Tag: iowa hawkeyes basketball

Naismith Trophy names Caitlin Clark a semi-finalist for Women’s Player of the Year

Caitlin Clark has been nothing short of a superhero. The Naismith Trophy noticed by naming her a semi-finalist for Player of the Year.

Multiple Big Ten Player of the Week awards, countless records set and broken, and a large handful of triple-doubles are a few ways to describe the season that Caitlin Clark has had for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Whatever descriptor you choose to use, it is likely still understating the season that the Hawkeyes’ guard is having. Clark has been a superhero this year and has become a national household name among basketball of all levels.

Due to her success, a Big Ten Tournament title, and an upcoming NCAA Tournament, Clark has found herself among the semi-finalists for the Naismith Trophy. They have her among a group up for the annually award Women’s Player of the Year.

Clark’s production is off the charts this year. She is averaging  27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists this year to go with her quartet of triple-doubles. Clark was named the MVP of the Big Ten Tournament as well after she posted a championship outing of 30 points, 17 assists, and 10 rebounds.

Two other big names among the semi-finalists includes fellow Big Ten member Mackenzie Holmes of the Indiana Hoosiers and Aliyah Boston of South Carolina.

The list will be cut down to four in the coming weeks with it seemingly very likely that Clark and Boston will be among that group. Clark’s output speaks for itself and provides her more than a strong case as the nation’s best player.

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Early exit: Takeaways as Iowa exits Big Ten Tournament early with loss to Ohio State

The Hawkeyes are headed home early from the Big Ten Tournament after an underwhelming showing against Ohio State. The takeaways for Iowa.

Welp… that stunk.

That’s the takeaway. Don’t even both reading the rest of this story (please do still) because that’s the ultimate feeling that we’re all going to take away from this game. After embedding ourselves with some hope late in the season, two bad losses to Nebraska and Ohio State, that just knocked the Iowa Hawkeyes out of the Big Ten Tournament, have just given us all a big collective gut punch.

All of the bad things that we’ve seen from Iowa were on display in this one. They shot poorly from all areas away from the rim and were unable to reliably sink a jump shot. Meanwhile, Ohio State saw wide open shooters in the corners down the stretch only countered by half-hearted close-out attempts.

There was a general chaos around the team and especially so down the stretch. They weren’t able to find a groove or a sense of calm. Despite being supposedly the better side, they always felt like they were on their heels.

I have zero clue how this affects Iowa moving forward, nor do I really want to think about the future. This loss really really stinks. Here are five takeaways.

Twitter reacts as Buckeyes bounce lackadaisical Hawkeyes from Big Ten Tournament

The Iowa defense wasn’t good enough. They had chances to take the lead but left the door open and the Buckeyes bounced the Hawkeyes early.

The matchup between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State Buckeyes was your classic close game that doesn’t necessarily qualify as a good game. There was about a million lead changes and ties, but that is more so to some sloppy play and missed shots as opposed to trading buckets, although that happened in spurts, just mainly for the Buckeyes.

Iowa simply did not play good enough defense, close out on shots, or rebound well enough to win this game and advance in the Big Ten Tournament. The Buckeyes bounced Iowa early in a 73-69 final that leaves the Hawkeyes in a sense of confusion and lack of identity.

Iowa will still make the NCAA Tournament but their seeding is anyone’s best guess at this point. Once staring at a chance to be as high as a No. 6 seed, the Hawkeyes could find themselves anywhere as low as the No. 10 seed.

Here is how social media reacted to the lackluster performance from Iowa.

ESPN, CBS differ on Hawkeyes’ seeding in latest Bracketology prior to Big Ten Tournament

The latest Bracketology from ESPN, CBS Sports, and others has the Hawkeyes fluctuating amongst seed lines. Their predictions and matchups.

With the Big Ten Tournament as the only thing looming between now and Selection Sunday on March 12, the Iowa Hawkeyes still see themselves floating between three to four different seed lines based on the latest Bracketology updates.

The loss to Nebraska in the final regular season game has left a strong impression on a handful of predictions and sees the Hawkeyes sliding down the seed lines a bit while some others appear to be dismissing it as a fluke.

Either way, the Hawkeyes head to Chicago looking to pick up some quality wins in an effort to improve their seeding even more and climb up the seed lines.

A lot could change regarding these updates if the Hawkeyes can make a run. An early exit from the conference tournament could also spell some slippage in their seeding. Here are some of the latest updates from ESPN, CBS Sports, USA TODAY Sports, and others prior to the Big Ten Tournament tipping off.

Iowa Hawkeyes among CBS Sports’ most popular conference tournament sleeper picks

Iowa has been up and down all year. That may be why they are among the most popular sleeper picks in the major conference tournaments.

