Tag: iowa hawkeyes basketball

Iowa basketball commit Owen Freeman impresses at NY2LA Swish N’ Dish

247Sports reporter Brandon Jenkins mentioned Iowa commit Owen Freeman as one of the players that impressed at the NY2LA Swish N’ Dish.

Iowa men’s basketball head coach [autotag]Fran McCaffery[/autotag] and his teams have won at least 20 games each of the past four seasons. Sophomore Keegan Murray emerged as a national player of the year candidate this past season, averaging 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

The Hawkeyes rode the stardom of [autotag]Keegan Murray[/autotag] and a talented supporting cast that included the Big Ten’s all-time 3-pointers leader in [autotag]Jordan Bohannon[/autotag] to a Big Ten tournament title and a 26-10 overall record. The season ended with another disappointing NCAA Tournament flameout against the 12th-seeded Richmond Spiders, 67-63.

Still, it was quite the season for a team that was replacing the 2020-21 season’s national player of the year in [autotag]Luka Garza[/autotag]. In order to keep the good times rolling, McCaffery and his staff need to continue to lure top talent to Iowa City.

It appears that the Hawkeyes are doing just that with class of 2023 power forward [autotag]Owen Freeman[/autotag]. The 6-foot-10, 220 pound power forward is rated as the No. 83 player nationally and the No. 11 power forward in the 2023 class according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Freeman took part in the NY2LA’s annual Swish N’ Dish event.

247Sports reporter Brandon Jenkins mentioned Freeman as one of Friday night’s eye-catchers.

Fran McCaffery has found a potential go-to guy on the inside in Owen Freeman. He has excellent hands and touch around the basket and combines it with solid footwork and a will to battle for success on each low post possession. It was good to see him taking advantage of his size yesterday evening as he finds joy playing around the basket. He projects as another big man target Iowa will go through when a quick two points are needed. – Jenkins, 247Sports.

It’s great to hear that McCaffery and company appear to have found another talented scorer on the inside. Freeman is currently the only player committed to the Hawkeyes in the 2023 class. Iowa signed a pair of players in the 2022 class, three-star point guard Dasonte Bowen out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and three-star shooting guard Josh Dix from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

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Iowa ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s NCAA Tournament pain index

ESPN ranked Iowa No. 4 in its NCAA Tournament pain index.

Unfortunately, Iowa has been no stranger to NCAA Tournament heartbreak. The latest edition came in the Hawkeyes’ first-round matchup in the Midwest region against the 12th-seeded Richmond Spiders in a 67-63 loss on March 17.

Richmond guard Jacob Gilyard knocked down 4-of-7 3-pointers and scored 24 points to lead the Spiders’ upset win. Richmond forwards Tyler Burton and Nathan Cayo added 18 and 15 points, respectively. Iowa entered March Madness having won the Big Ten tournament title over Purdue and the Hawkeyes were being talked about as one of the teams that could unseat No. 1 seed Kansas in the Midwest region.

Instead, Iowa sophomore forward Keegan Murray’s 21 points and nine rebounds weren’t enough to push the Hawkeyes past the Spiders. Iowa sophomore forward Patrick McCaffery connected on four 3-point tries and added 18 points, but the Hawkeyes didn’t have another double-figure scorer outside of those two.

As a result, Iowa’s dubious streak of having not reached a Sweet 16 since 1999 continued. Ahead of Monday night’s national championship game, ESPN put together its NCAA Tournament pain index and Iowa ranked No. 4 among teams who have been eliminated.

Iowa fans who haven’t seen a trip to the second weekend since 1999 never come in arrogant about the Hawkeyes’ chances in the NCAA tournament, but had to be a bit more hopeful than usual entering a first-round matchup with Richmond. After all, this team had been playing some of the best basketball in the country as the event began, including a thrilling run to the Big Ten tournament championship, with an All-American and future lottery pick in Keegan Murray leading the way. Maybe, just maybe …

But Richmond was another conference tourney champ looking to keep the good times rolling, and it rode Jacob Gilyard (24 points, 6 assists) and some uncharacteristically poor Hawkeyes offense (including 6-of-29 from 3) to a classic 12-over-5 upset. – ESPN.

