- Kellogg urged his West Virginia players to ‘pack Caitlin Clark’ this week
- But the coach insists he wasn’t trying to confuse Iowa’s record star
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West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg has downplayed his criticism of Caitlin Clark after footage of him urging his team to “pack” the Iowa superstar went viral online.
On Selection Sunday, Kellogg was captured rallying the troops after a potential second-round matchup with No. 1 Iowa appeared on a big screen, with his motivational speech including a controversial joke about Clark.
“Let’s win one and then bring in Caitlin Clark,” he told West Virginia players in the video.
West Virginia will battle Clark in the second round of the women’s NCAA tournament Monday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, when Iowa’s record-breaking point guard will have the last laugh and advance to the Sweet 16 stage.
However, Kellogg insists he was not trying to insult the 22-year-old and that his comments looked worse on social media.
West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg has downplayed his viral dig at Caitlin Clark
Kellogg was captured and told his West Virginia players to pack Clark on Monday
But he insists he wasn’t trying to insult the Iowa superstar on his way to the game
“I’m not a trash talker. I wasn’t out to get Caitlin Clark. It’s not Mark Kellogg versus Caitlin Clark,” he said on the eve of Monday’s match.
“Someone else in the room is the one who used the phrase ‘packing’ to me, and it turned into, ‘Well guys, if we want to do something special, we have to win one and then we have to send a message’ Caitlin Clark at home .”
‘You know how social media works. The segment gets shorter and shorter, and finally at the end it’s Mark Kellogg calling out Caitlin Clark.’
Clark himself is said to have been unfazed by Kellogg’s quote, in which he reportedly said, “He’s probably just competitive.”
Still, the West Virginia coach may regret his words, as the college basketball sensation has responded defiantly to taunts in the past.
When fans of rival team Iowa State chanted “overrated” at her in December, Clark scored 35 points in a victory for Iowa. She also scored 42 points after being the target of similar chants in high school.
While Kellogg’s team talk certainly fired up his own players, guard Jordan Harrison says, “It definitely fired me up.” I want a coach like that who doesn’t back down from anyone. I’m just here to support him.
“I don’t think anyone in the NCAA wants to play against us. … We want to make a statement, make some history. They have all the pressure.”