For Iowa fans, Caitlin Clark’s presence at the Big Ten Tournament felt like a good omen. The former Hawkeye superstar had been a lucky charm all season, showing up to four games—all Iowa victories, including that unforgettable upset over USC on her jersey retirement night. So, when she settled into her courtside seat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for back-to-back tournament matchups, it felt like history was about to repeat itself. And for a while, it did. Iowa cruised past Wisconsin, then handled Michigan State with Clark watching from the stands. The energy was there, and the underdog Hawkeyes were rolling. But not anymore!

For their final game of the Big Ten Tournament, Iowa stepped onto the court to face Ohio State, with Clark once again cheering them on from the sidelines. “I just get to be supportive of them, and you know, I love this time of year, March, I miss it, so it’s fun getting to support them,” Clark shared in a sideline interview.

But this time, her presence wasn’t enough to tip the scales in Iowa’s favor. The Hawkeyes fought, clawed, and pushed the Buckeyes to the brink—but in the end, they fell short, losing 60-59 in a heartbreaking finish. And if losing wasn’t enough, controversy followed them off the court.

As Ohio State celebrated, Buckeyes forward Cotie McMahon didn’t hold back. During the BTN postgame broadcast, she fired a shot at Iowa, accusing them of being “disrespectful” toward her team.

“I’m not gonna get into it all the way, but let’s just say they’re a little disrespectful as far as how they view us. So we take that personal. I take that personal,” McMahon said. “I like to fight on the court. I’m very — I have that dog in me, so I go out there and prove it.”

The comments were from Buckeyes’ standout who had just converted two free throws with six seconds left to give 13th-ranked and third-seeded Ohio a win over Hawkeyes. She didn’t explain exactly what she meant, but her words sent shockwaves through the college basketball world. Was it lingering tension from past matchups? A rivalry-fueled grudge? Or was something said behind the scenes? No one knows for sure, but McMahon made it clear—Ohio State had taken it personally.

Truth be told, this game was always going to be a fight. Statistically, both teams were neck and neck in nearly every category. Field goal percentage? Nearly identical! Iowa shot 39.0% while Ohio State managed 36.5%. Three-pointers? Both teams hit seven. Even rebounds and assists were evenly matched. But in a game where every possession mattered, the Buckeyes found a way to grind out a 60-59 win. Despite this, Hannah Stuelke led Iowa’s charge with a double-double—14 points and 12 rebounds—while Sydney Affolter and Lucy Olsen added 14 each.

The Hawkeyes even held a lead late in the fourth quarter, but a pair of Ohio State free throws with under seven seconds left sealed their fate. Stuelke had one final chance at the buzzer, but her shot came up short. A devastating loss, no doubt. But what’s next?

A different kind of March Madness awaits as Jan Jensen works to fill the void created by Caitlin Clark’s exit.  

For the past three years, Iowa women’s basketball had a clear blueprint for success: win the Big Ten Tournament, lock in a top seed, and enjoy the comforts of home-court advantage for the first two rounds of March Madness. But this year? Everything’s different.

At 22-10, the Hawkeyes won’t be hosting in Iowa City. Instead, they’ll be packing their bags, likely heading into the tournament as a No. 6 seed, forced to fight their way through tough competition. If they make it past the first round, they’ll probably have to face a high-ranked opponent on their home floor.

But let’s be real—this season has been anything but normal for Iowa. When Clark and Lisa Bluder, the former head coach, handed the program to Jan Jensen, she knew that rebuilding takes time.

“Any time you lose a very senior-heavy class, there’s just a gap for a while,” Jensen said. “I don’t care how great that freshman class coming in is; there’s no speedy trick for experience. You just have to go through it. You just have to fall on your face a few times. You have to make a few mistakes, get some glorious moments.”

And that’s exactly how Iowa’s season has played out—some tough losses, some incredible wins, and a whole lot of growth along the way. There was a moment—a brutal five-game losing streak in January—when it felt like Iowa’s season might slip away. Five straight losses, most of them by just a few points, had the Hawkeyes on the ropes. But instead of folding, they fought back.

They rattled off six straight wins, including a statement victory over USC, the eventual Big Ten regular-season champions. They kept pushing through the ups and downs, winning four more games before falling in a heartbreaker to Ohio State, 60-59, in the Big Ten Tournament. The loss hurt, no doubt! But Jensen still believes this team is playing its best basketball at the right time.

“I still believe, even though we came up a little short, I think we’re one of the hottest teams,” she said. “I think we should feel pretty good going into the tournament…I’m just thrilled that we’re going to see our name pop up. I really feel grateful for that.” The odds aren’t in their favor. The path is tough. But if this season has taught us anything, it’s that Iowa isn’t one to roll over.