The Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team will open its season on Friday in an exhibition matchup against Division II foe Slippery Rock. The Rocks did not have a basketball season in 2020-21, canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Iowa enters the season with low expectations by many, after losing so many key pieces to a Big Ten runner-up team in 2020-21, including two-time National Player of the Year Luka Garza. The departures of Garza and guard Joe Wieskamp to the NBA, as well as CJ Fredrick’s transfer to Kentucky, has left Fran McCaffery to search for more scoring options in 2021.
Jordan Bohannon returns to Iowa for a 6th year, and the former Linn-Mar Lion will look to fulfill more of a scoring role for the Hawkeyes. Joe Toussaint will take over main duties at point guard, while do-it-all forward Keegan Murray appears to be leading the Hawkeyes on both ends of the floor. Patrick McCaffery and North Dakota-transfer Fillip Rebraca will round out the Hawkeyes projected starting five, with key bench players such as Connor McCaffery, Tony Perkins and freshman Payton Sandfort.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 PM at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, listen to the call from the Hawkeye Radio Network on 92.9 FM/1570 AM KZWC.