An Early Look at '22-23 Iowa Basketball

Analyzing Roster After Kris Murray Announces Return

Kris Murray’s withdrawal from the NBA draft process last week basically cemented Iowa’s roster for next season.

While the Hawkeyes still have two open scholarships, and the NCAA’s transfer portal is still jammed with players, it’s unclear if coach Fran McCaffery is going to add anyone else at this point.

The Hawkeyes will bring back three starters from last season’s 26-10 team, with Murray and likely Ahron Ulis moving into the two vacant spots.

As Iowa heads into summer workouts, a look at the returning players on scholarship:

Kris Murray (F, 6-8, Jr.) — Let’s start with Murray, because his progress as a player will determine a lot of the Hawkeyes’ success last season.

It’s hard not to think of him as a returning starter, even though he started just once last season. Murray averaged almost 18 minutes per game last season, but was such a key piece off the bench.

Murray went from 0.6 points as a freshman who didn’t play much to 9.7 points last season. And there’s enough to his game to think he can more than double that production this season.

There will be comparisons to his twin brother Keegan, who is off to the NBA, and Murray is more than willing to embrace those expectations. Going through the NBA draft process, and the feedback that comes with that, will only help him.

Filip Rebraca (F, 6-9, Sr.) — It took a little while for Rebraca (5.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg) to get comfortable in his role with the Hawkeyes last season. But he proved to be a key frontcourt player, ranking second on the team in rebounding.

Rebraca is undersized compared to some of the big men in the Big Ten. But a year of conference play was a good education for him heading into this season.

Tony Perkins (G, 6-4, Jr.) — Perkins (7.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg) started the last 15 games of last season, and it was no coincidence that that was when Iowa’s second-half surge began.

The Hawkeyes closed the season with a 12-3 after the lineup change, and Perkins had a lot to do with that. He had five games in double figures in scoring, including a 20-point game in the 88-78 win at Nebraska. He also had a double-double in the March 6 loss at Illinois, with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Perkins’ confidence grew with every start, and he’ll be a big part of what the Hawkeyes do this season.

Patrick McCaffery (F, 6-9, R-Jr.) — McCaffery (10.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg) started 32 games last season, scoring in double figures 21 times. But the biggest thing for him was an increase in minutes played — he played 24.1 minutes last season, up almost 10 minutes per game from the 2020-21 season.

Like Perkins, he’s another player who has gained confidence with more playing time.

Connor McCaffery (G, 6-5, Grad.) — He went from a player who started 62 games in his two previous seasons to becoming a player off the bench last season, but McCaffery still can make an impact on this team.

His recovery from offseason hip surgeries was slow last season, and it hampered his game. Still, there’s value in him as a player — he had 65 assists against 13 turnovers last season, and boasts a plus-3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s like a coach on the court, and the Hawkeyes will need that again this season.

Ahron Ulis (G, 6-3, Jr.) — Ulis (3.1 ppg, 2 rpg) is expected to move into a starting spot at one of the guard positions. He averaged almost 14 minutes per game last season, but he’ll get even more minutes with the departure of Joe Toussaint.

Coach Fran McCaffery appreciates Ulis’ tenacity, and he’s been able to learn the college game with his increased playing time over the last two seasons. Expect him to get more, and consistent, minutes this season.

Payton Sandfort (G, 6-7, Soph.) — Sandfort’s progression as a freshman last season was impressive.

He struggled at times, especially at the midpoint of the season, but he had a stretch of big games late. He had two double-digit scoring games in the Big Ten tournament, coming up with big shots at big moments.

Sandfort averaged 10.5 minutes per game. That number should double this season.

Josh Ogundele (C, 6-11, Jr.) — For a while, it looked like Ogundele wasn’t even going to be back this season. He entered the NCAA transfer portal in April, but decided to come back to the Hawkeyes.

Fran McCaffery hasn’t been afraid to use Ogundele when needed against some of the bigger post players in the Big Ten — he had four points in 10 minutes against Purdue in the conference championship game — but to get consistent minutes Ogundele must improve his conditioning.

Riley Mulvey (C, 6-11, Soph.) — Not much was expected of Mulvey last season. He had reclassified to join the Hawkeyes early, and last season was more about learning the intricacies of the college game.

Mulvey played just 80 minutes in 17 games, but got 10 minutes in the Big Ten tournament, including three in the first half of the championship game against Purdue.

His offseason progression will be important, as the Hawkeyes are going to need help in the frontcourt.

Dasonte Bowen (G, 6-3, Fr.) — Bowen is going to see significant time this season, and he seems ready for the opportunity. At 6-3, he seems a perfect fit for Iowa’s offense.

There will, of course, be a learning curve that goes with the position. But there’s playing time available, and Bowen should get the minutes.

Josh Dix (G, 6-5, Fr.) — Dix was averaging almost 20 points per game last season at Council Bluffs Lincoln when he broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg 12 games into the season.

Dix can provide plenty of offense for the Hawkeyes, but the key will be how his recovery has gone from his injury.