Tag: Dasonte Bowen

Iowa guard Dasonte Bowen enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Iowa sophomore guard Dasonte Bowen has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Iowa Hawkeyes sophomore guard Dasonte Bowen is reportedly entering the NCAA Transfer Portal.

The 6-foot-2, 183 pound guard appeared in 51 games and started nine during his Hawkeye career. The Boston, Mass., native started eight games this season and played in 25.

Bowen ended the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season averaging 4.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.3 rebounds per game. The Brewster Academy product shot 39.6% from the field, 22.2% from 3-point range and 84.6% from the free throw line.

Bowen began the season as Iowa’s starting point guard, but his minutes declined as the season went on. He last played in a game on Feb. 14 in Iowa’s 78-66 loss at Maryland.

In late February, Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery announced that Bowen’s season was likely over due to a lingering knee injury that would require surgery.

“He’s a tough kid. He’s been trying to play through it. And it just got to the point where it was time,” McCaffery said of Bowen at the time.

Now, Bowen’s Hawkeye career is over altogether.

“I want to thank God for the opportunity He has given me to play at the highest level and to receive a top-notch education. I am grateful for the past two years at the University of Iowa and for the relationships that I have built with my coaches and teammates. The memories will last a lifetime. Moving forward, I have to do what is best for me and my future. I have entered my name into the transfer portal,” Bowen wrote on X.

Bowen arrived in Iowa City as a three-star signee per 247Sports. The service rated Bowen as the No. 26 point guard and as the No. 3 player from Massachusetts in the 2022 class.

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Iowa Hawkeyes 2023-24 Snapshot Profile: Dasonte Bowen

Dasonte Bowen flashed some promise as a freshman. Now, what does his sophomore season have in store?

As one of the leaders of Iowa basketball’s new youth revolution, sophomore guard Dasonte Bowen is fighting tooth and nail for a starting spot in 2023-24.

The Boston, Mass., native played sparingly last year as a freshman, showing some great flashes whenever his number was called. Bowen brings an injection of athleticism to the point guard position.

He has tremendous slashing ability, looking smooth as ever with the ball in his hands. He also possesses some really good court vision for his age. Though not known as a shooter, Bowen showed some promise in his limited attempts.

Whether or not he earns a starting spot outright ahead of the season is yet to be determined, but Dasonte Bowen will surely play a big role moving forward for the Hawkeyes. Here’s a look at Iowa’s exciting young guard.

Iowa Hawkeyes exploring options at PG entering 2023-24 men’s college basketball season

Ahead of the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season, Iowa is exploring a number of different options at point guard.

The point guard position will be a key battle to watch as the season unfolds for Iowa basketball. With star forward Kris Murray graduating to the NBA, selected in the first round by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Hawkeyes will have to forge a new identity on offense. All of that starts at point guard.

Incumbent starter Tony Perkins is back for his senior season in Iowa City. In his first full season as a starter, Perkins showed some promise. The Indianapolis native averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 44.0% field goal shooting.

He will be heavily pushed for playing time by some hungry underclassmen, namely sophomore Dasonte Bowen. Bowen, out of Boston, Mass., averaged 3.1 points in just 9.4 minutes of average floor time.

When asked about the point guard situation, head coach Fran McCaffery boasted about all four of his potential options at the position.

“We do have a lot of options at that position. I think we’ll see Tony there at times. I think Dasonte and Brock (Harding) and Josh Dix can all play that position. Normally you don’t have that many options,” McCaffery said.

Bowen is the player expected by most to really make a push for the starting role this season. He showed some great flashes in limited playing time at the end of last season.

Coach McCaffery talks a lot about pushing the pace, and Bowen is one of the most dynamic threats the Hawkeyes have running downhill. The 6-foot-2, 183 pound guard showed some special athleticism last season and can add a new element to the offense. The ability to hit shots from outside and be more than just a slasher will be huge for the Brewster Academy product.

