In Norman, Oklahoma, emotions ran high for Jan Jensen as she reminisced about her journey to her current role as head coach for Iowa. After serving as an assistant for 24 years, Jensen was finally promoted following the retirement of Lisa Bluder. During her assistant tenure, she faced questions on why she hadn’t pursued other coaching opportunities, but her patience paid off with her new position. Jensen has brought the Iowa team to the NCAA Tournament, where they are set to face off against 14th-seeded Murray State on Saturday.
Reflecting on her path, Jensen initially struggled to articulate her feelings, eventually sharing, “I don’t even know why I’m choked up,” she said. “I think that tells you all you need to know, maybe.” Her dedication to the program shines through, even after losing star players Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin to the WNBA. Jensen, 56, is optimistic about her team’s future, expressing gratitude for the chance to lead them at this stage in her career. “I’m just a really thankful coach that got a shot later in life,” she declared. “And we’re having a blast. And I hope we get to have a blast for at least another game and get another shot at the next game.”
In another key matchup, the third-seeded Oklahoma Sooners are preparing to host No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast in a much-anticipated rematch. The previous tournament encounter was a nail-biter, with Oklahoma narrowly edging out Florida Gulf Coast with a 73-70 victory. The Sooners gain a new advantage this year with the addition of 6-foot-4 Raegan Beers, a powerful transfer who previously led Oregon State to the Elite Eight. She presents a looming challenge for the undersized Eagles, but Florida Gulf Coast’s star player Emani Jefferson plans to make an impact similar to her impressive performance last year with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The upcoming game promises an interesting contrast in styles. Florida Gulf Coast prides itself on a formidable defense, allowing only 53.2 points per game, ranking them eighth nationally. In contrast, Oklahoma’s offensive prowess sees them scoring 85.2 points per game, placing them fourth in the nation. “I think this will be a fun matchup, seeing as they’re a really good defensive team, and I think we’re a really good offensive team,” shared Oklahoma’s Payton Verhulst. Beers also weighed in, describing the Eagles as energetic and relentless in their play.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk, an Iowa native who once played for the Hawkeyes, appreciates the supportive fanbase that follows Iowa basketball. Aiming to draw them to the second game after Iowa’s earlier match, Baranczyk said, “Iowa has done a great job. Even after graduating a superstar in Caitlin Clark, they’re still selling out.” Her aim is to leverage this to encourage more spectators to support women’s basketball on a national stage. “I’m sure they’ll cheer for us,” she quipped, hoping for a warm reception due to her ties.
Iowa, on the other hand, now faces a unique challenge. Rather than benefiting from Caitlin Clark’s scoring prowess as before, the team must contend with Katelyn Young, an exceptional talent now ranked 14th on the all-time Division I scoring list with over 3,000 points. Averaging 22.2 points per game with a shooting percentage of nearly 56%, Young is a critical element for Murray State, which tops the national scoring chart with 87.8 points per game.
As Iowa navigates the tournament without Clark since 2019, the team relies on Lucy Olsen to drive their success this season. Olsen, who transferred from Villanova after averaging 23.3 points per game, has been essential to Iowa’s resurgence, contributing 18 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.