The Iowa men’s basketball team appears to be finally hitting its stride as the schedule shifts to 2024 and Big Ten competition.

After starting the new year off with an 11-point road loss to Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes have rattled off three straight wins against conference foes Rutgers, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Such progress will be tested on Saturday afternoon when No. 2 Purdue visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena looking for a regular season sweep. 

The last time the two schools faced off was on Dec. 4, 2023, in Indianapolis, where star center Zach Edey led the Boilermakers with 25 points and 12 rebounds in an 87-68 triumph. Iowa was held to 38.5 percent shooting from the floor while allowing Purdue to hit more than half of its field goal attempts, including 25 from inside the paint. 

“We didn’t play well,” head coach Fran McCaffery said of his squad’s prior performance during media availability on Thursday. “We didn’t rebound well, our defense was not what it needed to be. [Purdue] is a hard team to defend, but our defense was not connected at all.” 

Iowa second-year guard Josh Dix was more specific, explaining how the Hawkeyes need better help defense, in particular doubling Edey when the 7-foot-4, 300-pounder posts up. As for the offense, Dix said Iowa has to thrive in transition and play fast enough to prevent Purdue from applying its set defense. Last time around, the Hawkeyes scored 10 points on the fast break. 

While Edey is the main offensive juggernaut of the Big Ten’s second-best offense in terms of points per game (behind Iowa), the Boilermakers also feature solid outside shooting from guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer, each of whom is firing at least 43 percent from deep. 

The key to Saturday’s contest could also come down to performance on the glass, where Purdue has the advantage. Snagging 41 rebounds per game, the Boilermakers sit sixth in the nation with an 11-rebound margin. Iowa, meanwhile, resides at 192nd in the category with a margin of zero. 

The last time Iowa played a home conference game while students were on campus was on Dec. 10, 2023 – a 10-point loss to Michigan. Only about two-thirds of the seating at Carver was full, but this time around, the Hawkeyes hope to see a better turnout for a nationally televised game. 

“There’s been a buzz on campus, people are excited with how well we’re playing,” Iowa first-year guard Brock Harding said. “So we’re going to expect a pretty packed crowd, a lot of students here, so we’re just going to try to keep the energy going for the whole game.” 

Ambidextrous athlete 

Harding caught plenty of eyes in the Hawkeyes’ previous game against Minnesota when he put a Golden Gopher defender on skates midway through the second half with a spin move on his way for a floater in the lane. When asked about the highlight on Thursday, the guard said he didn’t even realize his opponent was on the floor. 

“I hadn’t scored, so I had an open layup – we needed a big bucket and I thought I got the energy going, silenced the crowd a bit,” he said. 

As for his body control on the court, Harding said he’s always had speed on the hardwood, but sometimes his quickness led to turnovers early in his career. Now, the guard said he’s learned a lot about changing his pace, allowing him to make more effective plays. 

One of his most common moves to evade defenders – the crossover – is a tactic that comes easy to Harding, as the 19-year-old and right-handed shooter is no stranger to relying on his left. 

“Growing up, I used to be ambidextrous playing baseball [as a shortstop and pitcher],” he said. “I used to throw with both hands, hit with both hands. I write with my left hand, too … I used to be more left-handed than I am right-handed.”