Brendan Hausen

With a roster of new players, many of whom arrived from mid-major schools, almost anyone on the men’s team could be considered. But for safety concerns, I decided not to go with Bennett Stirtz, who is already a star in college basketball.

Hence, I present Brendan Hausen, someone with Power-Four experience, but the potential to take the next step in his first year in the Big Ten. 

Standing at 6-foot-4, Hausen brings a pure catch-and-shoot ability similar to what Payton Sandfort possessed for Fran McCaffery’s Iowa squad. Last season for Kansas State, Hausen averaged 10.9 points and 2.5 rebounds on 38.8 percent shooting from three — not an all-around player, but a heat-check guy who could score in bunches. 

The expectation is this new-look Hawkeye squad will be a fast-tempo, athletic bunch that’ll run the floor any chance they get. The majority of the roster will consist of speedsters that’ll attack the rim consistently, giving guys like Hausen and Stirtz opportunities for open
outside shots. 

Last season, Hausen posted 17 games where he had at least three three-pointers and 20 contests scoring in double digits. His highest total for made threes in a game was six ­— once in a 88-71 loss to St. John’s and another in a 77-64 win over Cleveland State. 

I believe shooting ability should make defenders bite on ball fakes and open the lane for him to get downhill and score at the rim. 

This pick was challenging considering almost the entire team is new. We haven’t seen any of the transfers compete in a Power Four conference except Hausen. His experience should make him a leader for the Hawkeye men.

Ava Heiden 

I hope this selection isn’t too obvious, because honestly, Heiden’s surge began toward the end of last season. In her college basketball debut season, the four-star recruit never scored in double figures until the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. In Iowa’s second-round matchup against Michigan State, Heiden notched 11 points and four rebounds. In the next two contests against Ohio State and Murray State, Heiden averaged 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. Against the Racers, she became the fifth freshman in program history to score at least 15 points in an NCAA Tournament game. 

In this trio of games, Heiden never played more than 17 minutes in a contest. With forward Addison O’Grady graduating, more playing time awaits the 6-foot-4 Heiden in her sophomore season. Heiden shot 56 percent from the floor last season, and such efficiency should only improve with experience. 

At the team’s local media day on Oct. 14, Heiden explained she had to remodel some of her offensive moves in the post. The spin-move was her go-to back at Sherwood High School in Oregon, but at the college level, superior defenders can steal the ball easier, rendering the spin and other dribble-heavy moves ineffective. Additionally, Heiden said she was overthinking some of her game, but with an expanded post-move arsenal and postseason competition under her belt, her style of play can be more reactive than predetermined. 

When an athlete can play naturally, the production will follow. Heiden’s height and speed will be crucial in the Hawkeyes’ offense, which seeks to play faster than last year. Running up the floor in transition, Heiden will be a prime target in the fast break, and her improved footwork will lead to easy baskets. Expect double-doubles to become the norm for Heiden, who I believe will become a starter and a formidable presence in the Big Ten.