In its post-Caitlin Clark era, Iowa could be NCAA tournament Cinderella

[ad_1]

INDIANAPOLIS — While Iowa’s Jan Jensen drew the first technical foul of her head coaching career, Caitlin Clark lit into a different referee across the way from her former assistant coach.

Clark delivering an earful to a ref is standard at an Iowa basketball game. Unlike in the past, though, Clark wasn’t conveying her thoughts from the field of play. She sat watching courtside as one of the many (and, possibly, one of the most boisterous) Hawkeye faithful at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Big Ten tournament.

On three consecutive nights last week at the home court of her Indiana Fever, Clark gave encouragement and threw fist pumps as the 11th-seeded Hawkeyes blasted through Wisconsin, broke by Michigan State’s defensive pressure and, ultimately in the quarterfinals, fell one possession short of upsetting Ohio State, a program set on making Iowa a rival.

[Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem is back: Enter for a shot to win up to $50K]

The two victories made Iowa the sixth double-digit team in Big Ten history to win at least two games in the tournament (Nebraska was the fifth earlier in the day). The loss ended Iowa’s 11-game Big Ten tournament winning streak and three consecutive conference championships that started during Clark’s sophomore season.

It’s been that type of season in Iowa City. There is a level of success that is, at least temporarily, no longer attainable. The veteran-heavy roster Clark led to two consecutive national championship games moved on to their next chapters. Lisa Bluder retired after 24 years as Iowa’s head coach. Five freshmen and a transfer stepped into the fold.

Lucy Olsen (left), Hannah Stuelke and the Iowa Hawkeyes are projected to be a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament next week. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Still, there is success. The Hawkeyes (22-10) outperformed outside expectations, avoided a complete collapse out of contention and enter the NCAA tournament as one of the nation’s hottest teams. It makes them an excellent…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/article/in-its-post-caitlin-clark-era-iowa-could-be-ncaa-tournament-cinderella-141306835.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-03-13 14:13:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.