Hamlin bids farewell (maybe) in home finale

IOWA CITY - The typical college student, JoAnn Hamlin was procrastinating.

"I haven't even started on my speech," she said Wednesday. "I'll probably work on it tonight."

Iowa faces Indiana Thursday in its final home game of the regular-season. Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

It's Senior Night, and Hamlin - who has missed the entire season with after suffering a blood clot in her leg in November - will address the crowd following the game.

"I'm pretty nervous about being out there alone," she said. "I don't want to be too emotional, but I don't want to take it too lightly.

"I don't want to leave and later wish I had said something I didn't."

There's a slight possibility that Hamlin will do this again next year. She plans to petition the NCAA for a hardship and an additional year of eligibility.

Before the ceremony, there's a game to play. An important game.

Iowa (15-12 overall, 8-8 Big Ten) needs two wins this week to be a legitimate candidate for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes are at Wisconsin on Sunday.

"If we win two, I think we're deserving if we also do well in the Big Ten tournament," said Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder.

"If we lose one, I don't think so."

Bluder shared those feelings with her team on the bus ride home after their loss to Northwestern on Sunday.

"We put it out there to them," Bluder said. "I wanted them to know what the situation was and what we have to accomplish."

Iowa stands in a fifth-place tie in the Big Ten and owns an RPI of 55.