It's been only three years since the Hawkeyes were in the Big Dance, but as we all know, a lot can change. Here's what life looked like in 2023.
It's been three years since Iowa basketball has made the NCAA tournament.
We didn't know it then, but the 2022-23 Hawkeyes would be Fran McCaffery's last team to make it to the Big Dance. It was a downward spiral for the Hawkeye program after that, culminating in a disappointing 17-16 campaign that cost McCaffery his job.
Just one year later, the mood around Iowa basketball is completely different - in a good way. New coach Ben McCollum has slowly re-energized the passionate Hawkeye fanbase, and his efforts have guided Iowa to a 21-12 season and likely berth in the NCAA tournament.
Though it's been only three years since the Hawkeyes have been dancing, it may feel like a lifetime to some fans. While you anxiously wait for tonight's selection show, take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the events that defined 2023:
The Caitlin Clark Effect
2023 marked the emergence of Caitlin Clark and Iowa women's basketball. After getting upset by No. 10 seed Creighton in the 2022 NCAA tournament, Clark and Co. wouldn't be denied this time.
The superstar averaged 27.8 points per game and carried Iowa to heights it had never seen before. The Hawkeyes captured the 2023 Big Ten tournament and rode that momentum to the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the second Final Four in program history.
Iowa engineered a historic upset of then-undefeated South Carolina in the national semifinal before falling in the national championship game to LSU. Though the Hawkeyes fell short, they gave their fans and the sport of women's basketball something to remember until the end of time.
Major Sports Champions
NBA: Denver Nuggets
Men's College Basketball: Connecticut
Women's College Basketball: LSU
NHL: Vegas Golden Knights
MLB: Texas Rangers
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs
College Football: Michigan
"Barbenheimer"
You can't mention the word movie in 2023 and not think of one phrase - "Barbenheimer." The word is a combination of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," two films that were released on July 21. One wouldn't think two movies with opposite demographics would generate much attention, but that's exactly what happened.
Everyone embraced the stark difference between the films, with many attending both movies as a double feature. Social media only fueled the trend, and it resulted in both films dominating the box office.
"Oppenheimer" earned $975.8 million, while "Barbie" surpassed the 1-billion plateau - finishing with $1.448 billion.
Other Top-Grossing Films
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie": $1.3 billion
"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3": $845,555,777
"Fast X": $704,875,015
"Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse": $690,542,303
The Eras Tour
Famous singer Taylor Swift began the Eras Tour on March 17, and it immediately had a large cultural impact on the year, grossing over $1 billion in sales. Swift also began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce later that year, which drew more media attention.
Offensive Offense
2023 marks one of the most forgettable seasons in Iowa football history - at least from an offensive standpoint. The Hawkeyes finished the year with an impressive 10-4 record, but it was marred because of their struggling offense.
Iowa averaged just 15.4 points per game, leading to the midseason firing of offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz (the son of longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz).
Where can I watch the selection show?
Iowa will find out its NCAA tournament fate during tonight's NCAA Selection Show on CBS. The show is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
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