Penn on Thursday night. Clark is dating Connor McCaffery, son of Penn coach Fran McCaffery, and the two were sitting behind the Penn bench in Champaign.

After Illinois’ 112-70 win over the Quakers, freshmen Zavier Zens (18 points, 4-of-8 from behind the arc) and Quentin Coleman (19 points on 8-of-9 shooting) were asked if they knew Clark was at the game.

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“Were you two aware that Caitlin Clark was in the building prior to tip-off, and if so, did that contribute to your level of play this evening?,” a reporter asked postgame.

Zens turned his head quickly to Coleman in amazement, and Coleman’s jaw dropped and eyes got wide, before he put his hand to his mouth.

“Wait, wait, Caitlin Clark was in the building? Wait, why was she here?… Yo….,” Coleman said with his hand to his forehead. “I gotta tell my sister, bro. Yo, Caitlin Clark. I mean, shoot, I mean for him, he was shooting lights out. She shoots lights out, so I guess he felt that so.”

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“I didn’t know she was here,” Zens said.

“Dang, she just brought the aura,” Coleman added.

Clark wasn’t the only sharpshooter in the building. Former NBA star Peja Stojakovic, father of Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic was also at the State Farm Center on Thursday.

“We should have had a 3-point contest to see who the best shooter in the gym was, cause it wasn’t anybody who played tonight,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said postgame. “No offense to any of those guys.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caitlin Clark showed up at Illinois game. Players’ reaction afterward was priceless

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Publish date : 2026-11-06 12:46:00

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