The Iowa men’s basketball team will not participate in either the National Invitation Tournament or the College Basketball Crown, a spokesperson told the Des Moines Register on Saturday afternoon.
The Hawkeyes’ 2024-25 season is now officially over after a dismal 17-16 season that resulted in the school parting ways with longtime head coach Fran McCaffery on Friday. McCaffery compiled a 297-207 record in 15 seasons and passed Tom Davis as Iowa’s all-time winningest coach in January 2024, but dwindling fan attendance inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena and the lack of overall interest surrounding the program led to the change.
McCaffery’s departure opens a 30-day window for Hawkeye players to potentially enter the transfer portal. Second-year center Owen Freeman announced his intentions to transfer from the program on Saturday afternoon.
“Fran McCaffery has been an integral part of our Hawkeye family for the past 15 years,” Director of Athletics Beth Goetz said in a statement on Friday afternoon. “He is a tremendous coach and teacher, and we are grateful for the positive impact he has made on the institution and the community. We have a deep appreciation for his dedication to our student-athletes and his passion for the game that will have a lasting impact on our program.”