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.”
Cotie McMahon just called out Iowa on the BTN postgame broadcast saying the Hawkeyes have disrespectful views towards Ohio State.
— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) March 8, 2025
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?
This is a developing story..
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