The Iowa basketball team had a great 2K Empire Classic this past week, and after beating #13 Oregon and UConn, is now ranked.
Expectations were relatively low for Iowa basketball fans heading into the season after last year’s disappointment which saw the men’s basketball team win just 14 games. Fran McCaffrey’s expectations were much higher though and through four games, the Iowa basketball team has exceeded early season expectations.
After two somewhat disappointing victories over small schools University of Missouri Kansas City and University of Green Bay, the Hawkeyes turned it on once they arrived in New York City for the final two games of the 2K Empire Classic.
In the semifinals game against #13 Oregon, the Iowa basketball team shocked Hawkeye nation by coming out strong and keeping their foot on the gas too run away with a 77-69 victory. The next day the Oregon Ducks turned around and defeated the #15 Syracuse Orange handedly. Later that evening, the Hawks took care of business in the 2K Empire Classic to beat the University of Connecticut Huskies 91-72.
After getting a lead four minutes into the game on a Luke Garza jumper, the Hawks never relinquished it again. In fact, those four minutes were the only time in the Hawks last two games where Iowa didn’t hold a lead.
The sheer dominance of the Iowa basketball team in New York is why the Hawkeyes are now entrenched in the top-25 for the first time since the end of the 2015-2016 season. This, after Iowa didn’t receive a single vote in the week 2 AP Rankings. The Iowa basketball team debuted at #20 in the week 3 AP Rankings.
Although the hot start is nice, the Hawkeyes work isn’t finished, and there is still a lot that Iowa has to clean up, specifically three-point shooting, to continue to compete when they face the tough Big Ten slate. Regardless, there is a lot to love so far about this time including the improvement from last season to this season with defensive engagement, the versatility of the team’s big men, and the flexibility of the team’s lineup options.
Iowa’s next game is Wednesday evening against the Alabama State Hornets back at home in Carver Hawkeye arena.