Iowa Basketball Struggles Continue as Defensive Woes Persist

IOWA CITY, Iowa — After an early exit last season, the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team vowed to improve its defense. But midway through the 2024-25 season, the teamu2019s defensive struggles remain a glaring issue, contributing to a disappointing 13-8 record and a 4-6 standing in Big Ten play.

Last March, following a loss that dashed their NCAA Tournament hopes, guard Payton Sandfort emphasized the need for consistent defensive stops. u201cWeu2019ve got to find a way to get stops consistently,u201d Sandfort said. However, the teamu2019s defensive performance has shown only marginal improvement. Opponents are shooting 47.7% from the field this season, up from 45.8% last year, though Iowa has improved its 3-point defense, holding teams to 32.6% from beyond the arc.

Despite these efforts, the Hawkeyes have lost four of their last five games, including a 116-point defensive collapse against Wisconsin and a two-point loss to Michigan. The team is now 0-7 in Quad 1 games, a critical metric for NCAA Tournament selection.

One of the primary issues lies in the teamu2019s lineup. Iowa has frequently deployed a smaller starting five, featuring just one traditional big man, Owen Freeman. While this setup has boosted the offense, with the team shooting 38.6% from 3-point range, it has left the Hawkeyes vulnerable on the boards and defensively. u201cDefense is not one of Sandfortu2019s strengths,u201d said a team analyst, u201cso playing him at the four doesnu2019t make the Hawkeyes much more agile on that end of the floor.u201d

Free-throw shooting has also been a problem. Iowa is shooting just 68.3% from the line, its worst mark since head coach Fran McCafferyu2019s first season. Missed free throws in close games, such as an eight-point loss to Utah State and a two-point loss to Michigan, have proven costly.

Sandfort, who averaged over 24 points in a three-game stretch in January, has struggled with inconsistency, scoring just two points in a blowout loss to Wisconsin. Similarly, Josh Dix, who hit a game-winning 3-pointer against Northwestern, combined for just three points in recent losses to Minnesota and Ohio State.

With 10 regular-season games remaining, Iowa still has a chance to turn its season around. But the margin for error is razor-thin. u201cPeople looked defeated early in the game, and that canu2019t happen,u201d Sandfort said after a loss to Minnesota. The Hawkeyes must address their defensive lapses and offensive inconsistencies quickly if they hope to salvage their season and make a late push for the NCAA Tournament.