Iowa back in a familiar spot – at home for the NCAA women’s March Madness

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Jan Jensen has Iowa back in familiar postseason territory in her second season as head coach — a No. 2 seed and a first-weekend host of the NCAA Tournament.

The Hawkeyes, with a team Jensen has often described as “more younger than older,” went 26-6 this season, tying for second in the Big Ten with a 15-3 record.

It’s been a season that Jensen said has surprised her a little bit.

“I thought that this group, as we got a little deeper into the fall before games, I thought we had a shot, but I don’t think that any of us would predict, ’Yeah, we’re so good, we’re going to get a 2 seed and we’re going to host and all of that,” Jensen said Friday as the Hawkeyes prepared to face 15th seed Fairleigh Dickinson (30-4) in a Sacramento Regional 4 first-round game on Saturday.

Seventh seed Georgia (22-9) plays 10th seed Virginia (20-11) in the other first-round game.

The Hawkeyes closed the season by winning eight of their last nine games after a three-game losing streak in which they had to adjust to the loss of starting guard Taylor McCabe to a season-ending knee injury.

“I just feel like for the here and now, this team has been pretty much where their feet are,” Jensen said. “Injuries, we’ve mourned that and grieved that, but then we got back to work. That’s why I’m so happy they had the year that they did, and I think it’s been a testament to what can happen if you just keep believing and keep trusting a process and keep being willing to push the other person forward.”

Jensen was associate head coach on the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa teams that were hosts to the opening weekend of the tournament in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Two current starters — guard Kylie Feuerbach and forward Hannah Stuelke — were members of the teams that reached the national championship game in 2023 and 2024.

“I’m just trying to take it all in,” Feuerbach said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience, and every year is different with the girls that we’re with. I’m just taking it all in and really just enjoying it.”

Saturday’s games and Monday’s second-round game are sold out. The last three tournaments that were here also were sellouts.

“You’re like, ‘What does it mean to be at home, and, as expected, a sellout?’” Jensen said. “How blessed are we to say ‘as expected’? I was an assistant and helping hopefully build it, and now

being the head coach, it’s just something we’ve never taken for granted. It is a really, really special element of our program.”

Back home again

Georgia coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson smiled when she got the question she was expecting about being back at Iowa.

Abrahamson-Henderson, who grew up in nearby Cedar Rapids, played on two Big Ten championship teams at Iowa for coach C. Vivian Stringer in 1989 and 1990.

“I hope this is the last time we have to come back here,” said Abrahamson-Henderson, whose 2023 team at Georgia was the 10th seed playing in Iowa City, losing to Clark and the Hawkeyes in the second round. “I think it’s more story lines than anything. Obviously my family’s super duper happy that I’m back here.”

Abrahamson-Henderson didn’t want to talk about a possible second-round matchup with Iowa.

“Obviously I think it’s a great environment,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “I think the Iowa fans, being an Iowan, we just love basketball. So I think that’s another reason why this will always be a place that the NCAA hosts.”

Rest and recovery

Virginia had a late night on Thursday after the 57-55 win over Arizona State in a First Four game, and Friday was about recovery while preparing for Georgia.

“We got some sleep last night,” said guard Kymora Johnson, whose 3-pointer with 30 seconds left put the Cavaliers ahead to stay. “This morning we got in the cold tubs, actually a little kiddie pool cold tub, which was fun. I’m sure we’ll be hydration tested today making sure we’re getting the right fluids. Have a good practice, obviously. Then just be ready for tomorrow.”

FDU’s streak

Stephanie Gaitley’s first game as Fairleigh Dickinson’s head coach was a 102-46 loss at Iowa in 2023.

“I met Caitlin Clark in the hallway and got a picture with her,” Gaitley said. “My sons were destroying me. They were like, ‘Mom, you can’t post a picture of you with Caitlin Clark, your team will kill you.’”

Gaitley comes back to play Iowa with a much different team. The Knights, in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season, have won 22 consecutive games. They have the nation’s second-best scoring defense, allowing just 51.3 points per game, and rank ninth in 3-point field goals per game at 9.3 per game.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness