Iowa’s Ahron Ulis waits to check in against Northwestern during the first half of a Big Ten Tournament game on March 10, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)
Iowa-TCU Basketball Takeaways
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It was the first loss of the season, but Iowa’s 79-66 defeat to TCU in Saturday’s Emerald Coast Classic championship game was a lesson for the Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes (5-1) never led, and were behind by as much as 23 points in the second half to the Horned Frogs (5-1), who looked more like the No. 14 team they were at the start of the season than the team that lost to Northwestern State in the third game of the season.
Iowa’s level of competition is going to be on a steady rise over the next couple of weeks, and this tournament, with matchups against Clemson and TCU, was a good indicator of what the Hawkeyes can do well, and what they need to improve.
A look at the takeaways from Saturday’s game:
BEATEN INSIDE
The Horned Frogs had 58 points inside, and controlled the paint defensively as well.
Iowa’s Patrick McCaffery was held scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting. Kris Murray had 11 points and 10 rebounds, but was just 4-of-14 from the field. Only Filip Rebraca seemed comfortable, finishing with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting.
TCU also held a 41-28 rebounding edge.
As the Hawkeyes step up in the level of competition in the next couple of weeks, they will be tested inside, and how the Horned Frogs defended them could be an issue moving forward.
A SLOPPY NIGHT
Iowa had just 11 assists against 15 turnovers, an uncharacteristically sloppy game for a team that has been so efficient moving the ball this season.
Tony Perkins led the Hawkeyes with 15 points, but he had no assists against two turnovers.
The one guard who did have a good night was …
A BIG GAME FOR ULIS
Ahron Ulis continues to look comfortable at the point guard spot, and is making his case for a starting job.
Ulis was 7-of-8 from the field, making his lone 3-point attempt.
GOOD MINUTES FOR BOWEN
Freshman Dasonte Bowen also had a strong game, continuing to show his progression in the early weeks of the season.
Bowen had eight points in 20 ½ minutes, going 3-of-5 from the field, and was effective moving the ball against a physical TCU defense.
MISSING FROM BEHIND THE ARC
The Hawkeyes made just 3-of-17 3-point attempts, and nobody had a good night.
Murray was 2-of-6 in threes. Ulis had the other make. Perkins and Connor McCaffery were 0-of-2 from behind the arc, and Patrick McCaffery and Payton Sandfort were each 0-of-3.
It was an unusual showing for a team that has plenty of outside shooting, but it was a sign of just how much TCU disrupted the Hawkeyes.
