Inside The Hawkeyes

Fran McCaffery Ejected in Iowa's Big Ten Tournament Loss to Illinois

McCaffery had a notable exit in what could be his final game with the Hawkeyes.
Gavin Dorsey|
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery watches the action Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in a first round game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery watches the action Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in a first round game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

In the middle of a tightly contested game in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery was ejected in the second half.

With Iowa trailing Illinois, 69-60 with 13:33 remaining, Iowa guard Brock Harding was dribbling the ball up the court when the referee closest to Iowa's bench called McCaffery for a technical foul. McCaffery had his hands and his pockets and did not appear irate, but likely said something to make the referee blow the whistle.

After initial confusion, several Iowa staffers tried to usher McCaffery away from the referee who made the call. McCaffrey appeared to shout an expletive at the referee and received another technical foul, ejecting him from the game.

The double technical foul resulted in four made free throws from Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis. Iowa quickly got the deficit back down to nine, but couldn't make it any closer as the Fighting Illini eventually came away with the win, 106-94.

The loss ends Iowa's season at 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten). Some analysts have speculated that it could mark the end of McCaffrey's tenure with the Hawkeyes as well.

McCaffrey has coached Iowa since 2010, leading the Hawkeyes to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 15 seasons. However, Iowa has not advanced to the second weekend of the Big Dance during McCaffery's tenure.

Iowa has had a losing record just twice under McCaffery. Despite finishing 15th in the Big Ten this season, the Hawkeyes clinched a winning record for the seventh consecutive year with a 77-70 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament's first round.

McCaffery has a career record of 548-384 over 29 years with Lehigh, UNC Greensboro, Siena and Iowa. As the head coach of the Hawkeyes, McCaffery is 297-207.

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Gavin Dorsey
GAVIN DORSEY

Gavin Dorsey is the lead writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and covers a handful of other teams in the On SI network. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.

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