Given how the Hawkeyes were playing entering the NCAA Tournament and the type of season that Keegan Murray had, there’s plenty of sting with this latest March Madness exit. The fact that it comes on the heels of Iowa having lost as a No. 2 seed with the national player of the year in Luka Garza to Oregon in the tournament’s second round last year only adds to the frustration.

If it’s any solace, Iowa actually wasn’t the Big Ten team ranked the highest on the pain index. That distinction was awarded to Purdue, who lost in the Sweet 16 to cinderella Saint Peter’s. Thanks to the Peacocks’ 67-64 win over Purdue in the Sweet 16, Saint Peter’s became the first No. 15 seed to ever advance to the Elite Eight. Then, Saint Peter’s was promptly routed by North Carolina, 69-49. That can’t make Boilermaker fans feel any better.

Another victim of Saint Peter’s, the Kentucky Wildcats, checked in at No. 2 on ESPN’s pain index. Duke took home the ultimate pain index crown, though. According to this ESPN list, nothing stings more than losing to an archrival in the Final Four. The fact that the Tar Heels ended legendary Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s career with a loss in his final home game and then sent he and his team packing in the Final Four created quite the cocktail of misery for Duke fans.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark wins Naismith Trophy fan vote

Iowa sophomore guard Caitlin Clark was the winner of the Naismith Trophy fan vote.

Iowa sophomore guard Caitlin Clark authored a historic season, averaging 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game. As a result, Clark was named one of the finalists for the Naismith Trophy.

While the Naismith Trophy was awarded to South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Clark did win the fan vote. She joined Kansas men’s basketball junior guard Ochai Agbaji as players to win the Naismith Trophy fan vote this season. Texas Tech head men’s basketball coach Mark Adams and South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley were the two coaches that took home the most Naismith Trophy fan votes.

Clark was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and earned unanimous first team All-Big Ten honors for her standout sophomore season. She earned national player of the week honors four times this season: twice by the USBWA (Jan. 18 and March 1), by Naismith on Jan. 25 and by ESPN on Feb. 7.

Clark led the nation in points per game and finished with the most total points of any player with 863 this past season. She also led the nation in assists per game and total assists with 257.

Clark recorded back-to-back triple-doubles versus Nebraska on Jan. 16 and at Minnesota on Jan. 20. She became the 10th collegiate women’s basketball player to record back-to-back triple-doubles. On the season, Clark registered five triple-doubles.

Clark broke Iowa’s single-game assist record with 18 against Penn State on Jan. 25 and tied the Big Ten record for most assists against a Big Ten opponent. She also holds three women’s basketball arena scoring records: 39 points at Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena her freshman season, Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena with 44 points versus Evansville on Jan. 2 and Michigan’s Crisler Center with 46 points on Feb. 6.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray named Wooden Award finalist

Iowa sophomore forward Keegan Murray was named a finalist for the Wooden Award.

The recognition keeps on rolling in for Iowa sophomore [autotag]Keegan Murray[/autotag]. The 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward was named one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award.

Murray joins Kansas junior guard Ochai Agbaji, Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, Gonzaga forward Drew Timme and Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe as finalists. All five players have been invited to Los Angeles for the 46th annual presentation of the award.

With Murray announced as a Wooden Award finalist, it marks the third consecutive season that Iowa has had a finalist for the award. Murray joins Luka Garza (2020 and 2021) in that distinction.

Murray averaged 23.5 points per game this season, which ranked fourth nationally and was tops among power-five players. He finished second-best among Big Ten players, averaging 8.7 rebounds per game. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native also averaged 1.9 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. In fact, Murray joined Kevin Durant as just the second Division I player in history to total more than 800 points, 60 blocks and 60 made 3-pointers in a single season.

Murray finished the 2021-22 season with 822 points, 303 rebounds, 68 blocks, 66 made 3-point field goals, 52 assists and 45 steals during the campaign. He also joined North Carolina’s Antawn Jamison as the first player since 1998 to shoot 55% or better while scoring more than 800 points and grabbing more than 300 rebounds.

Murray shot 55.4% from the field and 39.8% from 3-point range. He declared for the NBA draft earlier this week and he is considered a potential lottery pick. In addition the Wooden Award, Murray is also a finalist for the following national awards: the Naismith Trophy, the Lute Olson National Player of the Year, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year and the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year.

