A player-by-player look at what we saw in Iowa’s first ‘game.’

By Kyle Mann
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Iowa basketball fans have been clamoring to find out what they have for the 2015-16 season. After the Hawkeyes got some action against Sioux Falls last week, here’s what we saw from the Hawkeyes’ top players:

Mike Gesell: Gesell ended up as Iowa’s leading scorer, and after shaking some rust off with a few early turnovers, looked both aggressive and meticulous as Iowa’s lead guard.

Three first-half turnovers, which head coach Fran McCaffery said was uncharacteristic of his point guard, led to a shaky first half that saw the Hawkeyes trail late. He had 2 more in the second but seemed to turn his attention to penetrating inside the arc.

He was 2-of-2 from 3 land but was at his best getting into the midrange, where he can stop and pop at any moment. His jumper looked smooth, a good sign after a shaky shooting year last season, and he also contributed 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block. Overall, Gesell was Iowa’s best guard with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Anthony Clemmons

Clemmons has a solid night, but didn’t do any one thing all that impressively. Clemmons also had 3 turnovers in the first half, but not a single one in the second, and otherwise just played clean basketball.

He was 4-of-4 from the field, 1-of-1 from beyond the arc, and came up with a steal. Clemmons may be delegated to playing off the ball most of the time, so his prominence as a ball handler and creator could be muted, but the senior guard did nothing but prove that he can fit the role alongside Gesell.

Peter Jok

Jok was a bright spot for the Hawkeyes, and especially for fans who have hoped he could develop into a go-to scorer for this year’s squad.

His shot selection was decent, going 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, and he also showed a willingness to attack the basket that could take his game to the next level. With his outside shot demanding respect, Jok went 2-of-4 inside the arc and also knocked down a pair from the foul line.

The 6-6 guard could still stand to improve defensively, but he appears ready to assume the scoring role he’s been destined for since committing to Iowa.

Jarrod Uthoff

Uthoff did his thing. Finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds, the game’s only double-double, the 6-9 forward was quite clearly the most gifted player on the floor, but he scored his points in a fittingly low-key way.

He didn’t take a single 3-pointer and went only 3-of-8 from the floor, but he was aggressive attacking the basket from the midrange and made a living at the foul line, where he converted on 7-of-7 opportunities.

He also threw in 2 assists and 2 blocks, showing his intelligence and versatility to make the best play all over the floor. He didn’t dominate anybody, but Uthoff’s game is naturally such that he’s going to get his points, rebounds, and be disruptive defensively whether you notice it or not.

Adam Woodbury

Woodbury did OK, but honestly, it would’ve been nice to see the 7-footer dominate the lower-level competition.

He scored only 8 points, alarmingly only grabbed 2 rebounds, and didn’t log a single block.

Perhaps Woodbury and McCaffery decided to take it easy on the big guy, playing only 18 minutes. But again, leading into a season which could see him playing upwards of 30 minutes per game, it would’ve been nice to see how he responds to more minutes.

It’s just an exhibition, but Woodbury left something to be desired.

Dom Uhl

Uhl could still potentially snag a starting spot if McCaffery decides to bring Clemmons off the bench, but keeping in mind that his time will be heavily in the frontcourt, questions remain.

The Hawkeyes have insisted that Uhl has the physicality to withstand Big Ten big men, but similar to Woodbury, it would’ve been encouraging to see that in this game. He scored only 4 points and grabbed a lone rebound in only 13 minutes, and his wiry build could be seen struggling against shorter but stronger Cougar posts.

Uhl will see heavy time come regular season, and the Hawkeyes will need him to produce. After the first showing, however, his effectiveness remains in question.

Follow @KyleFMann for Iowa men’s basketball news, updates, and analysis.