It’s exciting to hear that true freshman Brock Harding will push for some playing time. He’s a really exciting prospect, we’ll just have to see if that’s just preseason coach talk, though.

As a youngster, he might not get his chance quite yet. Word around Iowa City is that he has made a seamless transition to college, though.

Josh Dix is an interesting name to see thrown in at point guard. With his height and shooting ability, most would project him as a shooting guard. However, if Iowa is looking to surround new star transfer big man Ben Krikke with shooters, Dix at the one is something they can definitely tinker with.

The 6-foot-5, 200 pound guard from Council Bluffs, Iowa, averaged 2.0 points per game in 9.2 minutes of average floor time last season.

However, the most interesting option may not come from one of these new faces. It’s important to keep an eye on returning starter Perkins and how his game has progressed this offseason.

In what Perkins expects to be his last season at Iowa, he likely morphs into the leader of this team. He’s talked about gunning for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and with his athletic profile, that’s certainly attainable.

If he can find more consistency in his game, and maybe hit some more shots from deep, Perkins could be an invaluable member of this starting rotation.

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PHOTOS: Iowa men’s basketball roasts Bethune-Cookman to open 2022-23 season

All five starters finished in double-figure scoring, including Tony Perkins’ game-high 16. Here were the best photos from the season opener.

Iowa wasted no time illustrating promise for the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season. All five Hawkeye starters finished with double-figure scoring, including point guard Tony Perkins who finished with a game-high 16 points on 7-of-9 field goal shooting.

“Tony Perkins has aggressiveness. He has skills. He is shooting the ball outside. He is driving the ball. He always had a pull-up game. He is getting to the rim. We put the ball in his hands a little bit more, so now he has more space, and he is even more effective.

“Five assists and one turnover, that is the thing that impressed me the most. When you put him at the point, you are going to have to give it up, and he does. But he did that from the first day he got here. He said, yeah, he was a scorer, he was a scoring guard, but you can put the ball in his hands. He will just get better,” Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said of Perkins’ performance.

Filip Rebraca also recorded his 20th career double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

“He is aggressive offensively, he is aggressive in his ball-screen defense, he is aggressive in post defense. He is aggressive on the glass and running the floor. He is taking the ball, dribbling it, driving it and finishing the play, posting hard.

“Quite frankly, all the stuff he did when he was at North Dakota. He was dominant. For us he was really good. His role was different. We got to keep him here, and now he has taken charge. That’s what I wanted him to do. It was always in there, and now you’re seeing it,” McCaffery said of Rebraca.

Meanwhile, Kris Murray had 14 points, Payton Sandfort had 13 and Patrick McCaffery finished with 12.

With the win, Iowa begins its season 1-0. The Hawkeyes have now won 12 consecutive season openers, 78 of their last 83 nonconference home games and improved to 92-3 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points during McCaffery’s tenure.

There are plenty of takeaways and Hawkeye social media was certainly delighted to have Iowa basketball back. It was a fun night from inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Take a look back at the season debut that was through these sensational still photos.

Iowa Hawkeyes ranked No. 21 in 247Sports’ preseason college basketball rankings

It’s almost time to tip off the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season. According to 247Sports, Iowa starts as the nation’s No. 21 team.

You can tell a season is right around the corner when the market becomes flooded with preseason rankings. Everyone loves a good set of rankings, especially as they try to get a gauge on teams before they step on the court. Nothing boosts your self worth quite like correctly predicting who the top teams will be in advance!

247Sports’ Kevin Flaherty and Isaac Trotter recently took their hand at predicting the field, releasing their college basketball preseason rankings. Coming in as the 21st ranked team in the country is the reigning Big Ten Tournament champion in Iowa.

This could be one of Fran McCaffery’s better defensive teams, and if Kris Murray makes the expected leap to All-Big Ten caliber player, the scoring will be there as well. Patrick McCaffery, Tony Perkins and Payton Sandfort can all put the ball in the basket. – 247Sports.

