Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball

The Duke Blue Devils men's squad and Connecticut Huskies women's team will headline the 2022 Jimmy V Classic in December.

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, the Blue Devils will play Iowa, and Texas will square off against Illinois in the men's doubleheader at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 6.

The women's games will feature the Huskies taking on Notre Dame at the Joyce Center and Tennessee hosting Virginia Tech on Dec. 4.

The UConn-Notre Dame contest is a clash between two of the best women's programs in the nation.

ESPN's Charlie Creme had both teams ranked in the top 10 in his early top-25 list, which dropped in May. The Huskies came in at No. 2, behind defending national champion South Carolina.

Connecticut is bringing back Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Aaliyah Edwards and Dorka Juhasz.

Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey has had to replace a lot of talent from the 2021-22 squad. Sam Brunelle, Anaya Peoples, Abby Prohaska and Maya Dodson are all gone, though incoming transfers Lauren Ebo, Kylee Watson and Jenna Brown do help offset those losses.

Creme had Notre Dame ranked seventh in his top 25 coming off a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA tournament last season.

The Lady Volunteers came in just ahead of Notre Dame at No. 6 in Creme's ranking. Head coach Kellie Harper had her best season with the program in 2021-22 with a 25-9 record and a trip to the Sweet 16.

The Blue Devils figure to receive significant attention this season, especially early in the year. Jon Scheyer is taking over as head coach after Mike Krzyzewski retired at the end of last season.

Based on recruiting, there's no indication the Blue Devils will suffer without Coach K. They had the best recruiting class in the nation with seven commits, including four 5-stars, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The class is headlined by three of the top four overall recruits, including top-ranked Dereck Lively II.

Iowa has won at least 20 games in each of the past four seasons under head coach Fran McCaffery.

Texas and Illinois are also coming off 20-win seasons in 2021-22. Both teams lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Jimmy V Classic was established in 1995 to raise money and awareness for cancer research. It's named after former college basketball head coach Jim Valvano, who died from complications from cancer in April 1993.

The UConn women's team has 10 wins in the Jimmy V Classic, most all-time among men's or women's programs.

Iowa has traveled this route too many times. This feeling of disappointment, one all too familiar for Fran McCaffery, has stopped the Hawkeyes at a crossroads.

In the opening round of the 2022 men's NCAA tournament, 12th-seeded Richmond upset No. 5 Iowa 67-63. While the outcome certainly stings the memory of a 26-win campaign, it was mostly a terribly timed poor showing—the worst of the season, by their own admission—with a semi-controversial finish.

The loss itself is not a long-term problem. The real issue is the continuation of an unfortunate trend for the program.

Since 2014, Iowa has appeared in March Madness six of the last eight seasons (excluding the canceled 2020 tournament). Along the way, though, the Hawkeyes have never advanced to the Sweet 16.

Where do they go from here?

The sky is nowhere close to falling in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes just celebrated a Big Ten tourney title, storming through the conference with brilliant offense. They won 26 games—the second-highest total in program history—and landed a top-five seed in the Big Dance after securing a No. 2 seed in 2021.

Overall, for the fifth straight year, the Hawkeyes boasted one of KenPom's 20 most efficient scoring attacks. There is no question McCaffery knows how to assemble a potent offense.

Iowa doesn't need a philosophical overhaul.

But it's probably time to start veering in a different direction, too.

During the last half-decade, the Hawkeyes have finished no higher than 73rd in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. The angel on one shoulder wants you to realize that ranking has actually improved each season since 2018. The pitchfork-wielding character says it's not good enough, though.

Recent history says the latter view is correct; unbalanced teams like Iowa have continually fallen short of national titles.

Entering the current edition of March Madness, no NCAA tournament champion has ranked lower than 22nd in KenPom's defensive efficiency. Iowa has made substantial improvements on that end, but jumping from "competent" to "excellent" is both necessary and immensely difficult.

McCaffery's challenge is to improve the defense while not sacrificing too much of Iowa's reputation as a strong offensive team.

If I knew how exactly to strike that balance, you'd be watching me coach basketball and reading someone else's words. The intent isn't to guide McCaffery on this noble quest, but I can channel my inner Rafiki, smack McCaffery on the head, provide some inspiration and cackle as he runs in the right direction.

"The past can hurt," The Lion King character says. "But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it."

McCaffery and his staff have endured this frustrating result and disappointing plane ride before. They're accustomed to watching the second weekend on a screen instead of a sideline. Eight of Iowa's nine rotation players this season have now experienced two (or more) early losses in the NCAA tournament.

