The Iowa Hawkeyes are a big favorite to win the NCAA tournament this year, and that’s because they’re the most talented team in the nation. But they’ve got a lot of help in their lineup, too. So whether they can get it altogether depends on how well they can play with their new players and how the rest of the Big Ten performs over the next few weeks.
Fren McCaffery
Fran McCaffery is the head men’s basketball coach at Iowa. He led the Hawkeyes to 22 wins in the 2014-15 season and a 7th seed in the NCAA Tournament. The team was ranked in the final AP Top 25 poll in the last three seasons.
In 2013, McCaffery signed a recruiting class that included players across the country. The course also had several first-team all-conference players, Player of the Year, and All-American honorees.
He also recruited Luka Garza, a two-time consensus All-American, Naismith player of the year, and Pete Newell Big Man of the Year. He is also the first Iowa player to amass more than 1,800 points and rebounds in his career.
Fran McCaffery’s career record
Fran McCaffery is the Iowa men’s basketball coach. He has an impressive record. Before taking over as head coach of the Hawkeyes in 2009, he had a stellar 11-year run at Lehigh and UNC-Greensboro.
Fran McCaffery has coached nine NCAA tournaments. His teams have reached the NIT final four twice. In addition, he has won over 500 games as a coach.
In addition to his success on the court, McCaffery has proven himself a great recruiter. He landed a talented recruiting class before the 2012-13 season. This class featured players from across the country. Several of them earned Player of the Year honors.
McCaffery’s team finished the regular season on a nine-game winning streak, earning a top-10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Hawkeyes lost to eventual champion TCU in overtime.
Keegan Murray
The Sacramento Kings selected Keegan Murray as the fourth pick in the 2022 NBA draft. A high school senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he was viewed as a player that other teams had overlooked. However, Murray proved himself and now has a chance to go in the draft’s first round.
Murray can play both ends of the floor, and he also has a big frame. He also has a great defensive ability, and he has been able to improve his blocks and steals.
In his sophomore season, he improved his averages to 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-8 guard has made a massive leap from his first year.
Tom Davis
Tom Davis is a former University of Iowa basketball coach who has had an impressive career. His 270 wins make him the most successful coach in the history of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
He was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 1987 when the Hawkeyes reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in eight years. The team went on to win the San Juan Christmas Shootout and the Great Alaska Shootout.
After winning a record 116-44 games in his first six seasons at Iowa, he departed for Drake. The coach was credited with bringing the program back to its former glory, which had been lost under Ed Rule.
Before his departure, Davis had taken the Hawkeyes to nine NCAA tournaments, including the Elite Eight and two National Institutes of Technology appearances. He led them to the Sweet 16 in 1999, but Steve Alford replaced him.
Steve Alford
Steve Alford was an Indiana basketball player for several years before he turned his attention to the game at the college level. He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American during his collegiate career, and his NCAA free throw percentage is among the top four in history.
He was also a member of the United States Olympic team in 1984, where he led his team to a gold medal. In addition to his success on the court, Alford was selected as a member of the All-Century Team and the Indiana University Hall of Fame.
After a successful run in the NBA, Alford returned to the University of New Mexico college ranks. He was the head coach for the Lobos for four seasons and was able to win back-to-back Mountain West Tournament titles.