Iowa is one of only three Big Ten schools featured on the list, Illinois ranked 15th with Indiana a place behind.

The Associated Press also only ranked three Big Ten teams in their initial top 25, notably leaving Iowa on the outside looking in. According to the AP voters, Indiana is the highest-ranked Big Ten team at No. 13, followed by No. 22 Michigan and No. 23 Illinois.

It will once again be a tough competition for the conference crown, but it seems the national media is not expecting a national champion to come from the Big Ten this season.

There is a lot of projection in regards to Iowa this upcoming season, making it understandable why they are a bubble top-25 team heading into the season. Of course, the notable departure is All-American forward Keegan Murray. The fourth overall pick by the Sacramento Kings, Murray would’ve been a National Player of the Year most other seasons.

A lot of pundits are projecting twin brother Kris Murray to fill his brother’s shoes as the star of the team, but, of course, that is still just a projection for now. Murray is following a similar career arc to his brother Keegan, performing really well when given a chance at extended playing time last season. We will have to see if he can handle the limelight as the true No. 1 option for Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery.

The other biggest projection, as Kevin Flaherty breaks down for Hawkeye Insider and 247Sports, is the team’s defense.

Fran McCaffery’s bunch lost All-American Keegan Murray, who likely would have been National Player of the Year in a number of other seasons. But he brings back an experienced roster from a team that appeared to figure things out defensively as the season went on, something that could make this 2022-23 bunch better than its predecessors.

Iowa has not had a top 70 defense in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency since the 2015-16 season, and if the Hawkeyes can find a way to keep the offensive train rolling while buffing up on the defensive end, Iowa could compete for a Big Ten title. Iowa certainly appears to boast plenty of firepower. – Flaherty, 247Sports.

That progression on the defensive side of the court is probably the biggest key for Iowa in 2022. While the team loses Keegan Murray, they still return a lot of experienced players who can put the ball in the hoop. Fourth-year forward Patrick McCaffery averaged a hair over 10 points per game last year, and is getting some breakout buzz in his own right ahead of the season.

Payton Sandfort showed a lot of scoring potential off the bench last year, especially as a shooter hitting 36% of his 3-point attempts. You can go down the roster list and find potential breakout candidates: Kris Murray, Patrick McCaffery, Dasonte Bowen, etcetera.

There are a lot of things to be excited about with this team, but a ton to prove as well. They’ll have plenty of opportunities to show why they’re a top team right away, with Seton Hall, Clemson, and Duke scheduled early in the season.

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Iowa Hawkeyes safely in the 2023 NCAA Tournament in Joe Lunardi’s summer Bracketology

A summer Bracketology? You better believe it, and the Iowa Hawkeyes are safely in the 2023 NCAA Tournament per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.

It’s never too early to start thinking about next year!

While we are nowhere near the start of the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season, it’s still right in season for ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi to start piecing together his March bracket.

In his most recent version of Bracketology, Iowa is in with one of the last four byes of the tournament, landing as the No. 10 seed in the East region. The Hawkeyes’ opening date would be against seventh-seeded Saint Louis with a likely date against No. 2 seed Texas looming after that.

Iowa is one of seven Big Ten teams that Lunardi currently has making the Big Dance. That’s tied for tops nationally of any conference according to Lunardi’s projections, joining the Big 12, Big East and SEC as seven-bid leagues.

In addition to Iowa, Lunardi has No. 7 seed Purdue and No. 8 seed Ohio State in the West region, No. 6 seed Illinois and No. 8 seed Michigan State in the East region and No. 4 seed Indiana and No. 7 seed Michigan in the South region.

For the Hawkeyes, Lunardi is expecting a bit of regression from the past two seasons. Iowa was a No. 2 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and a No. 5 seed last year entering March Madness after winning the Big Ten Tournament title over Purdue, 75-66.

