Iowa 74, Indiana 67
Ever since Vivian Stringer became head coach for the Hawkeyes in 1983, Iowa has been a top Big Ten team. Stringer won six Big Ten titles and went to the Final Four once.
Angie Lee won two Big Ten titles after Stringer left in 1995.
Lisa Bluder took over in 2000, won two Big Ten crowns and three Big Ten Tournament championships, but the Hawks had never won both in a single season — until last Sunday. The game against Indiana was a grind-it-out game, with a lot of banging inside and out.
Monica Czinano (30) and Caitlin Clark (18) led the way, but Kate Martin was the X factor. Martin scored 14 on strong moves inside and made some great passes leading Iowa with eight assists.
Iowa had 21 assists and only 10 turnovers.
Iowa 72, Northwestern 59
The Wildcats had beaten the Hawkeyes three of the last four times, so I knew this wouldn’t be an easy first game of the tournament.
Northwestern plays a funky zone defense that pushes the offense out. The Wildcats came into the game giving up 63.7 points. The Hawks trailed most of the first half but led 32-31 at halftime.
Then Martin went to work. Martin, who was scoreless in the first half, went 5-of-5 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line for a season-high 15 points with six assists, all in the second half.
Bluder said before the season that Martin was one of the best captains she had ever had. “Kate was the difference-maker for us tonight,” said the coach. “She had a season-high in points and assists and she just was strong out there.”
Iowa had 20 assists on 28 made baskets.
The Hawks grabbed 44 rebounds, Northwestern 40, and Iowa had a 38-16 advantage on points in the paint, thanks to Czinano, who scored 21 points on 9-12 shooting. Clark chipped in 19 with 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots.
Iowa 83, Nebraska 66
Nebraska hung in there in the first half and trailed Iowa 38-31. Just like in the Northwestern game, the Hawks came out in the third quarter, outscored the Huskers 28-18 and cruised to their 22nd win. Nebraska played their third game in three days while Iowa was on their second.
The one-two punch of Clark and Czinano came through again. They combined for 61 points and 11 rebounds.
Clark’s 41 points is the fourth time she has scored over 40 in a game, and the fourth-best scoring ever in the Big Ten Tournament.
Megan Gustafson holds the first two spots with 48 and 45.
Martin had another solid performance with a team-high 11 rebounds and five assists.
“Kate is playing her best basketball,” said Bluder. “She’s strong going to the hoop, rebounding and passing well. Caitlin was Caitlin tonight. She’s a special player and loves to play in this kind of environment. Monica played well on 9-of-11 shooting.
Big Ten Wrestling Tournament
The top three ranked teams in the country are all in the Big Ten. Penn State is ranked first, Iowa second and Michigan third. Michigan won the tournament with 143 points, Penn State was second with 141.5, Iowa third with 129.5.
After Iowa won the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments last year and the whole team decided to come back, I felt pretty good about the Hawkeyes’ chance to repeat. Then Spencer Lee, possibly the best wrestler ever at Iowa, decided to shut down and have both knees operated on Michael Kemerer, in his seventh year, didn’t wrestle early in the season and wearing a shoulder wrap on his left side all season, had to forfeit in the semi-finals.
The Hawkeyes had four wrestlers in the finals with Alex Marinelli winning his fourth Big Ten title, the eighth Hawkeye to do so.
Iowa will have all 10 wrestlers at the NCAA championship in Detroit March 17-19
Hawkeye men close out regular season
Iowa finished the regular season with a home game against Northwestern and road trips to Michigan and Illinois.
Iowa 82, Northwestern 61
It was Senior Night last week at Carver and Jordan Bohannon and Conner McCaffrey bowed out in style.
Bohannon scored 18 points hitting four 3-pointers. The 6-1 guard holds Iowa records for 3-pointers, assists, games played, but the best record, for me, is a career free throw shooting percentage of 88%. He shot 85% his first year, 90% his second, 87% his third, 100% (18-of-18) his fourth, 89% his fifth and 88% this year.
McCaffrey has been a polarizing figure these last couple of years. Some say he’s the best passer on the team and some think he shouldn’t be playing. He struggled from 3-point range early in the season but has hit 11-of-15 in the last four games, including 5-of-9 against Northwestern.
You can question the ability of both, but can’t question their toughness. Both had multiple injuries and multiple surgeries.
Iowa 82, Michigan 71
I did not see this coming. The Wolverines beat the Hawkeyes 84-79 at Carver Feb. 17.
Michigan had five players in double figures, shot 50% from the floor and went 18-of-23 (78%) from the free throw line. Iowa shot 44% from the floor and 65% (13-of-20) from the free throw line.
Last week the Hawks, in their win over Michigan, shot 53% from the floor, 57.9% from three (a season-high) and 92% (11-of-12) from the free throw line. Some of the 3-point shots didn’t even move the nets.
The Hawks had four players in double figures, a 19-8 advantage in bench points and led for 39 minutes.
Keegan Murray was 4-of-4 from three and finished with 23 points seven, boards and three blocked shots.
Bohannon hit 5-of-7 from deep and scored 19.
Tony Perkins continues to play solid as a starter scoring 13 with three steals.
Kris Murray came off the bench going 9-of-11 from the floor with six rebounds.
“I think we’re playing really well,” said coach Fran McCaffrey. “I think we’re playing hard and I think we’re getting good play from a lot of different people.”
Illinois 74, Iowa 72
Keegan Murray was on the foul line with 15 seconds left and Iowa trailing 73-71, shooting three free throws and made one to make it 73-72.
Illinois made a free throw for a 74-72 lead.
Kris Murray had an open look at a three with three seconds left, but no joy in Mudville, and the Hawks finished the regular season 22-9, 12-8.
I would put Keegan on the line anytime and would feel good about Kris taking the last shot. Sometimes, they just don’t go in.
Iowa will play the winner of the Nebraska-Northwestern game Friday at 2 p.m.
