(Ed. Note: full game recap up here -- Ross)
If this was the final time we saw Jordan Bohannon suit up for Iowa during the 2019-20 season, well, he ended the season on an incredible high note. Even if he does return, Bohannon could be hard-pressed to top this ending.
Bohannon had the Iowa State game circled on his calendar; he skipped the Cal Poly game in part to ensure he'd be able to play in this game without exceeding the 10 games played threshold. He openly admitted that he considered this game Iowa's -- or at least his own -- "Super Bowl." He wanted to be a part of the team that ended Iowa's 16-year winless drought in Ames.
Mission accomplished.
JBo's shot wasn't falling for most of the night -- he was just 2/12 from the floor and 2/7 from long range -- but his second made three helped halt an Iowa State comeback effort to start the second half and he made six straight free throws near the end of the game to ice Iowa's victory. And then he put the cherry on top of Iowa's emphatic win. First, he blew a kiss to the Ames crowd after his final made free throw:
BOHANNON BLOWS THEM A KISS. pic.twitter.com/A6KrNZxmbz
— Go Iowa Awesome (@IowaAwesome) December 13, 2019
Then he took off his shoes and left them on the Hilton Coliseum court -- after signing them "To ISU, Thanks for memz :-)"
Bohannon is a straight SAVAGE pic.twitter.com/tjTM12U2uq
— Lucy Rohden (@lucyrohdenTV) December 13, 2019
Jordan Bohannon just left his shoes on the floor with a little note
— Mike OBrien (@mobrientv) December 13, 2019
To ISU, Thanks for memz#CyHawk pic.twitter.com/98Ahk6KRid
Absolute. Goddamn. Legend.
Between Bohannon and Keith Duncan it's been an incredible few weeks in Iowa players trolling hated rivals on their field/court.
To his credit, Bohannon also praised the ISU fanbase and gave Hilton its props as well:
Think whatever you want about the shoes. @JordanBo_3 has got an incredible perspective on things and his postgame comments are an absolute MUST-WATCH
— Mike OBrien (@mobrientv) December 13, 2019
Mentions how stuff like that is what makes the rivalry fun (FACTS), calls Hilton one of the best arenas in the country#CyHawk pic.twitter.com/VpkdPIzWOC
As he said, this is a rivalry. Shit like this makes rivalries more fun.
Bohannon said after the game that he hasn't decided whether he's going to shut things down this season and seek a medical hardship waiver; per Rob Howe, he plans to see what he feels like after finals week next week. Iowa doesn't play another game until they take on Cincinnati in a neutral-court game in Chicago a week from Saturday, so he has some time to rest up and think about his decision.
Whether Bohannon shuts it down for the rest of the season or not, this was definitely the final time he'll play a game at Hilton Coliseum (next year's Iowa-Iowa State game will be in Iowa City). And he made damn sure his final appearance there was a memorable one.
GO JBO AWESOME