INDIANAPOLIS – Iowa’s head coach, Fran McCaffery, experienced a night of heightened emotions during the Big Ten Tournament second-round game against the 24th-ranked Illinois. With just over 13 minutes left in the game, McCaffery was ejected after receiving two technical fouls for disputing calls with the referees. This forced him to miss the opportunity to publicly bid farewell to his seniors in front of fans.
Instead, McCaffery shared those final moments with his team privately in the Hawkeyes’ locker room after their 106-94 loss. Despite his ejection separating him from the team during a crucial game moment, his dedication to defending his players remained evident. “I’m always going to advocate for my guys. That’s my job,” McCaffery emphasized, reflecting on the touching moments shared behind closed doors.
The matchup was particularly significant for Payton Sandfort, who equaled his career-high by scoring 30 points, notably hitting eight three-pointers. This matched a tournament single-game record achieved twice before. However, McCaffery, having exited earlier, missed seeing these remarkable feats firsthand. Sandfort, upon leaving the game, showed visible emotion, shedding tears about the experience, which even earned commendation from Illinois coach Brad Underwood for his evident passion and dedication.
The future remains uncertain for both McCaffery and Sandfort, with the possibility of an NIT appearance lingering. McCaffery, reflecting on his long tenure with Iowa that includes 15 seasons and the challenge of having his worst record in seven seasons at 17-16, acknowledged his expectations to return next season.
The intensity of the game was evident as emotions ran high on the court. The first of McCaffery’s technical fouls was called after Iowa’s Tre White’s two successful free throws extended Illinois’ lead to 69-60. McCaffery had left the coach’s area to comment on what he perceived as an unfair foul discrepancy. “I think I might have pointed out the foul discrepancy, I think it was five to one,” he explained, suggesting he felt the first technical was undeserved.
Upon receiving the second technical foul without further inquiry, McCaffery steadily exited, leaving his team to regroup on the court. Following his departure, Kasparas Jakucionis made four consecutive free throws, increasing the Illini’s lead to 73-60. Despite a brief resurgence, Iowa struggled to maintain momentum in McCaffery’s absence, concluding their tournament with a poignant, reflective loss.