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Iowa guard Joe Toussaint announces decision to enter NCAA transfer portal

Iowa point guard Joe Toussaint announced his intentions to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Iowa junior point guard Joe Toussaint announced his decision to enter the NCAA’s transfer portal. The Bronx, N.Y., product averaged 4.3 points per game on 42.3 percent field goal shooting with Iowa during the 2021-22 season.

Toussaint also averaged 3.2 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The 6-foot, 190 pound guard from Cardinal Hayes High School shot 83.9 percent from the free throw line this past season as well.

Toussaint scored in double-figures for Iowa twice last season. He registered 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting against Alabama State on Nov. 18 and 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting at Virginia on Nov. 29 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

“After much consideration and thought, I have decided to put my name in the transfer portal to pursue an expanded role at another institution. I am thankful to my teammates, coaches, and fans for a memorable three years. Winning a Big Ten championship and building lifelong relationships during my time in Iowa City is something I will always cherish,” Toussaint wrote in his transfer announcement.

Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery thanked Toussaint for his time with the Hawkeyes and his role this past season in helping bring the program’s third Big Ten Tournament title back to Iowa City.

“We want to thank Joe Toussaint for being an integral part of multiple NCAA Tournament teams and a Big Ten championship team. He brought great effort and character to our program. He will be great wherever he goes, and we wish him the very best moving forward,” McCaffery said in a statement.

Over the course of his three years at Iowa, Toussaint played in 98 games, made 41 starts, averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

According to 247Sports, Toussaint was rated as a three-star point guard and the No. 6 player from the state of New York in the 2019 class when he signed with Iowa out of high school.

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For The Win has Sacramento Kings selecting Iowa forward Keegan Murray as lottery pick in 2022 NBA draft

Iowa forward Keegan Murray is mocked to the Sacramento Kings in For The Win’s latest 2022 NBA mock draft.

Now that Iowa forward Keegan Murray has chosen to forgo his remaining years of eligibility, it appears he is in line for lottery pick money. That’s what For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky is projecting anyways.

Kalbrosky put together his 2022 NBA mock draft 5.0 where he predicted every pick of both rounds. In Kalbrosky’s latest mock draft, he forecasted the Sacramento Kings to draft Murray with the No. 6 overall pick.

Don’t overthink this one. I feel that Iowa’s Keegan Murray was pretty clearly the best player in college basketball and his skill set translates perfectly to the NBA.

All season, this guy was a scoring machine who could create his own basket at the rim with ease. He was also a good shooter and defensive playmaker; there is not very much he cannot do. – Kalbrosky, For The Win.

The Kings would be adding a player in Murray that burst onto the scene as a national player of the year candidate this past season with the Hawkeyes. After averaging 7.2 points per game as a freshman, Murray upped his average by more than 16 points in his breakout sophomore season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native finished the 2021-22 season averaging 23.5 points per game. The 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward also averaged 8.7 rebounds per game, which ranked second in the Big Ten.

Before Murray at No. 6, Kalbrosky had the Houston Rockets taking Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren No. 1 overall, the Orlando Magic drafting Jabari Smith No. 2, the Detroit Pistons selecting Duke’s Paolo Banchero No. 3, the Oklahoma City Thunder landing Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and the Indiana Pacers choosing Arizona’s Benedict Mathurin.

Kalbrosky projected the rest of the lottery picks as follows: Duke’s AJ Griffin No. 7 to the Portland Trail Blazers, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis No. 8 to the San Antonio Spurs, Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe No. 9 to the Portland Trail Blazers, Ohio State’s Malaki Branham No. 10 to the Washington Wizards, Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan No. 11 to the Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis’ Jalen Duren No. 12 to the New York Knicks, LSU’s Tari Eason No. 13 to the Atlanta Hawks and Duke’s Mark Williams No. 14 to the Charlotte Hornets.

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Iowa Hawkeyes star forward Keegan Murray declares for 2022 NBA draft

With potential lottery money on the line, star sophomore forward Keegan Murray declared for the 2022 NBA draft.

After averaging 23.5 points per game and helping lead Iowa to the program’s third Big Ten Tournament title, star sophomore forward [autotag]Keegan Murray[/autotag] officially declared for the 2022 NBA draft.