Twelve years of this identity have produced solid regular-season results and made Iowa a consistent March Madness team. Yet the Hawkeyes have never come remotely close to the ultimate goal.

That reality hurts, but Iowa can learn from it, adapt and bring a more complete team—one better prepared to withstand a rough offensive day—to future NCAA tournaments.

Or, they can follow the same, comfortable road and expect the same, unsatisfying results.

         

Statistics courtesy of KenPom.com or Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

The No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes suffered a 67-63 upset loss to the No. 12 Richmond Spiders in the first round of the men's NCAA tournament on Thursday.

Iowa's season surprisingly comes to an end at 26-10. All-American forward Keegan Murray scored 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting with nine rebounds.

Jacob Gilyard led Richmond with 24 points as the team improved to 24-12.

SPIDERS ARE DANCING TO THE SECOND ROUND 🕷

No. 12 Richmond upsets No. 5 Iowa, 67-63. https://t.co/Q3tLxFs0yM

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 17, 2022

In addition to Gilyard's strong performance, Richmond got 18 points and 11 rebounds from Tyler Burton. Nathan Cayo, who averaged 8.7 points this season, added 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

The Hawkeyes were coming off a victory in the Big Ten tournament. The team entered Thursday's contest ranked fourth in the nation in scoring at 83.8 points per game. Iowa had a hard time finding its rhythm against Richmond, finishing with a field-goal percentage of just 36.4 and 20.7 (6-of-29) from three-point range.

The Spiders also did a great job containing Murray despite his high point total, limiting his touches and forcing other players to try to beat them.

Keegan Murray’s dunk put Iowa up 19-18 with 7:56 to go in the 1st half

He didn’t attempt a shot for the next 15 minutes of the game.

— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) March 17, 2022

On Sunday, Iowa won the Big Ten Tournament.

It was its 9th win in its last 10 games.

It just lost in the Round of 64 to Richmond, who needed to win the Atlantic 10 Tournament just to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Anarchy?

Nope. Just College Basketball.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 17, 2022

Iowa forward Patrick McCaffrey tried to pick up the slack with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, but no other player on the team finished with more than six points.

This is the second consecutive year that the Hawkeyes have fallen in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Iowa lost to Oregon in the round of 32 in 2021 despite being led by consensus national player of the year Luka Garza. The Hawkeyes have not made it to the Sweet 16 since 1999.

Richmond will face No. 4 Providence in the second round Saturday.

The No. 5 seed Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers 75-66 in the Big Ten Championship Game on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for their first conference title since 2006.

BIG TEN CHAMPIONS! #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/SBkw5eNZlJ

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 13, 2022

"The Iowa Hawkeyes are the Big Ten champions!" 🏆#B1Gtourney x @IowaHoops pic.twitter.com/Ir2riWEq8d

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 13, 2022

Sunday's game was Iowa's fourth in four days. It defeated No. 12 Northwestern in the second round, No. 4 Rutgers in the quarterfinals and No. 9 Indiana in the semifinals.

Entering Sunday's game, the Hawkeyes were 2-1 in conference championships, last appearing in one in 2006 when they defeated Ohio State 67-60 for their second Big Ten title.

Sophomore forward Keegan Murray was Iowa's most valuable player Sunday, finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in the win. However, he had much better performances through the first three rounds, averaging 28 points per game.

Regardless, Murray's performance Sunday was enough and is a key reason the Hawkeyes are moving on to the NCAA tournament.

Historic hoop 🙌

Keegan Murray just set the single-season #B1Gtourney record for most points (93).

@keegan3murray // @IowaHoops pic.twitter.com/yHTGTkJ3Bo

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 13, 2022

Likewise, sophomore guard Tony Perkins had a significant impact for the Hawkeyes, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Freshman guard Payton Sandfort also had a phenomenal performance off the bench, putting up 10 points.

Enjoy delivering on the B1G stage, @payton_20_! 🙌#B1Gtourney x @IowaHoops pic.twitter.com/w6tFQLvH5Z

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) March 13, 2022

The Boilermakers went toe-to-toe with the Hawkeyes through the second half, but the efforts of sophomore guard Jaden Ivey and sophomore center Zach Edey fell short as players like sophomore forward Mason Gillis and senior guard Sasha Stefanovic struggled.

Ivey finished with 20 points, three rebounds and six assists, while Edey finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Moving into the NCAA tournament, Iowa will need Murray, Perkins and Jordan Bohannon to stay hot, because they'll be facing some pretty difficult opponents in the weeks ahead.

