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Iowa Women's Basketball: Growth in Winning Time & Home Advantage

2024-12-12

Iowa City — In the realm of basketball, there exists no precise official definition for "winning time." It is more of a palpable sense that emerges when late-game action becomes crucial. It could be the final five minutes or the final three minutes; yet, its significance is unmistakable.

Unraveling the Significance of Winning Time in Hawkeye Basketball

On Wednesday night, with Cy-Hawk intensity surging from every direction, Iowa women's basketball once again found itself in a position where it had to shine during winning time to secure a hard-fought victory. Just a week ago, against Tennessee, the Hawkeyes had crumbled in a similar situation.However, in the 75 - 69 win inside Carver - Hawkeye Arena, Iowa managed to turn the tide. After playing catch - up throughout the night, they went on a remarkable 17 - 8 surge in the final five minutes. This victory could have easily gone awry if the team had shown up with a frazzled and exhausted demeanor. The fact that they didn't repeat the Saturday debacle against Iowa State highlights the gradual growth of Jan Jensen's team."It was super important," senior Sydney Affolter emphasized. "Basketball is played in four quarters, and each quarter is distinct. We start at 0 - 0. But I think we executed well in the closing moments, which was crucial. That's where we faltered against Tennessee. So, for future games, we can rely on this."Given the lack of offensive fluidity in the closing stretch, Iowa's stifling defense played a pivotal role in carrying the team to victory. In the final five minutes, they forced five Cyclone turnovers and quickly converted four of them into points.Contrast this with Saturday when Iowa had four turnovers in the closing four minutes, allowing Tennessee to go on a 14 - 1 run. Although the opposing personnel and venue were different on Wednesday, emerging victorious after intense back - and - forth action is exactly the confidence boost the Hawkeyes need to keep moving forward.Iowa ended the night with just 4:38 of lead time, and all but 14 seconds of that came during winning time."We were down for a lot of the game, but we never gave up. We never thought we were going to lose," Affolter said. "Having the mindset that no matter the score, we keep competing until the buzzer sounds. I think we did that really well."The Sydney Affolter Iowa fans have been waiting for finally made a significant impact.After offseason knee surgery, Affolter's return to the court has been a rollercoaster. As a program leader, she has high expectations for herself. Until now, she hadn't quite lived up to those expectations.Against Iowa State, Affolter more than doubled her downtown season output with three three - pointers and 16 points. She also added six rebounds and two assists. Five of those points came in the fourth quarter, igniting Iowa's rally. The aggression she displayed last season during her late ascent has finally returned as Jensen had hoped."Syd is, in the best sense, tenacious," Jensen said. "Syd won't let the fact that she was out for six weeks hold her back. She just wants to prove, 'I'm back. I'm good. We're all good.' I think what we've seen is that she hadn't found her rhythm. Tonight, Syd took matters into her own hands and said, 'OK, I've got to make some plays.' This will be huge for her. She really energized us."The advantage that Carver - Hawkeye Arena provides is arguably even more significant this season.During the Caitlin Clark years, Carver - Hawkeye Arena was a lot of fun, with sellout crowds witnessing a few competitive quarters before Iowa dominated. But now, Iowa's home energy is even more valuable.It's easy to argue that without the relentless home crowd noise, Iowa might not have pulled off Wednesday's Cy - Hawk victory. For the first time this season, Carver - Hawkeye Arena lived up to its reputation as a true women's basketball home - court advantage."We came out tonight with a lot of energy, and the crowd really helped," Lucy Olsen said, who played in her first Cy - Hawk game. "It was so loud in there. We were just talking about how loud it was. (Affolter) was like, 'We're not switching the screens.' and I'm like, 'I can't hear the screen being called.' It was an amazing experience. I've never been in anything like it."For all Iowa's efforts in forming a post - Clark identity, this grueling contest was a testament to the unprecedented success that made a moment like Wednesday possible. The Hawkeyes wouldn't have that sellout crowd to guide them without what came before. It's another example of the productive balance between the past and the present.Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.