When Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s sharpshooting superstar, swaps her sneakers for spectator seats, you know something special is in the works. On Thursday night, the reigning Indiana Fever star took a courtside timeout to cheer on her boyfriend Connor McCaffery—an assistant coach for the Butler Bulldogs—and trust us, she didn’t come alone. Armed with her personal fan squad (aka her parents Brent and Anne and brothers Blake and Colin), Clark’s entourage took over the Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, transforming the Arizona Tip-Off into a family affair.
Adding to the drama, Patrick McCaffery, Connor’s younger brother, suited up for the Bulldogs, making this more of a reality show crossover than a basketball game. Picture it: Caitlin and her crew, fresh off cheering her historic runs with the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Fever, now rallying behind the McCaffery brothers in a game that felt more like a suspense thriller than a collegiate hoops contest. Who knew basketball could be this soap-operatic?
The Butler-Northwestern Showdown: Suspense, Missed Free Throws, and Fingernail Biting
Heading into the clash, Northwestern boasted a shiny 5-1 record, just one notch better than Butler’s respectable 4-1 slate. Translation? This wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. From tip-off to the final buzzer, the Wildcats and Bulldogs put on a masterclass in heart-stopping drama.
Butler snagged a slim 31-28 lead at halftime, but as every die-hard fan knows, three points in college hoops is about as secure as a sandcastle in high tide. The Wildcats clawed back like, well, wildcats, turning the second half into a seesaw battle of clutch shots, risky fouls, and more missed free throws than either team will want to remember.
Connor McCaffery, clipboard in hand, paced the sidelines with the energy of a caffeinated coach desperate for a win, shouting instructions louder than the arena’s PA system. Meanwhile, Patrick McCaffery chipped in five points of his own—earning plenty of cheers from the Clark-McCaffery cheering section, which looked more like a VIP red-carpet event than a basketball family reunion.
Free-Throw Chaos and Butler’s Narrow Escape
The final minute was pure chaos. With Butler clinging to a precarious 64-59 lead, Northwestern did what any desperate team would do: send Bulldogs players to the free-throw line and pray they’d brick them. Spoiler alert: they kind of did.
Finley Bizjack missed both free throws with 12 seconds left, prompting audible groans from the Butler faithful. Northwestern’s Brooks Barnhizer responded by coolly sinking two charity shots to cut the lead to one. With just 10 seconds left, Patrick McCaffery stepped up to the line and sank two clutch free throws—perhaps inspired by the watchful eyes of his superstar sister-in-law-to-be (maybe?). Butler fans exhaled.
But not for long. Barnhizer, clearly unfazed by the mounting tension, drained his own free throws to shrink Butler’s lead to a single point, 70-69. And then came the pièce de résistance: Boden Kapke was fouled and proceeded to hit just one of two free throws. Northwestern had two chances to tie the game, but they blew it in spectacular fashion. Barnhizer missed a layup, and Nick Martinelli’s follow-up attempt? Nope. Brick city.
Cue the eruption from Caitlin Clark and the rest of the arena as the Bulldogs squeaked out a 71-69 victory. Somewhere, Connor McCaffery probably whispered a silent “thank you” to the basketball gods.
Family, Drama, and Basketball: The Perfect Combo
The Clarks and McCafferys provided just as much entertainment off the court as the players did on it. Caitlin, ever the basketball savant, probably had a few pointers for Connor post-game, while Brent and Anne, the ultimate supportive parents, must have been bursting with pride—and maybe some nerves—throughout the tight contest. Blake and Colin? Let’s just assume they were plotting TikToks about the game.
In the end, the Bulldogs escaped with a win, Northwestern was left to lament missed opportunities, and Caitlin Clark reminded everyone why she’s the WNBA’s most electrifying presence—whether she’s shooting threes or just cheering from the stands.
Moral of the story? Never underestimate the power of a well-assembled cheering section.