Former Iowa State football player Nicholas Kron was arrested on a charge of assault causing bodily injury in connection to an attack on Iowa basketball star Jordan Bohannon, according to Grant Schulte of the Associated Press.

On May 24, the University of Iowa released a statement saying Bohannon had been "physically assaulted" and was being treated for a "serious head injury."

Schulte provided more context on the allegations: "After the bar closed, police said Kron and another person got into an argument outside. Police say Kron walked over to Bohannon, turned him around and punched him three times in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground and causing a cut on his head."

The assault is also the subject of a lawsuit filed by Bohannon, who says Kron "brutally, unlawfully and intentionally" struck him.

Iowa declined to make a statement on Kron's arrest, telling Schulte it wasn't a university-related matter.

Kron made 24 appearances for the Cyclones between 2012 and 2013. He left the program in December 2013 after his redshirt sophomore year.

Bohannon, meanwhile, is returning to Iowa for his sixth year with the Hawkeyes, taking advantage of the NCAA's decision to grant winter sports athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 6'1" guard averaged 10.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 2020-21. He has already played in more games (143) than any Hawkeyes player ever, and he's the school's all-time assists leader (639).

Iowa star Luka Garza has officially measured in at 6'11¼" with shoes on at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine. 

Per NBA.com, Garza weighed in at 242.8 pounds with a standing reach of 8'11½". His hands measured in at 9" long and 9¼" wide. 

Garza's weight on Tuesday was significantly lower than what he played at for the Hawkeyes last season:

Luka Garza at 242.8 lbs. Was listed at 265lbs during the season. Notable development.

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 22, 2021

Luka Garza weighed in at 243 pounds at the NBA draft combine. He was listed at 265 for Iowa's final game three months ago.

— Mike Hlas (@Hlas) June 22, 2021

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman noted leading up to the combine that scouts were keeping an eye on Garza's weight loss because they did "question his defensive mobility and offensive quickness" at the next level. 

Garza has one of the most impressive resumes of any player in this year's class. The 22-year-old led the Hawkeyes to a 22-9 record and was the consensus National Player of the Year in 2020-21. 

Despite the many accolades Garza racked up at the college level, his NBA prospects are uncertain at this stage of the process. 

Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo wrote in March that the two-time All-American isn't highly regarded in draft circles because of his lack of quickness, particularly on the defensive end against more athletic big men. 

Woo specifically cited Iowa's 82-71 loss to Illinois in the Big Ten tournament when Illini center Kofi Cockburn scored 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds primarily matched up against Garza. 

Here's what one executive for a Western Conference team told Woo about Garza as a draft prospect:

“Even looking at it favorably, I don’t think he can go in the first round. But I do think he has to get drafted. There’s too much positivity around his motor, production and who he is as a human being. In the second round, you can’t say you’re not going to think about giving him a chance to find a role. But how many people [in the NBA] will you find who think he’s a first-rounder? Not many.”

Wasserman has Garza ranked as the No. 50 prospect in the 2021 class right now, though he did point out "there isn't a big difference between the late 40s and Nos. 50-70 range."

If Garza can put separation between himself and some of the other players in that range during the combine, it would certainly help his chances of getting drafted in the second round. 

Based on the work that Garza has clearly put in at the gym to get his weight down by 20 pounds since the end of the college season in March, he is at least showing the motivation to get better. 

Garza's college production over the past four seasons was significant. The Washington, D.C., native averaged 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 31 starts as a senior. He also shot 44.0 percent from three-point range on 3.2 attempts per contest. 

Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon was involved in a physical altercation Sunday morning.

The school said in a statement that Bohannon "is recovering after receiving medical attention to treat a serious head injury."

Scary situation involving Iowa basketball player Jordan Bohannon pic.twitter.com/YESIud30bc

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) May 24, 2021

Head coach Fran McCaffery added that those within the program "are grateful that friends who were with Jordan at the time kept the incident from escalating."

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA allowed winter sports athletes to have an extra year of eligibility. Bohannon confirmed in April he intends to spend a sixth season with the Hawkeyes.

The 6'1" guard averaged 10.6 points and 4.4 assists and shot 39.0 percent from the field in 2020-21. His and Iowa's campaign ended on a low note as the second-seeded Hawkeyes were upset by Oregon in the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Bohannon told the Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow that part of the reason he chose to stay with the team was a commitment from McCaffery to utilize him more off the ball at 2-guard.

