MBB Preview - Exhibition vs. Minnesota Duluth

The University of Iowa men’s basketball team will play an exhibition game against Minnesota Duluth on Friday on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will tip off at 7:01 p.m. (CT) and be streamed live on B1G+.
• Tickets are $5 through the Iowa Athletics Ticket Office.

FOLLOW LIVE

Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Gary Dolphin (play-by-play) and Bobby Hansen (color) on the call. The network includes more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and include portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Hawkeye Radio Network includes a 60-minute pregame show.
Stream: Friday’s game will be streamed live on B1G+ — a paid subscription service. AJ Reisetter (play-by-play) and Jess Settles (color) will be on the call.

OPENING TIP

• The Hawkeyes return three starters and 10 letterwinners from a team that went 19-15 overall and advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.
• Iowa returns three All-Big Ten selections — Josh Dix (honorable mention), Owen Freeman (honorable mention, Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year) and Payton Sandfort (third team). Sandfort is a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2024-25.
• The Hawkeyes have won 10 or more Big Ten games in a school record six consecutive seasons. Iowa has won 10+ Big Ten games in nine of the last 10 seasons under head coach Fran McCaffery and the program has 11 Big Ten upper division finishes in the last 12 years.
• Iowa has placed fifth place or better in the Big Ten standings seven of the last 10 years.
• Iowa added two transfers — Drew Thelwell (Morehead State) and Seydou Traore (Manhattan College) — and four freshmen — Trey Buchanan, Cooper Koch, Jacob Koch and Chris Tadjo.
• Senior Payton Sandfort led the team in scoring (16.4) and 3-point field goals (94), while ranking second in assists (91) and rebounds (224) during his junior season. His 94 3-pointers were the third-most in a single season in program history.
• Sophomore Owen Freeman was a nine-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week selection in 2023-24, averaging 10.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. He had five double-doubles, the most among Big Ten freshman.
• Thelwell is the winningest player in Morehead State history with 94 victories, helping the Eagles to two OVC titles, two OVC tournament titles and three postseason appearances (two NCAA, one NIT).
• Junior Josh Dix was one of the most efficient offensive players in the country, averaging 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He shot .552/.421/.860 as a sophomore.
• Traore was an All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie Team honoree. He was the only player in MAAC with 300+ points, 200+ rebounds, 60+ assists, 40+ steals and 30+ blocks.
• Sandfort currently has an 89.8 career free throw percentage, which is tops in program history.
• Redshirt junior Carter Kingsbury was awarded a scholarship for the 2024-25 season. He was a walk-on his first three seasons.

SANDFORT: PRESEASON FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN

Senior Payton Sandfort was one of 10 players named to the preseason All-Big Ten team. It is the fifth time in the last six seasons a Hawkeye has been named to the list. Sandfort is also a preseason all-league selection by Blue Ribbon and he is tabbed as one of the top sharp shooters and seniors in college basketball by Andy Katz at NCAA.com.
• Sandfort put up career-best numbers across the board during the 2023-24 season, averaging 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, 37.9 percent from distance and 91.1 percent from the free throw stripe. His 94 3-pointers led the Big Ten.

3-HEADED MONSTER

• The Hawkeyes return three starters in Payton Sandfort, Owen Freeman and Josh Dix. All three players earned All-Big Ten recognition a season ago. Sandfort was a third-team All-Big Ten selection, while Freeman and Dix both were honorable mention all-league selections. Freeman was also the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year.
• Sandfort averaged a team-best 16.4 points and 6.6 rebounds, reaching double figures in 27 games with 11 20-point contests.
• Freeman averaged 10.6 points and 6.6 rebounds, while shooting 61.4 percent from the floor. He had five double-doubles and had an Iowa freshman record 61 blocks.
• Dix averaged 8.9 points and 2.2 rebounds, while ranking third on the team with 59 assists. He was one of the most efficient players in the Big Ten, shooting 55.2 percent from the floor, 42.1 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the free throw stripe.

A VERSATILE ADDITION

Sophomore forward Seydou Traore gives Hawkeyes a versatile piece in 2024-25. The New York native was an All-Metro Atlantic Conference Rookie Team selection a season ago, averaging 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds to go along with 62 assists and 34 blocks. He was the only player in the MAAC with 300+ points, 200+ rebounds, 60+ assists, 40+ steals and 30+ blocks.

WINNINGEST PLAYER IN MOREHEAD HISTORY

Graduate transfer Drew Thelwell won 94 games during his four-year career at Morehead State, making him the winningest player in program history. Thelwell helped the Eagles to two OVC regular season and two OVC tournament titles and to three postseason appearances (two NCAA, one NIT).
• The Florida native averaged 10 points and 6.2 assists as a senior. He led the OVC in assists (15th nationally) and assist-to-turnover ration (2.71).

FRESHMAN-TO-SOPHOMORE

Iowa’s current sophomore class combined to play in 132 games during their freshman season in 2023-24. Owen Freeman and Brock Harding played in all 34 contests, while Ladji Dembele and Pryce Sandfort saw action in 32 games apiece.
• Seydou Traore started 27-of-28 games at Manhattan College.