An underwhelming showing against the Nebraska Cornhuskers may have stung a bit in the moment, but it doesn’t necessarily define the Iowa Hawkeyes entire season as a whole.

The Hawkeyes are sitting with an overall record of 19-12 and an 11-9 mark in Big Ten play. While the record in conference play would lead one to believe they are consistent, it has been a record achieved by streaks of wins and, unfortunately, losses.

Wins have come against Indiana, who they swept, Northwestern, and Michigan State, all who are virtual locks for the NCAA Tournament. With those wins, equally as head scratching losses have occurred with being swept by Nebraska, losses to Penn State and Ohio State, all of which are longshots to make the tournament at this point.

Those wins and losses may be the exact reason that CBS Sports’ collection of college basketball analysts have named Iowa as the most popular sleeper pick to win the Big Ten Tournament.

Breakdown: The Big Ten Tournament will likely have a greater impact on deciding what the NCAA Tournament field looks like than any other league tournament. Entering the week, CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm had four teams from the conference considered as bubble squads. Among them are Penn State and Michigan, who are slotted among the “Last Four In” while Wisconsin is among the “First Four Out.” Rutgers will also need to make some noise after losing six of its final eight regular season games. Though No. 1 seed Purdue won the league by three games, the Boilermakers have looked shaky in recent weeks and will be fending off a huge chase pack in what may be the sport’s deepest league. – Cobb, CBS Sports

Six analysts were polled and four of them picked the Hawkeyes as the top sleeper pick with Illinois and Michigan each receiving one vote as the top sleeper.

The analysts were also asked their favorite outright pick to win the Big Ten Tournament and that saw much more of a split. The Purdue Boilermakers and Indiana Hoosiers each received three picks as the favorite to take home the hardware.

The Big Ten Tournament gets underway on Wednesday, March 8, with Ohio State vs. Wisconsin tipping off, followed by Nebraska vs. Minnesota. Iowa tips off on Thursday, March 9, against the winner of the Badgers and Buckeyes.

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Hawkeyes turned Target Center into ‘Carver North,’ smashed Big Ten Tournament attendance record

The Iowa Hawkeyes’ fan base turned Target Center into “Carver North” by setting the Big Ten Tournament attendance record.

Anyone who saw any of the Big Ten Tournament championship saw that the Target Center was a sea of black and gold in support of the Iowa Hawkeyes. It was packed, it was loud, and it absolutely made a difference in the outcome by spurring the Hawkeyes out to an early lead that they never looked back from on the way to a 105-72 rout as they repeated as Big Ten champs.

While the Hawkeyes did their part in winning the title, the fan base did their duties as well to the tune of setting the Big Ten Tournament attendance record with 9,505 fans.

It is now the record for the largest single session or game in the history of the Big Ten Tournament’s history. This is minimal surprise to those that followed the Iowa Hawkeyes this year as they often amped up attendance totals wherever they went.

It was perfectly demonstrated as Clark looked to track down her 10th rebound to collect her 10th career triple-double. Everyone in the arena knew what was at stake.

“I mean, I knew I needed one more. Coach Bluder told me right before that, and it was a really long rebound, so I had to turn the jets on to get it. It was kind of fun. We went down, maybe somebody made a shot, I don’t know. It was kind a fun moment with the arena.

“I started laughing a little bit. Our fans have been incredible. Our three games here, I don’t know if we do it without them. It’s really a home court advantage. They’re chanting “Let’s Go Hawks” with 45 minutes left in warmups. That’s probably pretty intimidating if I’m the other team. A lot of credit goes to them. They’re incredible. It’s been like that all season long. So we’re just really thankful,” Clark said of the fan support.

From social media to in-person, Iowa fans had some of the best turnouts in the nation. They saw the largest year-over-year increase of social media interactions. Iowa’s home attendance this year averaged 10,705 which was the Big Ten Conference’s record for attendance at women’s basketball games.

Luckily, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ fan base will have at least one more chance, and likely two, to see them in person and show their support when they host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

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Back-to-back! Twitter erupts as Iowa dismantles Ohio State for Big Ten Tournament title

Iowa put on an absolute masterclass in their dismantling of Ohio State to win back-to-back Big Ten titles. Social media reacted accordingly!

There aren’t many adjectives that exist to describe what the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team did today. The shooting, the passing, the defense. They put it all together in their biggest game of the season.

Iowa didn’t just beat No. 14 Ohio State, but more so put on a masterclass as they dismantled them 105-72 on their way to a repeat Big Ten Tournament championship. Everything went right for the Hawkeyes (26-6, 15-3 Big Ten) and it came together when it mattered the most.

Caitlin Clark was simply magical in this game against the Buckeyes. The 6-foot superstar from West Des Moines registered her 10th career triple-double, pouring in 30 points on 5-of-11 shooting from 3-point range. Clark added a wacky 17 assists and 10 rebounds.

