I’ll start with the women.
The Hawkeyes (26-6, 15-3) will host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament playing 15th seeded SE Louisiana (21-9, 14-4) on Friday at Carver.
The Lions are in their first NCAA Tournament and are led by Hailey Giaratano and Alexius Home. Both are juniors and both averaged 12 points per game.
The Bears averaged 62.7 points and gave up 54.5.
They shot 40% from the floor and 30% from three.
The Lions have only three players over 6-0 so the Hawks should go inside early.
Some Hawk fans thought Iowa should have been a No. 1 seed.
“It appears we were the first No. 2,” said Lisa Bluder. “What’s the difference being the fourth No. 1 or the first No. 2.? There is absolutely no difference so I don’t really care. I’m just excited that we get to play in Carver-Hawkeye arena Friday night.”
Hawkeye Men
The 8th seeded Iowa will play the 9th seeded Auburn Tigers Thursday at Birmingham, Alabama.
The Tigers finished 20-12 and are coached by former Iowa assistant Bruce Pearl.
This is the first time Iowa and Auburn have ever met.
Pearl likes to run an up tempo offense so it could be a track meet.
The Tigers averaged 72.7 points and have four players averaging double figures.
They shoot 44% from the floor, 31% from three and 70% from the free throw line.
This should be a good matchup.
Hawkeyes on All-Big Ten Teams
The Iowa Hawkeyes were well represented on the All-Big Ten teams.
Hawkeye Men:
Kris Murray, who’s bother Keegan made first team all-Big Ten last year, was a first team pick this year. That is the fourth year in row a Hawkeye has been a unanimous selection with Luka Garza (2020-21) and Keegan last year.
Kris finished third in the Big Ten in scoring averaging 20.5 ppg and was fifth in rebounding (8.0) while Filip was sixth. Filip finished fourth in field goal percentage (57%), Kris eighth (47%).
Conner McCaffery was first in the Big 10 in assist/turnover ratio (4.2) and 10th in the Big Ten is assist with 113.
Filip Rebraca was a third team selection by the media.
I am glad Filip got that recognition as he worked hard all year.
The 6-9 senior scored in double figures 27 times, shot 57%, which led the Hawks.
Filip also led Iowa in rebounds (242) and was second in blocked shots (31).
Conner McCaffery was an honorable mention and Payton Sandfort won the Sixth Man of the Year award. Patrick McCaffery earned the team’s Sportsman of the Year award for the second straight season.
Conner led the Hawks with 114 assists and shot 86% from the free throw line.
Payton was second on the team with 56 3-pointers, Kris had 63.
Hawkeye Women:
For the second straight year Caitlin Clark was named Big Ten Player of the Year.
This is the fifth time in six seasons that an Iowa student athlete has been named player of the year in the Big Ten.
Megan Gustafson (2018-19) and Kathleen Doyle (2020).
Caitlin and Monica Czinano were named first team all-Big Ten for the second year in a row.
McKenna Warnock was honorable mention and Hannah Stuelke was voted Sixth Player of the Year.
Caitlin, who was first team as a freshman, was second in the nation in scoring and first in the Big Ten (27.0). Caitlin also led the nation in assists averaging 8.3 per game . Caitlin has ten triple-doubles, which is a Big Ten record and has scored 40 or more points six times in her career.
Monica finished ninth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.3) and second in field goal percentage (67%). The 6-3 center from Minnesota set a Big Ten tournament record for free throw percentage going 11-12 (.917) in the championship game against Ohio State.
It was good to see McKenna get some recognition. The 6-1 forward from Wisconsin was third in scoring (11.0), second in blocked shots (12) and shot 39% from three which led the Hawkeyes.
It’s going to be fun to watch Hannah develop. The 6-2 freshman averaged 13 minutes per game, shot 59% from the floor, averaged 4.2 rebounds and had ten double-doubles.
One and Done
I really thought the Hawkeye men had a chance to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament.
That is if they could make baskets.
They were 4-17 (23.5%) from three, Ohio State 7-18 (38.9%).
Patton Sandfort got into foul trouble early, only played 15:22 minutes and didn’t take a three pointer. The game had 18 lead changes and was tied eight times.
The Hawks led for 21 minutes, the Buckeyes 14.
The game was there for the taking but Iowa couldn’t get it done and finished 19-13 for the season.
Filip Rebraca finished with 20 points and seven boards.
Kris Murray had 17 with six rebounds and five assists while Tony Perkins scored 16 with six boards.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Stephen Mally/hawkeyesports.com • Contributed Photo

Filip Rebraca reacts after dunking the ball during the first half of the Hawkeyes’ game at the United Center in the Second Round of the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in Chicago, Illinois Thursday, March 9.