Murray is seen by many as a probable NBA draft lottery pick, so it only makes sense to avoid any risk of injury and position himself to earn lottery pick money straight away. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, product had a sophomore jump for the ages. After finishing his freshman season averaging 7.2 points per game, Murray upped those numbers by more than 16 points per game.

He also averaged 8.7 rebounds per game which ranked second in the Big Ten behind only Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn. Murray’s 23.5 points per game ranked fourth nationally and was tops among all power-five players. The 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward was a consensus first-team All-American, was named first team All-Big Ten, earned the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award and is one of four finalists for the 2022 Naismith Trophy.

“As a kid, I dreamed of playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and wearing the black and gold. I am forever grateful that coach McCaffery gave me the opportunity to live out my dream. You believed in me when few did, and you’re a big part of why I’m in this position today,” Murray wrote in his announcement.

Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery shared his excitement for Murray’s future and reflected on the outstanding two years he enjoyed with the Hawkeyes.

“We are excited for Keegan as he begins his professional journey. He has earned the right to be a lottery pick. Keegan is incredibly professional and even keeled with everything he does. Not only did Keegan accomplish things no other Hawkeye underclassman has ever done, but he also represented our program at the highest level. We fully support Keegan and will assist him every way we can throughout the draft process,” McCaffery said in a statement.

Murray ended this season shooting 55.4 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from 3-point range. As The Rookie Wire’s Cody Taylor pointed out, Murray is the only player nationally that recorded at least 800 points, 300 rebounds, 60 blocks and 50 assists.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark named Naismith Trophy finalist

Caitlin Clark averaged 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists per game. Now, she’s one of four Naismith Trophy finalists.

Iowa sophomore guard Caitlin Clark authored a season unlike any other in women’s college basketball history. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native led the nation in points and assists per game to become the first player to lead the country in both categories in a single season.

Clark averaged 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and 1.5 steals per game. Her 863 total points, 200 free throws made and 257 total assists this season were all tops nationally. The 6-foot guard also led the nation in triple-doubles with five and 30-point games with 11.

Now, Clark has been named one of four Naismith Trophy finalists. She joins South Carolina junior forward Aliyah Boston, Stanford junior guard Haley Jones and Baylor senior forward NaLyssa Smith as one of the finalists. The award is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding women’s college basketball player.

Clark earned Big Ten Player of the Year status after a season filled with milestones. In January, Clark recorded back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles versus Nebraska and Minnesota. She scored 31 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists versus the Cornhuskers on Jan. 16 in Iowa’s 93-83 win over the Cornhuskers before dropping 35 points, collecting 13 rebounds and assisting 11 times at Minnesota in the Hawkeyes’ 105-49 Jan. 20 triumph over the Gophers.

In the process, Clark joined Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, James Harden, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only NBA, WNBA, or Division I men’s or women’s basketball players to register back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles. Clark is the only NCAA player to ever record back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles and one of 10 women’s basketball players to register back-to-back triple-doubles in their careers.

In early January, Clark broke the 1,000-career points barrier in a 93-56 win over Evansville in which she scored 44 points. Clark also became the fastest Division I player to reach 1,500 career points over the last 20 seasons, eclipsing that mark with 32 points in the Hawkeyes’ 87-78 win at Rutgers on Feb. 24.

She was also named Big Ten Tournament MVP after averaging 26 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in Iowa’s wins over Northwestern, Nebraska and Indiana. Clark was a unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection, was named a Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year finalist, Dawn Staley Award finalist, a WBCA Wade Trophy midseason watch list member and John R. Wooden Award national ballot top-15 selection.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray named Naismith Trophy finalist

After sophomore Keegan Murray averaged 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, the star forward was named a Naismith Trophy finalist.

Iowa sophomore forward Keegan Murray had a season for the ages. After averaging 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, Murray was named one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy.

The 6-foot-8, 225 pound native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, joins Kansas senior guard Ochai Agbaji, Wisconsin sophomore guard Johnny Davis and Kentucky junior forward Oscar Tshiebwe. The award is presented annually to  recognize the nation’s most outstanding men’s college basketball player. With Murray’s inclusion among the finalists, it now marks three consecutive seasons that the Hawkeyes have had a Naismith Trophy finalist.