Over the past two seasons, Iowa basketball has lost their star player. Luka Garza was possibly the greatest player in Hawkeyes history, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American. He graduated on to the NBA at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Then, Keegan Murray broke out and was also a consensus first-team All-American. He also probably should have been won the Big Ten Player of the Year last year. Instead, he goes down as Iowa’s highest-ever draft pick, going fourth to the Sacramento Kings in the 2022 NBA draft.

That’s two straight years that Iowa has to replace a historic player. While that’s routine for a team like Duke that rules the top-10 player recruiting list every year, it is a tough task for a team like Iowa. There are a lot of returning pieces coming back, including potential breakout star Kris Murray.

“Well, first of all, I’m really excited for him. First time in his life that he hasn’t played with his brother. He accepted the challenge of coming back,” Head Coach Fran McCaffrey said in a recent interview about the returning Murray. “As I said before, he bet on himself. A lot of guys, if they have a two-way, they take it. He could’ve gone to a two-way if he wanted, but he wanted to come back. He loves his teammates and he wants the responsibility that’s going to be placed on him. And he’s ready for it, he’s worked hard for it and I’m excited for him.”

The Hawkeyes open their 2022-23 season on Nov. 7 at home against SWAC opponent Bethune-Cookman.

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Iowa Hawkeyes freshman point guard Dasonte Bowen looking to help Iowa any way he can in 2022

Freshman point guard Dasonte Bowen shared how he’s adjusting to Iowa basketball and his 2022 expectations.

Freshman point guard Dasonte Bowen spoke with Hawk Central and reporters about his transition to Iowa and Division I basketball. In his initial conversation since touching down in Iowa City, Bowen displayed a very team-first mindset that fits the Hawkeyes culture extremely well.

When prompted with the player who pushes him the most in practice, junior guard Tony Perkins came to mind.

“Tony’s aggressive, I’ll say that. I don’t think anybody pushes me around but Tony’s definitely aggressive,” Bowen said.

It isn’t just Perkins, though. The veteran leaders this offseason have made it a point to get the incoming freshman used to the physical play of Big Ten basketball.

“I think everybody’s got a little edge to them, so I’ll say everyone’s physical, especially with the freshmen trying to get us used to it. Especially when we get into playing these in-conference games for sure, these other hard-nosed schools that like to push you around. So, I think they’re helping us adjust to that really well,” Bowen said.

It is clear early on that the competition to replace longtime starter Jordan Bohannon at the guard position is a fierce one with multiple players pushing each other to get better and earn the spot. For Bowen, it’s all about doing whatever he can to help the team win games.

“Wherever coach needs me at for us to win, that’s what I’m going to play for sure. I compete every day, I show up to get better every day. He (guard Ahron Ulis) does the same, so wherever coach feels is best to have us both at to win, I think we’ll both be fine with,” Bowen said.

The former three-star recruit further illustrated his team-first mindset when talking about misconceptions with his game.

“I say that I’m a ball-dominant point guard. I can score, but I can pass the ball. So, I can do whatever the team needs me to do. I think people misunderstand a lot of scoring guards out there. They think they’re selfish, stuff like that. I feel that I get my teammates involved, but I can score when necessary as well,” Bowen said.

A lot of Iowa’s lineup looks to be pretty set heading into next season. While the Hawkeyes lose Keegan Murray, who was just recently named Most Valuable Player of the NBA 2K23 Summer League, his twin brother Kris figures to take over his spot. Kris Murray tested out the NBA draft waters this summer, but, ultimately, made the decision to return to Iowa. Returning starter at forward Patrick McCaffrey is back as well and should be another key piece.

With a lot of experience in the locker room, Iowa is looking to once again contend for the Big Ten crown and hopefully make it further in the NCAA Tournament this year. There is a hole left at guard with the departure of Bohannon, though, a position many players on the roster can contribute at.

Previously mentioned Tony Perkins started 15 games last year, averaging 7.4 points per game. Sophomore Payton Sandfort is a player many in the industry are expecting to break out next season. Ahron Ulis also averaged around 14 minutes per game last year.

