Fran McCaffery, known for his animated interactions with officials, continued to display his fiery demeanor as his potential tenure with Iowa drew to a close. Heading into what could have been his final game with the team, the Hawkeyes’ coach stayed true to form during a Big Ten tournament matchup against Illinois. Midway through the second half, McCaffery received his fifth career ejection after receiving a double technical foul for comments and gestures directed at an official. Despite showing a slightly more subdued demeanor compared to his usual intensity, McCaffery’s behavior remained consistent with his reputation. Iowa ultimately fell to Illinois 106-94, concluding their Big Ten tournament run and potentially their season. Following the game, McCaffery refuted speculations about his departure from the program, expressing his intention to continue as head coach next season. While Illinois advanced to face Maryland in the next round, Iowa’s future participation in postseason tournaments remained uncertain given their challenging season performance. With McCaffery under scrutiny due to recent underwhelming results, including a subpar record and lack of deep NCAA tournament runs, the program faced mounting pressure for change despite its prior success under his leadership.
