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

Indianapolis – While Jansen of Iowa attracted the first technical fault of his career as a head coach, Caitlin Clark lit in another referee in front of his former assistant coach.

Clark delivering an ear to a reference is standard in an Iowa basketball match. Unlike the past, however, Clark not transmitting her thoughts in the field of the game. She was sitting by looking short as one of the many (and, perhaps, one of the most noisy faithful) of Hawkeye in Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Big Ten tournament.

During three consecutive nights last week at the home courtyard of his Indiana fever, Clark encouraged and launched fist pumps while the seeded Hawkeyes exploded through the Wisconsin, broken by the defensive pressure of the state of Michigan and, finally in the quarterfinals, fell from a possession of Ohio State. A program defined on making iowa a rival.

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The two victories made iowa the sixth two -digit team in the history of Big Ten to win at least two games in the tournament (the Nebraska was the fifth earlier in the day). The defeat put an end to the victory sequence of the Big Ten tournament of 11 games from Iowa and three consecutive conference championships that started during the second season of Clark.

It was this type of season in Iowa City. There is a level of success which is, at least temporarily, more feasible. The list of veterans, heavy, Clark led to two consecutive national championship games has moved to their next chapters. Lisa Bluder retired after 24 years as an Iowa chief coach. Five first -year students and a transfer entered the fold.

However, there is success. The Hawkeyes (22-10) surpassed external expectations, avoided a complete collapse of the line and enter the NCAA tournament as one of the most popular teams in the country. This makes it an excellent cendrella.

“It was big shoes when they all started,” said Jensen, the best assistant to blude every 24 seasons. “Their shadows are looming. Not quite well went well – struck a little rocky – but my boy, I think we should feel very good in the tournament. »»

Traditionally, a Cinderella is an unveiled weak seed beyond expectations by upsetting the favorites with a race deeply in the support. The shoe generally adapts to two -digit seeds that seem to come out of nowhere. Real support busts.

These types are rare on the side of women, where chalk reigns supreme even though parity flowers. There is always a top 10 depot, and another of the top 20 of the top.

So consider a seeded n ° 6 scheduled after losing the top scorer of all time in the NCAA at the WNBA and replaced the legend by a player from a Big East unable Uconn school. Hawkeyes have firepower – and lack the appropriate attention – to eliminate an upheaval.

Lucy Olsen, a three-year start to Villanova who ranked third on an average of scoring as a junior, guided a new starting range to a start of 8-0 and a record of 10-2 in a light slate without conference. The Big Ten Gauntlet was the real test and the Iowa was struggling, losing five in a row in January. All were by a single figure, culminating in a defeat of a point against Oregon without the third year starter Hannah Stualke who left them at 2-6 at the conference.

It was as much as Iowa lost all last season and put them on the edge of the Big Ten tournament, which reduced three teams of the liaison to the extended era of 18 teams.

“Boy, it was difficult to fight for everyone to get up and get on the plane to fly in Washington,” said Jensen.

But Jensen told them that they were “closer than they were” of their destination. The group of new starters around it had not yet found their rhythm together. They were not going to find the same chemistry as a year ago, when Clark, Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall were in fourth year together.

The Hawkeyes eliminated Washington by 24 points and returned home to defeat Northwestern. Olsen started finding his foot in the offensive, eclipping 20 points in seven of the last 11 games. After Olsen led Iowa with 28 points in a then upheaval. 4 USC in the next match, Jensen said there were promises for the last seven team competitions and “hope” the NCAA tournament.

The only defeats they have suffered since are twice at Ohio State (by eight points in overtime, one in the tournament) and once the UCLA national champion candidate. Iowa was a possession far from an upheaval against Bruins, one of their five games lost by three points or less. They finished 11th at Big Ten at 10-8.

“If you can go through adversity and look at it and look at where you grew up and be more successful than not, I think you should feel really good to play in the big dance,” said Jensen.

No, Hawkeyes do not pay points as they were in the Clark years. And they do not have a breading maestro at the buzzer, a problem that is bubbling on several occasions. Sydney Affolter, the best shooter of 3 points in Iowa, made two to give them the head of the end of Ohio State, but no one could mark in the last 1:18.

However, they are still an offense among the first 50 (74.3 ppg) with an effective percentage of goals on the ground (22nd) and a talent to share the ball (65.7 assisted price). The group bounces well (54.8% ranks 25th) and is better defensively, a goal for Jensen since it took the upper chair. And their young bench has been intensifying lately. The first -year student AVA Heiden scored 21 points by pulling 8 out of 10 in 26 minutes combined against Michigan State and Ohio State. He kept the Iowa in it and aroused the praise of fans of Iowa in the arena – Clark included.

One thing remains the same for this iteration of Iowa Cinderella as for the seasons of Clark.

“As I felt every year, where we are n ° 1 or whatever we get, it’s all about matches,” said Jensen. “You are facing a team with which you just know that you don’t click as much with it, so it becomes a little more difficult. I’m just delighted that we will see our name appear. (I) I am really grateful to you. These children deserve it. They fought.