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    • Four bold predictions for the 2024-25 Iowa basketball season
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    Four bold predictions for the 2024-25 Iowa basketball season

    Pabio Posted on

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    IOWA CITY — The Iowa men’s basketball the regular season is about to start.

    After beating Minnesota Duluth, 102-81, in exhibition, the Hawk Eye“The next contest is much more than just a dress rehearsal. It comes Monday with the regular season opener against Texas A&M-Commerce.

    There aren’t really any high expectations surrounding this Iowa team. THE Hawk Eye were picked to finish 11th out of 18 Big Ten teams by a preseason media poll. Internally, however, optimism reigns.

    More: Iowa men’s basketball: Hawkeyes ranked 11th in Big Ten preseason media poll

    “People are confident,” Payton Sandfort said at Big Ten Media Days. “Everyone who attended practice this year thinks this team is special. The energy is different. The intensity is different. The attention to detail is different. I think it’s going to be a great year.

    For skeptics, Sandfort’s claim could be considered a bold prediction.

    With that in mind, here are some bold takes ahead of the Hawkeyes’ 2024-25 season.

    Iowa Basketball’s Josh Dix will make an All-Big Ten team

    This prediction wouldn’t be so bold if the conference hadn’t simply added four new programs. But now, with 18 teams, earning a spot on the All-Big Ten first, second or third team (more than 15 players can get there in total) becomes even more difficult.

    That said, Dix should be considered a dark horse.

    The flashes Dix showed as a freshman became even more prominent as a sophomore. Last season, there was a phenomenal three-game stretch during the Big Ten in which he averaged 21.3 points shooting 68.4 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from deep.

    It’s unrealistic to expect Dix to maintain these numbers for an entire season, but it’s one of many signs that he’s capable of becoming a premier player in the league. Dix, a very efficient scorer at all three levels, also adds value on the defensive end. Now as a junior, Dix takes on an even bigger role, meaning he has the opportunity to put up big numbers.

    He scored 22 points against Minnesota Duluth on 9 of 12 from the field, including 2 of 4 from deep.

    “I think the biggest thing he did was he got really aggressive,” Sandfort said of Dix after the contest. “He always had that. He always showed it in training but was just a little passive when we started the games… Now he has the confidence that he can dominate these teams. I can’t wait to see the year he has.

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    Video: Payton Sandfort leads Iowa with 23 points in exhibition win

    Payton Sandfort discusses various topics following Iowa’s win over Minnesota Duluth.

    Hawkeyes’ Brock Harding to finish top 5 in Big Ten in assists per game

    Harding’s sensational passing ability, coupled with Iowa’s offensive firepower, makes this seem like a real possibility.

    His ability to share the rock was visible as a freshman. Harding’s 2.6 assists per game in limited playing time equates to 9.7 when extrapolated to a per 40 minute average.

    It’s not reasonable to expect him to average 40 minutes per game as a sophomore, but he’s primed to get a lot more playing time, which means the team’s assist numbers last season is likely to increase. With Dix, Owen Freeman and Sandfort all having the potential to score a high number of goals, Harding should have no shortage of opportunities.

    Even in an exhibition at Minnesota Duluth that wasn’t his best performance — Harding scored two points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field — he still recorded six assists.

    Northwestern’s Boo Buie finished last season fifth in the Big Ten in assists per game with five. Getting into this neighborhood doesn’t seem like an easy feat for Harding.

    Pryce Sandfort will be Iowa men’s basketball’s leading bench scorer

    There are probably four realistic options to become Iowa’s top bench scorer. It could be either transfer, Seydou Traoré or Drew Thelwell. Freshman Cooper Koch also deserves to be in the conversation.

    But Pryce Sandfort could be the one to win that title.

    After an inconsistent first season, the news from inside the program has been decidedly positive about Pryce Sandfort. At Iowa men’s basketball media day, coach Fran McCaffery noted that Pryce Sandfort was “shooting the ball incredibly fast and consistently.”

    The exhibition against Minnesota Duluth showed how quickly Sandfort can score in batches. He finished the first half scoreless but scored 11 in the second half. He also played the most minutes off Iowa’s reserves.

    More: Iowa men’s basketball: What we learned from the Hawkeyes’ win over Minnesota Duluth

    At 6-foot-7, Pryce Sandfort can be a lethal 3-point shooter, but his offensive repertoire isn’t limited to that. With Iowa needing scoring outside of Payton Sandfort, Freeman and Dix, Pryce Sandfort has the skills to deliver.

    The Iowa Hawkeyes will have its best 3-point percentage since the 2020-21 season

    The Hawkeyes shot 38.6% as a team in 2020-21. Four players shot 39% or better from deep, three of whom shot at least 44%.

    Since then, Iowa’s team 3-point percentages are as follows:

    • 2021-22: 36.3%
    • 2022-23: 34%
    • 2023-24: 35.1%

    Iowa has a chance to shoot better in 2024-25 than in each of the last three seasons.

    The Hawkeyes saw the departures of some low-percentage shooters, including Tony Perkins (29.9%) and Patrick McCaffery (31.2%).

    Two of the players expected to be among Iowa’s top shooters this season are more than capable 3-point shooters in Dix and Payton Sandfort. Pryce Sandfort and Cooper Koch are also known to be good shooters.

    There are a handful of other X-factors.

    Harding shot 37.5% as a freshman before even adjusting his shooting form this offseason. Thelwell is a career 34.8% 3-point shooter. Freeman didn’t attempt many 3-pointers last season, but worked on expanding his game this offseason and could take more as a sophomore. Ladji Dembélé and Traoré can contribute from beyond the arc, although they have yet to prove that they are shooting at a high percentage.

    Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15contact by email at [email protected]

    Pabio
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