The Hawkeyes are counting on the Marion, Iowa, native to step up in 2021-22 with two-time Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza moving on. CJ Fredrick also transferred to Kentucky, creating a void in the backcourt.

Luka Garza was a Naismith Award winner, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and a two-time consensus All-American during his time at Iowa, but he is making history away from the court.

Garza will become the first college athlete to sell a non-fungible token (NFT) now that he is eligible to profit off his image and likeness following the Hawkeyes' loss to Oregon in the NCAA men's tournament and the end of his collegiate career, per Daniel Roberts of Decrypt.

"This is my first time doing anything to make money off my own name, so it's really kind of new waters for me," Garza told Decrypt. "I'm studying economics in college, and my dad was big in tech throughout his life, so I saw the opportunity to expand my brand."

The NFT, which went on sale at OpenSea at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, is a one-of-one virtual trading card featuring images of Garza playing for the Hawkeyes, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Children's Hospital at the University of Iowa. 

Whoever wins the auction will also receive autographed game-worn shoes from the Iowa big man, a private meditation session with him, a chance to show off his or her skills in a game of H.O.R.S.E. against Garza, a lifetime VIP pass to any basketball camp hosted by the Hawkeye and the opportunity to attend dinner and a movie with the 22-year-old.

There will also be the chance to say one was part of history by winning the first NFT sold by a college athlete.

Iowa star Luka Garza has capped his storied college career by earning the 2021 Naismith Men's Player of the Year award.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the news Saturday. He beat out Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu and Gonzaga's Corey Kispert to win the award. 

Garza issued a statement upon being named the winner:

"Winning an award in Naismith's name is an honor my family and I will always treasure. Naismith changed my life, and so many others, by creating the game that so many love. In 2015, when my dad and I watched Frank Kaminsky accept the Naismith Trophy in Indianapolis, I never thought I would be in this position six years later.

I am forever thankful to the University of Iowa, Coach [Fran] McCaffery, the rest of the coaching staff, my teammates, my family and the countless other people and coaches who have helped me along the way. This is not an individual honor but a team award, and I am so proud to be able to bring this award home to Iowa City. Thank you to the Atlanta Tipoff Club for this prestigious award and thank you to Naismith for changing my life and so many others with the game of basketball."

This is the second time in three years that the Hawkeyes have had a Naismith Player of the Year winner. Megan Gustafson won the women's award as a senior in 2018-19 to cap off her iconic career. 

Garza was a finalist for the Naismith Men's Player of the Year award last season but lost to Obi Toppin of Dayton. 

There was some doubt about whether Garza would be with Iowa this season. He declared for the 2020 NBA draft in April but decided not to hire an agent to retain his college eligibility. 

Garza announced in August that he was running it back with the Hawkeyes. The move paid off for him and the team. The 22-year-old post 24.1 points per game. He also shot a career-high 44 percent from three-point range, averaged 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per contest. 

Iowa went 22-9, spent most of the year ranked in the Top 10 of the Associated Press poll and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA men's tournament. 

While the Hawkeyes' hopes for a title ended in the second round, Garza capped off his college career by scoring 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting in the 95-80 loss against Oregon. 

Iowa center Luka Garza has been named the Associated Press men's college basketball player of the year after garnering 50 of a possible 63 first-place votes.

Garza averaged 24.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Hawkeyes, who earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. The senior also shot 55.3 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from three-point range.

He also scored 30 or more points eight times, including 41 against Southern University. Per the Iowa men's hoops website, Garza was also No. 1 in player efficiency rating (35.84) and total points (711).

Four others received first-place votes: Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu (six), Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham (three), Baylor guard Jared Butler (two) and Gonzaga forward Corey Kispert (two).

Garza spoke about the honor and noted how meditation helped his mental health and focus during the season, which was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic:

BREAKING: Luka Garza (@LukaG_55) of @IowaHoops is The Associated Press men's college basketball player of the year.

Story, video by @aaronbeardap >> https://t.co/dLeFs3D5JB pic.twitter.com/J5xgxWVcVh

— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) April 1, 2021

"You had to be in your house quarantined, going to the gym, going home. There's no distraction. If you play a bad game, that's all you're thinking about. So you need to be in a healthy mental space or you would just let it eat at you—especially a person like me who thinks as much as I do.

"I needed it to be a daily thing because I faced this anxiety every single day. It definitely became something that helped me out a lot and contributed to my being able to be there and be in the moment every single game and every single day."

Garza is also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy, both given to the most outstanding women's and men's college basketball players.