For the first time since losing to TCU in the second round of the NIT, the Iowa men’s basketball team will take the floor in Carver-Hawkeye when it takes on William Jewell in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. today.
And for the first time since 2013, it’ll be a team without Peter Jok. However, that might not be a problem for the Hawkeyes.
In the two games Jok missed last season because of a back injury, Iowa’s offense was extremely balanced on its way to picking up double-digit victories over Ohio State and Rutgers.
Still, Jok was a huge threat on offense, and his presence made defenses focus him, leaving his teammates open.
That’s something that will be missed this year, as well as the leadership Jok displayed as the lone senior on the team.
“He was one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever played with,” point guard Jordan Bohannon said. “He knew that with his aspect of the game, that he needed to get other people open for him to get open. He’s someone that really got a lot of shots for me just because he knew how they were going to guard him.”
Despite its depth and the experience it brings back, Iowa was only picked by most to finish in the middle or in the bottom half of the Big Ten.
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After Michigan State, many slots are a toss-up.
Purdue, Northwestern, and Minnesota should all bring in good teams this year, while such teams as Wisconsin, Maryland, and Michigan should be solid like always.
Still, Iowa is projected to be an NCAA Tournament team after just missing out last season.
“I think our expectations are higher than what people set for us,” forward Tyler Cook said. “People kind of put us in the middle or the bottom of the Big Ten, and we feel like we can be one of the best teams in the league.”
While head coach Fran McCaffery doesn’t have a starting lineup set in stone yet, he has a lot of options to choose from.
Cook, Bohannon, and fellow sophomore Isaiah Moss are basically locks, but there are a number of things that could happen after that.
There are plenty of players who have established themselves who deserve to see time on the court.
Nicholas Baer, the reigning Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, certainly plays at the level of a starter but brings an instant spark off the bench.
McCaffery also has Cordell Pemsl, Brady Ellingson, Ahmad Wagner, Maishe Dailey, Ryan Kriener, and Dom Uhl to go to.
That’s without mentioning 6-11 freshmen Luka Garza and Jack Nunge, who made some waves on the team’s trip to Europe.
McCaffery will unveil some of those potential lineups tonight.
With the number of assets the Hawkeyes have, playing time will be tough to gain, but it will make the team better in the end.
No matter if they are in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, McCaffery thinks all 12 of those guys can make an impact.