The dream for every college basketball player is to reach the NCAA Tournament. When that dream ends, emotions pour out in the locker room. That’s exactly what happened for the Iowa Hawkeyes when they fell to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery was ejected after drawing two technical fouls midway through the second half of the Hawkeyes’ 106-94 Big Ten Tournament loss against No. 24 Illinois on Thursday night. His temper flared after Tre White made two free throws to give the Fighting Illini a 69-60 lead.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery would have preferred bid farewell to his seniors in front of the crowd Thursday night. Instead, his second-half ejection forced that scene to play out in the privacy of the Hawkeyes’ locker room.

See photos from men's Big Ten tournament Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

There was no guarantee Iowa would make it to Indianapolis, but with the win over Nebraska, the Hawkeyes’ season found a second life.