By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery says he has “no intention of moving on” after this season as speculation continues about the future of the program’s all-time winningest coach.

The Hawkeyes (15-14 overall, 6-12 Big Ten) are in danger of missing the Big Ten Tournament, a season after the program’s streak of four consecutive NCAA tournaments was ended with a run to the second round of the NIT.

McCaffery’s future has been the subject of online speculation — ESPN called the Iowa job as one that “could open” at the end of the season.

“I’m fully committed to the program, to the players,” McCaffery said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “No intention of moving on. Just came to work today trying to figure out how we can beat Michigan State (in Thursday’s home finale). Did some other conversations, professional conversations, of course, on a number of different topics, and got ready for practice today.”

McCaffery, in his 15th season with the Hawkeyes, has a 295-203 record with the program, and has won 546 games in his career. He has made seven NCAA tournament appearances — his 2019-2020 team likely would have made the tournament had it not been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic — and four NIT appearances.

Iowa has lost 10 of its last 13 games.

“I know this year probably hasn’t been easy on him, but you know, it’s never really shown in the way that he approaches things,” senior Payton Sandfort said. “And I always appreciate him for that.”

McCaffery’s contract runs through 2028, with a $4.2 million buyout if athletics director Beth Goetz wants to make a head coaching change at the end of the season.

Asked how he has handled the speculation about his future, McCaffery said, “I don’t really pay any attention to it, so I don’t address it. We’re just business as usual.”

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo supported McCaffery during his press conference on Tuesday, saying, “I would be sad if he decided enough is enough like a lot of coaches are doing because he’s one of the good guys. Fran ain’t going out with a season that isn’t superb, in my humble opinion. Nor do I think he should.”

Sandfort, who will be playing in his final home game on Thursday, remembered what it was like when McCaffery began recruiting him, saying he was “a little intimidated by him.”

“But now, you know he’s a really good dude,” Sandfort said. “He gets kind of a bad rap because of his antics on TV. But all that is, is just caring for us and wanting the best for his players. That’s what I’ve noticed throughout the last four years, is just how much he really does care about us and wants to protect us. He does everything that he can to be almost like a father figure to us and just take care of us.”

Guard Drew Thelwell, who transferred to Iowa from Morehead State after last season, remembered seeing a video clip of when McCaffery got into a staredown with official Kelly Pfeifer in Iowa’s 112-106 overtime win over Michigan State in 2023.

“He was staring at the ref, and I was like, ‘What is this guy doing?’” Thelwell said, laughing. “But he’s actually a really good guy. I love him as my coach. He’s really funny. He’ll make these comments when we’re watching film and he’ll make you laugh. He’ll surprise you out of nowhere. Love him.”

Photo: Iowa coach Fran McCaffery directs his players in a game at Illinois last week. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire)