Despite graduation losses, most notably that of elite big man Luka Garza, one thing hasn’t changed about Iowa to start this season: The Hawkeyes can still score points in bunches.
Iowa enters Monday’s 7:30 p.m. home game against Western Michigan at 4-0 following four straight home wins, mainly because of its offensive efficiency.
Following a 108-82 home win over Alabama State on Thursday, Iowa is averaging 97.3 points a game and is making an average of 11 shots from 3-point range.
Iowa made 20 of 44 shots from beyond the arc in the win over Alabama State, which Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said was a byproduct of Alabama State staying in a zone defense throughout the game.
“The zone enabled us to continuously get good shots, I thought,” McCaffery said. “And we made them.”
No player has been hotter for Iowa so far than Keegan Murray, who is averaging 25.5 points. Murray is shooting 37.5% from 3-point range and also averages 9.5 rebounds a game.
Senior Jordan Bohannon is also back and has made 14 of 30 shots (46.7%) from 3-point range through four games. In the win over Alabama State, Bohannon became the Big Ten’s all-time leader in 3-point shots made (378 and counting).
Now, Iowa will turn its attention to a Western Michigan team that is reeling.
The Broncos (1-2) lost on Nov. 12 at Michigan State, 90-46, before suffering an 80-63 home loss on Thursday to Division II opponent Saginaw Valley State.
“We have a lot of growth in front of us,” Western Michigan head coach Clayton Bates said. “We learned a really tough lesson about what it’s going to take to be a really good team and we’ve got a long way to go.”
Not helping the cause for Western Michigan right now is that guard B. Artis White, who averaged 14.3 points last year, suffered a leg injury against Michigan State and didn’t play against Saginaw Valley State.
His status for Monday is uncertain.
–Field Level Media
