Iowa Hawkeyes: 11-19 (4-14) 10th seed in tournament
The Iowa Hawkeyes ended a six game winning streak and their regular season by pulling off a stunning upset against then 6th ranked Purdue—can they keep the momentum going?
When Iowa changed coaches over the offseason, they lost one of the better recruiting classes they have had in recent years, and have struggled mightily as a result. Players transferred away, and recruits bolted for other colleges.
While the Hawkeyes had a very unimpressive season overall, they finished in dramatic fashion and showed they can at least put up a fight.
Leading scorer Matt Gatens, a junior guard from Iowa City, has played less minutes this year than any year in his career, yet he’s still averaging a career high in points.
The real key player for the Hawkeyes is going to be freshman forward Melsahn Basabe, who is averaging about 12 points per game and leading the Hawkeyes in rebounding. If they are going to upset their way through the tournament, he could be the X-factor.