In every community, Caitlin Clark road games are the most sought-after events.

EVANSTON, Il. On January 31, Madisyn Bellin got up at six in the morning, showered quickly, put on her Caitlin Clark jersey, and departed from her Oshkosh, Wisconsin, home in hopes of seeing her favorite basketball player, Northwestern University.

Nine hours before Iowa and Northwestern would tip off, Bellin arrived to Welsh Ryan Arena with her mother, brother, and boyfriend. According to Bellin’s mother, Kari Supple, who brought lots of goodies for the lengthy wait in the cold, no other fans would show up until about two p.m. Being early is important since, like many other universities, Northwestern hosts its women’s collegiate basketball games mostly through general admission seating.

“My goal was to make sure my kids had the best experience,” Supple said.

When the doors opened at 5:30 p.m., they secured spots in the first row of the corner, next to the visitors tunnel. Supple, whose sister played softball at Northwestern, consulted her contacts there to scout out the best spot to see Clark, the Iowa superstar who has captivated her daughter and so many others.

Bellin, who turned 14 last week, brought a sign that read, “IT’S MY BIRTHDAY ALL I WANT IS TO MEET CAITLIN CLARK,” with Clark’s No. 22 all over it.

“I love how she is on and off the court, and how she treats people,” said Bellin, who plays for her eighth-grade team and an AAU squad. “And it’s crazy how far she can shoot from.”