Iowa Basketball: Where do the Hawkeyes need to improve for 2018-19?

1. Lock in on defense

The offense was not an issue for Iowa basketball last season. In fact, the team ranked in the top-50 nationally in both points scored per game and adjusted offensive efficiency. Four underclassmen averaged in double figures per contest and will all be returning (pending Cook’s decision). It was clear that the team could light up the scoreboard on one end of the floor but they also allowed their opponents to fill it up on the other side.

The Hawkeyes ranked 317th in points allowed last season (78.7) and also finished 242nd in adjusted defensive efficiency. Considering there are only 351 teams in Division-I, these statistics are…not pretty. In addition, Iowa ranked dead-last in the Big Ten in points allowed per game at 83.3 in conference play.

Frank McCaffery’s team also allowed opponents let it rain from beyond the 3-point arc at will. The Hawkeyes were one of the worst teams in the nation at defending the perimeter, allowing opponents to shoot 37.6% from deep (313th). To put this in perspective, Iowa ranked 59th in the country in 3-point shooting as a team with a 37.5% and was consistently out-shot. Furthering this point, