Even though it was his fourth season-opener at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa men’s basketball forward Payton Sandfort felt an unusual nervous feeling in his stomach.
“Before the game, for some reason, I was just so excited to be back in Carver,” Sandfort said. “Wasn’t sure I’d ever be back, and the nerves got to me,”
“I didn’t expect that,” head coach Fran McCaffery added. “He never really played like that, even when he was a freshman.”
Those nerves seemed to transfer to the rest of the Hawkeyes, as they struggled to build a lead on visiting Texas A&M-Commerce, leading by only seven points at halftime.
“We knew we had to be better in a lot of ways,” Sandfort said.
Despite an anxious rumble from the Hawkeye faithful, Iowa responded in the second half, clicking on both sides of the floor and racing to a convincing 89-67 victory to begin the season. Sandfort finished the night with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, leading Iowa in both points and rebounds.
“I’m glad we battled through some adversity,” Sandfort said. “We really found our stride. The defense was really good for a long stretch in the second half. I’m proud of the way that a lot of guys contributed.”
Sandfort’s nervous demeanor surprised his Iowa teammates and coaches, but there may have been a valid reason for it.
After losing to Utah in the second round of the 2024 National Invitation Tournament, Sandfort had a difficult offseason decision to make. Many sportswriters and analysts considered him a likely second round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Hailing from Waukee, Iowa, Sandfort had long dreamed of playing in the NBA, but the opportunity to return to Iowa City was one that he could not pass up. Sandfort announced his intentions to return to school on May 29, delighting Iowa fans.
“Getting back to Carver and playing with my brothers out there is one of my favorite things in the world, “Sandfort said. “It was a really, really special moment for me.”
The news also produced great emotional value for the Sandfort family, especially Sandfort’s brother, Pryce, who had just completed his freshmen campaign with the Hawkeyes. Pryce, also a forward, primarily came off the bench during the 2023-24 season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.
Adjusting to college basketball is never an easy task, and it proved to be a stiff challenge for the younger Sandfort, and he emphasized playing with more confidence and aggression.
Fast forward to the 2024-25 season opener, and that mentality has seemed to pay off.
Pryce posted 13 points, three rebounds, and a steal against Texas A&M-Commerce. Though he only made three of his nine three-point attempts, the sophomore showcased his newfound confidence.
“Just trying to provide energy to the team,” Pryce said. “I’m going to do whatever I can to help us win, and be confident in my abilities.”
Pryce also credited Payton and the Iowa coaching staff for giving him some valuable conversations in the offseason to help him feel more comfortable on the floor.
“It was a conversation,” Pryce said. “Being more aggressive in practice helped me regain that confidence, and just went out and displayed it. I’ve been doing it all off season, now I have to do it in the game.”
McCaffery had nothing but praise for Pryce after the game, crediting him for pairing his already strong shooting with tough, tenacious defense, something that McCaffery feels is an underrated aspect of his game.
“He’s way stronger than he was,” McCaffery said. “He was a skinny guy last year. He got pushed around a little bit. Nobody’s pushing him around now.”
“In practice the whole summer and fall, he was just great,” Payton said. “He played really good defense. He was everywhere in that press. He had a block. He’s kind of a do it all player.”
Though plenty of questions about this Iowa squad remain, both brothers are thankful to spend one final season together as Hawkeyes.
“There were some dark days in the last few months, and just being back home and playing in front of the home state again was really special,” Payton said.