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    IU basketball game day essentials: Indiana travels to Iowa riding 5-game winning streak

    Owen GrahamBy IU Basketball No Comments

    Game Day Essentials:

    Indiana (13-3, 4-1) vs. Iowa (11-4, 2-2)

    Iowa’s Fran McCaffery

    Fran McCaffery is in his 15th season as head coach of the Iowa men’s basketball program. In his head coaching career, he has a 541-371 overall record.

    McCaffery has an extensive head coaching record across multiple teams. He began his career at Lehigh in 1985 and led them to an NCAA Tournament appearance in his third season by winning the East Coast conference tournament championship. After that season, he left to join as an assistant on Notre Dame’s staff up until 1999.

    In the spring of 1999, McCaffery was hired to coach UNC Greensboro in the Southern Conference. Across six seasons, he amassed a 90-87 record and made one NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001. He also helped lead the Spartans to one regular-season conference champion and one conference tournament championship.

    McCaffery joined Siena as their head coach in 2005 and led an impressive turnaround in just five seasons. In his last three, McCaffery helped Siena appear in three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, while also winning both the conference regular season and tournament championship in those years. McCaffery’s overall record was 112-51 with Siena.

    Since 2010, McCaffery has been at the helm of Iowa and has amassed a 291-195 record since being hired. The Hawkeyes have won one Big Ten tournament championship in 2022 with McCaffery, and have eight 20-win seasons with him leading.

    Iowa’s results and roster:

    11/04/2024 East Texas A&M W 89-67
    11/07/2024 Southern U. W 89-74
    11/12/2024 South Dakota W 96-77
    11/15/2024 vs Washington St. W 76-66
    11/19/2024 Rider W 83-58
    11/22/2024 vs Utah St. L 69-77
    11/26/2024 USC Upstate W 110-77
    12/03/2024 Northwestern W 80-79
    12/07/2024 at Michigan L 83-85
    12/12/2024 Iowa St. L 80-89
    12/15/2024 New Orleans W 104-57
    12/21/2024 vs Utah W 95-88
    12/30/2024 New Hampshire W 112-70
    01/03/2025 at Wisconsin L 85-116
    01/07/2025 Nebraska W-OT 97-87

    Iowa’s game notes (via Iowa Athletics)

    MISSING HAWKEYES

    • The Hawkeyes have been battling the injury bug this season as the team has had at least one player officially out in all but three games. The list includes: Seydou Traore (6), Cooper Koch (4), Chris Tadjo (3), Riley Mulvey (2), Owen Freeman (2), Even Brauns (1), Josh Dix (1) and Drew Thelwell (1).

    P$$$$$

    • Senior Payton Sandfort has reached double figures in 13 games this season, including posting a team-high five 20-point contests. He is second on the team in scoring (16.5) and rebounding (5.8), while averaging 3.3 assists and 2.6 3-point field goals per game.
    • The Waukee, Iowa, native had his best game of the season in the Jan. 7 home win over Nebraska, tying a career-high with 30 points, making 8-of-15 field goals with six 3-pointers and finishing with six rebounds and four assists. All of his points came in the second half and in overtime.
    • Sandfort has two career 30-point games, 23 career 20-point contests and six career double-doubles.
    • He is 10th in the league in scoring (16.5), 12th in field goals (81) and he has the most 3-point attempts in the Big Ten this season (113).

    SPLASH BROTHERS + JD

    • Brothers Payton and Pryce Sandfort and junior Josh Dix have been deadly from 3-point range this season. The trio have combined to make 99 3-point field goals in Iowa’s first 15 games.
    • Payton has a team-high 39 3-pointers (3rd in the Big Ten), while Pryce and Dix both have made 30 3s (11th in B1G).

    OWWWWWEN

    • Sophomore Owen Freeman had a 20th birthday to remember when he returned to his hometown of Moline and produced a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double in Iowa’s neutral-site victory over Washington State. Freeman made 9-of-15 field goals, which were a career-high.
    • The Moline, Illinois, native has two double-doubles this season — ranking 15th in the Big Ten — and seven in his career. He also has four career 20-point games.
    • In 13 games (he missed the South Dakota and New Hampshire games), Freeman is leading the team in scoring (16.7), rebounds (6.3) and blocks (27). He is the only Hawkeye to reach double figures in every game he has played.
    • Freeman ranks ninth in the Big Ten in scoring (16.7) and 16th in rebounding (6.3). He is third in the league (12th nationally) in field goal percentage (.632), fifth in field goals (91) and third in blocks (27).

    MR. THELWELL

    • Graduate guard Drew Thelwell has been a valuable addition to the Iowa backcourt, averaging 10.1 points, 3.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.5 rebounds per game as a Hawkeye. He is shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 41 percent from long range.
    • The Florida native has been in double digits in eight games this season, including scoring a season-high 25 points — one off his career high — in a road game at Wisconsin. He made 9-of-14 field goals and three 3-pointers in the game.
    • Since moving into the starting lineup on Dec. 12 against Iowa State, Thelwell is averaging 13.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists, while shooting 62.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range

    Iowa’s KenPom notable numbers:

    (out of 364 teams)

    Tempo – No. 20 (Offense No. 9 / Defense No. 72)

    Offensive Efficiency – No. 20

    • Iowa has the No. 5 effective field goal percentage in the country at 58.9%. They’re shooting 39.1% (No. 12) on 3s and 59.1% (No. 11) on 2s.
    • They’re also taking care of the ball well with a 13.6 turnover percentage (No. 8).
    • The Hawkeyes have assisted on 59.7% of their makes so far this season (No. 34).
    • They don’t crash the glass very well with an offensive rebound percentage of 25.5% (No. 297).
    • Iowa doesn’t get to the free throw line often (FTA/FGA = 27.6%, No. 311), and they don’t make their freebies when they get them (69.1%, No. 265).

    Defensive Efficiency – No. 124

    • Iowa has held opponents to a 52.5% effective field goal percentage. Teams are shooting 32.4% on 3-pointers (No. 141) and 54.8% on 2s (No. 294).
    • They don’t foul excessively with a 23% free throw attempt rate on field goal attempts (No. 10).
    • Teams are finding 57.2% of their production on 2-point field goals, No. 8.
    • They do give up a high amount of offensive rebounds at a 33% rate (No. 303).
    • Iowa forces a pretty high rate of turnovers — 20.6% (No. 54).

    OG’s Pick

    Win/Loss Record: 11-3

    Three points off of both scores in the USC game. We’re getting there.

    Iowa’s a tough team to beat on the road, no matter who you are. They’re 9-1 in Carver Hawkeye Arena this season, with the only loss coming against No. 3 Iowa State. Indiana’s going to have to battle through this one to have a chance.

    Iowa shoots very well from the outside. They have the No. 12 3-point percentage in the nation heading into the game. On the flip side, Indiana’s defense on the perimeter has shown some serious improvement and is the 49th best in the country in terms of percentage. Either way, expect the Hoosiers to continue to switch heavily on defense.

    It’s gonna come down to if IU can limit the Hawkeyes enough shooting-wise to out-duel them. For me, they come up short.

    PICK: Iowa 79 – Indiana 71

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