Luka Garza was also a finalist during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Of course, Garza won the Naismith Trophy last season after 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks per game. Garza shot 55.3 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from 3-point range last season with the Hawkeyes.

Murray’s 23.5 points per game ranked fourth nationally and was tops among power-five players. His 8.7 rebounds per game ranked second in the Big Ten behind only Illinois junior center Kofi Cockburn. Murray recorded 26 games where he eclipsed 20 points and 16 games where he surpassed 25 points.

He increased his points per game average from last season by more than 16 points per game. Illinois’ Rick Schmidt was the last Big Ten player to increase their points per game average by more than 16 points per game from one season to the next. Schmidt accomplished that feat back in the 1973-74 season. Murray also averaged 1.9 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game and shot 55.4 percent from the field and 39.8 percent on 3-point attempts.

Murray became Iowa’s fourth consensus first-team All-American, joining Murray Wier (1948), Charles Darling (1952) and Garza (2020 and 2021). Murray totaled a Big Ten Tournament record 103 points, averaging 25.8 points in the Hawkeyes’ four Big Ten Tournament games en route to the program’s third tournament title. The sophomore star earned Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player for his efforts in the tournament.

Murray also registered a program-best six Big Ten Player of the Week awards this season. That feat meant Murray joined Ohio State’s Evan Turner and Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan as the only players in league history to win the weekly award six or more times in a single season since the honor was introduced in the 1981-82 season.

Murray is also a Wooden Award semifinalist, was named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year midseason list and is a Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year finalist.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray named USA TODAY Sports second team All-American

USA TODAY Sports released its 2021-22 All-America teams. Iowa’s Keegan Murray was selected as a second team All-American.

Iowa’s 2021-22 basketball season came to a close in its first round NCAA Tournament loss to 12th-seeded Richmond, 67-63. Sophomore standout forward Keegan Murray isn’t done collecting hardware, though.

USA TODAY Sports released its 2021-22 All-America teams and Murray earned second team recognition. Murray joined Duke freshman forward Paolo Banchero, Auburn freshman forward Jabari Smith, Arizona sophomore guard Bennedict Mathurin and Purdue sophomore guard Jaden Ivey on the second team.

Murray had a remarkable second season in Iowa City. The 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward ranked fourth nationally, averaging 23.5 points per game. That mark was tops in the country among power-five players. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native also ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounds per game with 8.7 per contest. That figure trailed only Illinois center Kofi Cockburn’s 10.6 rebounds per game.

Murray shot 55.4 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from 3-point range this season. He also blocked 1.9 shots and collected 1.3 steals per game. Now, he has a decision to make on his future. A pair of writers recently forecasted Murray as a 2022 NBA Draft lottery pick. SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell had Murray landing with the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 7 overall pick, while CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone projected Murray to be drafted No. 11 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans.

Following the Hawkeyes’ upset loss to Richmond, Murray didn’t sound like a player that had completely closed the door on returning to Iowa.

“I think for us it’s really just on to next year. Go through the offseason again, get better. We put our stamp on this program I feel like positively, so just go into the offseason and work,” Murray said.

Iowa finished its season 26-10 overall and won the program’s third Big Ten Tournament championship and first since the 2006 season. If it was his final game with Iowa, Murray was proud of what he and his teammates accomplished with the Hawkeyes.

“I think these two, especially our team last year kind of laid the framework just for what the expectations are now at Iowa and just what you’ve got to do to win here, and these last two seasons, I feel like kind of put the stamp on our program from what it was. These two were part of it, them two, and I feel like they’re a really big part of our program and will forever be a big part of our program,” Murray said of teammates Jordan Bohannon and Connor McCaffery.

The USA TODAY Sports selection for national player of the year went to Kentucky junior forward Oscar Tshiebwe. The rest of USA TODAY Sports’ first team All-Americans included Gonzaga junior forward Drew Timme, Illinois junior center Kofi Cockburn, Wisconsin sophomore guard Johnny Davis and Kansas senior guard Ochai Agbaji.

USA TODAY Sports’ third team All-Americans were comprised of Gonzaga freshman center Chet Holmgren, North Carolina junior forward Armando Bacot, Baylor senior guard James Akinjo, UCLA junior guard Johnny Juzang and Villanova senior guard Collin Gillespie. The national coach of the year was Duke’s Mike Krzyewski.

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