Iowa Coach Criticizes Nebraska’s Music Choice During Free Throws
In a surprising upset loss to Nebraska, the Iowa women’s basketball team had more than just their performance to be frustrated about. Coach Lisa Bluder voiced her annoyance with the Cornhuskers’ in-arena music, which she believed had an impact on her team’s free throw attempts. The Hawkeyes missed six of their 15 free throws, and Bluder couldn’t help but express her frustrations after the game.
The frustration began to mount for Bluder even before the postgame interviews started. Iowa’s offense fell apart in the fourth quarter, with star player Caitlin Clark going cold. To make matters worse, the No. 2 Hawkeyes fell to unranked Nebraska in front of a raucous Cornhusker crowd.
After the game, Bluder’s frustration shifted to the arena noise and the news conference protocols. Caught on camera, she could be seen yelling at a Nebraska official in the hallway outside the interview room. The ordering of the post-game interviews had been reversed due to on-court celebrations that delayed both teams from reaching their locker rooms. Jeff Griesch, the Nebraska media relations director, had stated that if Iowa players arrived while Nebraska players were still speaking, he would pull them off to allow the Hawkeyes their turn at the podium.
While Nebraska star Alexis Markowski was answering a question, Bluder, along with Clark and Kate Martin, arrived at the door. Despite Markowski’s attempt to finish her answer, Bluder’s voice could be heard in the background, expressing her discontent with Griesch. She voiced her frustration about catching a flight and criticized the music played during free throws. However, no changes were made to the interview order, and Bluder left without returning, although she did speak with several reporters from Iowa in the hallway.
Clark and Martin eventually took their spots at the podium about five minutes later. Clark, who had an impressive performance with 31 points, claimed she hadn’t even noticed the music during free throws. Despite her superb scoring, she fell eight points shy of breaking the NCAA women’s all-time scoring record.
Regarding Bluder’s concern about missing a flight, it’s worth noting that the Iowa women’s basketball team has been flying charter this season. Their flight home to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a quick trip from Lincoln, Nebraska. Therefore, they wouldn’t have to worry about missing a commercial flight.
In conclusion, the Iowa women’s basketball team faced a disappointing loss to Nebraska, with frustrations mounting on multiple fronts. Coach Lisa Bluder expressed her annoyance with the in-arena music, which she believed affected her team’s free throw attempts. Despite the setback, Caitlin Clark delivered an outstanding performance and came close to breaking an NCAA scoring record. The incident serves as a reminder that even small factors, such as arena noise, can have an impact on the outcome of a game.