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

USA Today · , USA TODAY · 2026-11-06 12:46 UTC

Caitlin Clark brought the ‘aura’ to Illinois basketball game vs Penn, and players had no idea

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.

"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.

Read the full story at USA Today · All coverage of this story