Star big Monika Czinano joined Clark with a big day that featured 26 points on a near-perfect 11-of-12 shooting day. Kate Martin added 13 points and Sydney Affolter rounded out the Hawkeyes’ double-figure scorers with 11.

The game was effectively over at halftime. Iowa led 61-24 at the break. The Hawkeyes shot 72.4% from the floor and 62.5% from 3-point range in the first half. Clark and Czinano combined for 40 in the first half.

Meanwhile, Ohio State was limited to 25% shooting and just 13.3% from 3-point distance. In other words, it was basically a perfect first half for the Hawks.

From there, Iowa rolled its way to triple digits and what wound up being a record amount of points scored in the Big Ten Tournament championship game’s history.

What makes this win even more impressive is that the Hawkeyes have a real, credible, and strong argument for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They beat No. 6 Maryland, handled Ohio State who took down No. 2 Indiana and are once again crowned as Big Ten champs. Selection Sunday on March 12 will tell us how high the Hawkeyes are seeded.

The Hawkeyes have also won 15 of their past 17. Their only losses came against the aforementioned perceived No. 2 seeds or better squads in Indiana and Maryland.

With some time before the NCAA Tournament, Iowa will enjoy this one as they rightfully should before turning the page. To go with the championship feeling, here are the best social media reactions regarding the Hawkeyes’ repeat championship.

Iowa Hawkeyes climb up a seed line in latest NCAA Tournament Bracketology

The Iowa Hawkeyes ended the regular season with a bang. Headed into the Big Ten Tournament, they have climbed in the Bracketology outlook.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have suddenly found themselves back near the top of the NCAA Tournament bracket after an incredible home win against the Indiana Hoosiers to wrap up the regular season. Headed into the Big Ten Tournament, the Hawkeyes look to lock in their seeding, if not improve it even more.

In ESPN’s most recent NCAA Women’s Bracketology, the Iowa Hawkeyes once again find themselves as a No. 2 seed after there were questions of if they could fall down to a No. 3 seed. The win over the Hoosiers padded their resume and has them all but locked in here.

Holding onto this No. 2 seed is massive as it grants Iowa the opportunity to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at home inside Carver Hawkeye Arena. It has been venue that has been electric in supporting them and would undoubtedly sell out for this first two games.

The Hawkeyes are currently drawing No. 15 seed Jackson State who is projected to be the automatic qualifier coming out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Should Iowa handle their business there, their second round matchup is projected to be the winner of No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 10 Kansas.

That said, there is still a chance at a No. 1seed if things break the right way for the Hawkeyes. Iowa doesn’t play until Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT in the Big Ten Tournament as they earned the double-bye. They will draw Wisconsin or Purdue, teams they are undefeated against this year. That win locks in the No. 2 seed. If they can get to the title game and defend their Big Ten title, there is the argument to be made for the Hawkeyes stealing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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Ice in her veins! Takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ buzzer-beater win over No. 2 Indiana

Ice in her veins! Caitlin Clark delivered the buzzer-beater against No. 2 Indiana. Here’s five takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ monumental win.

What a win for the Iowa Hawkeyes!

Could you script the ending any better than that? Less than two seconds left on the clock with one final gasp and your National Player of the Year (yep, it’s locked up now) delivers with the most clutch of shots imaginable.

Caitlin Clark delivered the game-winning 3-pointer to take down the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers 86-85 in a nationally-televised game that had ESPN College GameDay in town. This game had an immense amount of hype leading into it and it shattered every single one of those expectations.

Now, the Hawkeyes head into the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 2 seed. This win sends them into the league tournament as arguably the hottest team in the conference. It also represents a much-needed, confidence-boosting win leading them into the postseason.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ exhilarating victory.

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Indiana Hoosiers: TV, stream, broadcast details for Sunday

ESPN’s College GameDay is coming to Iowa as the Hawkeyes take on No. 2 Indiana. Here’s how to watch, stream and listen.

Sunday is going to be a special one inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Iowa Hawkeyes are welcoming ESPN’s College GameDay to town for their very first basketball game ever, men’s or women’s. The place should be electric.

Coming to town are the Indiana Hoosiers, who are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation and aiming for the regular season sweep of the Hawkeyes after downing them 87-78 in Bloomington, Ind., earlier this month.

With the Big Ten regular season title wrapped up and already clinched by the Hoosiers, the Hawkeyes are playing this game for two reasons. The first is pride.

They are hosting College GameDay and the place is going to be a sellout crowd. That is a big game to win. Secondly, the Hawkeyes want to get a big-time win headed into the conference tournament to right the ship and play with confidence.

Here is how to watch, listen, and stream the game with a look at the key players for each squad.