There are a lot of contenders for that starting spot, a lot of players with a solid background of work for Iowa. Bowen has a lot of talent as a scoring guard, and while he may not start year one, he can be a valuable contributor off the bench for Iowa with his team-first mindset. Look out for Bowen in the future, too.

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Iowa set to play Seton Hall, full 2022 Gavitt Tipoff Games schedule released

Per CBS Sports Jon Rothstein, Iowa is headed to Seton Hall in the 2022 Gavitt Games. Plus, a look at the entire 2022 Gavitt Games slate.

While official dates and times are still to be determined, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported that the matchups for the 2022 Gavitt Tipoff Games are officially set.

The annual inter-conference challenge between the Big Ten and the Big East features eight games. Introduced in the 2015-16 men’s college basketball season, Iowa is set for its fourth appearance in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.

The Hawkeyes will reportedly travel to take on Seton Hall. Iowa owns a 1-2 mark in the Gavitt Tipoff Games, beating Marquette in 2015, 89-61, losing to Seton Hall in Iowa City in 2016, 91-83, and falling to DePaul in 2019, 93-78.

In Iowa’s 2015 win over Marquette, the Hawkeyes were paced by guard Peter Jok’s 20 points and 4-of-6 made 3-pointers. Jarrod Uthoff, Anthony Clemmons, Mike Gesell, and Adam Woodbury all added double-figure scoring for Iowa in the win over the Golden Eagles.

In 2016 against Seton Hall, Jok had another monster night, registering 30 points and 10 rebounds. Tyler Cook added 24 points for the Hawkeyes, but it wasn’t enough as Seton Hall shot 47.1% from 3-point range, 50.8% from the floor and had three different 20-plus scorers that night. The Pirates’ Myles Powell scored 26, Desi Rodriguez added 25 and Khadeen Carrington chipped in with 20 points.

The Hawkeyes will be looking to exact some revenge for that setback in 2016 and have a chance to regain the all-time series lead over Seton Hall as well as even their mark in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. Iowa and Seton Hall have met just twice. The first meeting took place in late December of 1982 when Iowa routed Seton Hall, 85-63.

Here’s a look at all of the 2022 Gavitt Tipoff Games matchups with last season’s overall and conference records attached.

An early look at the Iowa Hawkeyes’ nonconference basketball matchups in 2022-23

A challenging nonconference slate should have the Iowa Hawkeyes ready for Big Ten play in the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season.

The 2021-22 season was a dream for Iowa up until the NCAA Tournament. Led by sophomore forward Keegan Murray, a likely 2022 NBA draft lottery pick, the Hawkeyes took home the Big Ten Tournament crown over Purdue.

Sadly, all of that momentum came to a screeching halt immediately in the first round of the tournament as 12th-seeded Richmond sent Iowa packing. Despite having one of the better seasons in recent memory for the program and delivering hardware back to Iowa City, the shame is that some will just remember the 2021-22 season for its disappointing end.

There will be some changes for the Hawkeyes heading into next year. Keegan Murray is off to the NBA and longtime starter Jordan Bohannon has graduated.

Iowa did receive a massive boost as Keegan’s twin brother, Kris Murray, announced his return. Patrick McCaffery is a capable player. If Iowa wants to improve upon its anticlimactic end to 2021-22, there are a big set of challenges already loaded up on the Hawkeyes’ nonconference 2022-23 schedule.

Let’s take a look at all of the important nonconference dates that have been finalized for Iowa below.

5 things to know after Iowa basketball hires Matt Gatens as assistant coach

Here’s five things to know about a familiar face in new Iowa men’s basketball assistant coach Matt Gatens.

After a pair of changes with his assistant coaching staff this offseason, Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery has officially filled out his coaching staff with the addition of former Drake assistant Matt Gatens.

Let’s take a look at five things fans should know about Gatens entering his stint as one of Iowa’s new assistant coaches.