Relive the excitement of the sold-out Big Ten Women?s Basketball Tournament?including Sunday?s dramatic overtime win over Nebraska and all the records broken by the Hawkeyes along the way.
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
Every game was sold-out for the first time in Big Ten women?s basketball tournament history. The ?Caitlin Effect? was in full force with a sea of fans in black and gold cheering on the Hawkeyes as they sought to accomplish the program's first title three-peat.
The stage is set. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/My2fweOLrS? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 8, 2024
Hawkeye Huddles Bring Hawkeyes Together
PHOTO: MOLLY TORCHIA
Hosted by the I-Club, in partnership with the University of Iowa Center for Advancement?s Office of Alumni Engagement, Hawkeye Huddles were held ahead of both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds at Cowboy Jack?s in downtown Minneapolis. Fans enjoyed a Hawkeye DJ, pep band performances, and special guests?including Beth Goetz, the Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair.
Quarterfinals: Hawkeye Fans Line Up To Cheer, Cheer, Cheer for Iowa
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
After the two morning games, fans at the Target Center were asked to clear the stands and re-enter through security. They formed a line that went for at least seven city blocks through the downtown Minneapolis skywalks. This led to a black and gold parade of sorts as fans streamed back in to watch the Hawkeyes play their first postseason game of 2024.
Just a couple @IowaWBB fans in town today 👀#iowa | #targetcenter | #B1GWBBT pic.twitter.com/SUqqAGHwI8? Target Center (@TargetCenterMN) March 8, 2024
Quarterfinals: No. 2 Iowa Defeats No. 7 Penn State, 95-62
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
It was a total team effort to defeat Penn State as Hawkeyes Gabbie Marshall, Sydney Affolter, and Hannah Stuelke all had outstanding performances. Marshall is now sixth on Iowa?s all-time list for steals and had her third straight game with four 3-pointers. Her performance was so impressive that the announcers were calling her ?March?all. Affolter enjoyed a career-high 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Stuelke tallied up the seventh 20-point game of her career.
GABBI33 🤩@CaitlinClark22 x @GabbieMarshall#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/DrSqadrY9g? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 9, 2024
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
National Player of the Year candidate Caitlin Clark surpassed Steph Curry?s NCAA men?s single season record for 3-pointers made with 163.
NEW LEADER 🎯@CaitlinClark22 surpasses Steph Curry as the new all time leader and record holder in 3-point field goals for a DI single season!#NCAAWBB x @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/ENmOcYGnv2? NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 9, 2024
Quarterfinals: No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Indiana Fall
It was March Madness during the quarterfinals as No. 8 Maryland upset No. 1 Ohio State (82-61), No. 5 Nebraska beat No. 4 Michigan State (73-61), and No. 6 Michigan took down No. 3 Indiana (69-56).
The top seed left in the #B1GWBBT? Those Hawkeyes. @IowaWBB x @B1Gwbball pic.twitter.com/tErQXxTeII? Big Ten Conference (@bigten) March 9, 2024
Semifinals: Hawkeye Fans Turn the Target Center into Carver North
Carver North. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/2jH3IYVTM6? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 9, 2024
Iowa pride filled the stands for nearly every game of the tournament?even ones where the Hawks weren?t playing. Hawkeye nation showed up in a big way for the country?s best offense, which had put up over 90 points in 12 out of the last 14 games. Multiple I-O-W-A chants broke out during each Hawkeye game.
#B1GWBBT pic.twitter.com/3bg0acIj67? B Lillis (@lillisb51) March 9, 2024
Semifinals: No. 2 Iowa Drops No. 6 Michigan, 95-68
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
Hawkeye fans got loud early and stayed loud often as Iowa put on a show at the Target Center?defeating Michigan to advance to the Big Ten Tournament title game for the fifth time in the past six years. During the game, Iowa broke the Big Ten Tournament single game team record for assists with 30.
Passing is fun 🤯#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/yQ9zJ4is5a? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 10, 2024
CAITLIN CLARK FROM THE LOGO!!!!! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED! 💥@CaitlinClark22 X @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/fWzUIpcChb? FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 9, 2024
Behind the back 🤩@CaitlinClark22 x @sydneyaffolter1#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/tKbKvI6ZGH? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 9, 2024
Clark had her 29th career game with at least 25 points and 10 assists. Since 2009, the next closest player has only done it five times. She also became the Big Ten?s all-time leader in free throws made and is the first Division I college basketball player to record back-to-back 1,000-point seasons. Clark kept her streak alive of 89 consecutive games making a 3-point basket, which is an NCAA best.
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
?It?s All I Know? to ?That?s Just What We Do?
Caitlin Clark's remarkable accomplishment of reaching the Big Ten Championship throughout her entire four-year college career stands as a testament to her skill and dedication on the court. Clark describes it as "special," adding, "that's just what we do."#B1GWBBT #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Gyvp7F5DD1? Maya Aflakpi🌟 (@MayaAflakpi) March 10, 2024
Big Ten Pep Rally
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
Ahead of the championship game, Hawkeye fans lined up as early as 2:30 a.m. to enter the Target Center. In a show of sportsmanship, the mostly-Iowa crowd greeted and cheered for the Nebraska team as they arrived.
Nebraska arrives first to the Target Center. pic.twitter.com/GHBWn3WtKu? IOnTheHawks (@IOnTheHawks) March 10, 2024
Hawkeye fans, Herky, the Iowa Spirit Squads, and pep band members then welcomed the Iowa team with loud cheers.
Blue Carpet Arrival. #Hawkeyes x ##B1GWBBT pic.twitter.com/eYgpAgMGlV? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 10, 2024
Finals: No. 2 Iowa Beats No. 4 Nebraska in Overtime, 94-89
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
The No. 2 Hawkeyes overcame their largest halftime deficit (11 points) of the year in front of a sold-out Target Center in Minneapolis and beat No. 5 Nebraska in overtime.
Trophy szn. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/h4Dog1CPga? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 10, 2024
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
For Lisa Bluder, P. Sue Beckwith, MD, Head Women?s Basketball Coach, this was her fifth Big Ten Tournament title (2001, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) to tie Maryland head coach Brenda Frese. Bluder also earned a tournament record 32 victories with this title win.
The step back 🔥@CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/8wwMqxOOr8? Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 10, 2024
Clark, who was named Big Ten Tournament MVP, proved it?s how you finish?not how you start?as she tallied only four points in the first half, then dug deep to put up 30 in the second half and overtime. Clark set a Big Ten Tournament career record with 112 assists in her 13 tournament games.
Caitlin Clark doing her best Kobe impression 🐐🐍(via @IowaWBB) pic.twitter.com/LTi9ZrKr4m? Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 10, 2024
Clark is the first Division I men?s or women?s player to record at least 3,700 points, 1,000 assists, and 850 rebounds in a career. She is the only player in the country with at least 1,000 points, 280 assists, and 225 rebounds this season.
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
6POY. MY GOAT pic.twitter.com/8Jy18Orunm? Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) March 10, 2024
Sydney Affolter was named to the Big Ten?s All-Tournament Team.
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
As a team, Iowa has now made 358 3-pointers?which broke the Big Ten?s single-season record for 3-pointers made in a season. The previous record was 350, which was set by last year?s record-setting team.
The Hawkeyes are officially #B1GWBBT champs for the third year in a row. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/76wD0SsCIA? Big Ten Women's Basketball (@B1Gwbball) March 10, 2024
PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM
Iowa also made 39 3-point baskets during this year?s Big Ten Tournament, which is the most in tournament history.
Make it official, @CaitlinClark22. #B1GWBBT Champs@IowaWBB x @B1Gwbball pic.twitter.com/G2Yj5iJXul? Big Ten Conference (@bigten) March 10, 2024
March Madness isn?t over yet. Go Hawks!
hr {
background-color: #dddddd;
height: 2px;
border: none;
}
.imagecontent{
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
p {
margin: 20px 0;
}
