Jaime Printy found herself at the top of the key with the ball. The outcome of her Senior Night matchup against Indiana was in her hands. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, she elevated herself off the ground, flicked her wrist, and let the ball arc through the air. A captivated crowd watched it soar toward the basket with bated breath. 

If not for the roar of that rabid crowd, Printy would have heard the swooshing sound of a perfectly shot basket. She had just given her team a 65-62 lead. 

“My whole life, I’ve been taught to not think about the pass and just think about the next shot,” Printy said. “That’s what I did. Sam found me open and had a great pass to me — I was just able to knock it down.” 

Printy’s shooting slump seemed like it was going to continue after she finished the first half with only 3 points. But after finding her team down 44-34 after halftime, she took over. The native of Marion finished the night with 14 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 4 steals. 

“I can’t talk enough about how much I’ve learned from them,” sophomore Melissa Dixon said about the Hawkeye the seniors. “They’re such great role models, on and off the court. I’m going to miss playing with them so much next year.” 

Despite trailing by 18 points at one point in the game, Printy and the Hawkeyes never doubted the outcome of the game. 

“I looked at Sam at one point in the game — we were down probably 15 — and I said ‘Sam, we are not losing this game. Let’s go,’ ” Printy said. 

Fellow senior Morgan Johnson said Printy has been an inspiration for her, helping her to understand how to achieve her goals in life through hard work and dedication. 

“That type of personality, to want to continually work and dedicate yourself to one thing is what I want my life to be like,” Johnson said. “I’ve definitely learned that from Jaime. 

Printy was crucial in the team’s second-half comeback. Her lay-up with 9:05 remaining brought her team within 2 points. Printy also found herself at the charity stripe with 36 seconds remaining, and she sunk both. The senior continued her streak of free-throw perfection in the final five minutes of a game. Printy is now 43-of-43 for her career in the last five minutes and 22-of-22 in the final minute.

Despite her departure from the program, Printy believes she’s putting the keys of the Hawkeye basketball program in capable hands. 

Dixon added 22 points off the bench, scoring 9-consecutive points in the first half, and Sam Logic tied Cara Consuegra’s single-season assist record of 191. 

“I know they’re going to do great things in the future,” Printy said. “They’re getting even more experience than they already have. There are good things to come.”