By John Bohnenkamp

MINNEAPOLIS — Being back in the Target Center brought back good memories for the Iowa women’s basketball team.

The last time the Hawkeyes were in the building, they swept through three games in three days to win the Big Ten Tournament title, beginning a postseason run that ended in the Final Four and the national championship game.

“Darn, it feels pretty good to be back in this building,” coach Lisa Bluder said Monday on the first day of the Big Ten’s basketball media days. “I have to be honest — good vibes in here.”

Iowa came into the tournament having defeated Big Ten regular-season champion Indiana on a Caitlin Clark buzzer-beating shot in the final game of the regular season. The Hawkeyes, the second seed in the tournament, beat No. 7 seed Purdue in the quarterfinals, No. 3 seed Maryland in the semifinals, then routed Ohio State 105-72 in the championship game.

That started the Hawkeyes on their postseason surge.

“I think this is really where we hit our stride last year,” Clark said. “Winning the Indiana game at the buzzer, then coming here (and winning). (Against) Purdue, our first half wasn’t great. But that second half and on, through the whole entire tournament, it felt like we played really, really great basketball.

“And then obviously going into March Madness and the NCAA tournament, we played really good, just stayed hot. I feel like everybody’s confidence was as high as it could be at. People were contributing off the bench, our offense was flowing, our defense was great. A big part of March Madness is getting hot at the right time and getting a good draw. Luckily, those things aligned.”

Clark was also impressed with the number of Iowa fans who made the trip to the tournament that weekend, packing the place to a point it earned the nickname of “Carver North.”

“This is a great place to host the Big Ten basketball tournament,” Clark said. “Our fans travel really well. It’s not like it’s a two-hour drive. It’s a good drive from Des Moines or Iowa City, wherever you’re coming from. Obviously there were a lot of Iowa fans from Minnesota.

“I love coming up here, I love coming to this arena. I grew up cheering for the (WNBA’s Minnesota) Lynx, so it’s kind of a full-circle moment getting to play here.”

The tournament returns to the Target Center this season, with the men’s tournament there the next weekend.

“Think back six months ago, we turned this place into black-and-gold ‘Carver North,’” Bluder said. “Pretty fun. Hope it’ll be a fun time in six more months, for sure.”

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ENDORSING GOETZ: Bluder said hiring Beth Goetz as Iowa’s athletic director would be the right decision.

Goetz is currently the interim AD, but Bluder would like to see her lose the “interim” part.

“I’m telling you, I think every coach — and it’s hard to get every coach to agree on something — is behind her 100 percent,” Bluder said. “She’s an unbelievable team builder. She is a great leader. She’s a great communicator, a great listener as well. I just think if we don’t hire her, that would be a really, really not smart thing to do.”

Bluder said Goetz is popular within Iowa’s athletic department.

“I would say it’s widespread among the coaches, and maybe the student-athletes,” Bluder said. “I’ve seen Beth at more of our practices already. She’s there, she’s visible, she’s in our community. I mean, she’s a really special leader. I hope we can finish this deal and make her the athletic director.”

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SWEET TOOTH: Clark’s popularity as the reigning national player of the year has stretched the limit of her time commitments.

Still she said, she tries to find ways to get away from the attention.

“When it’s not basketball season, I love to be outside,” Clark said. “Maybe golf a little bit.”

Clark also enjoys being in the kitchen.

“Something I always grew up doing as a kid was cooking and baking with my mom,” Clark said. “So if I have free time on something I love to do, I’m a big food person, so I enjoy doing that.

“My favorite thing is homemade brownies. I’m a chocolate girl. Sweets, got a sweet tooth.”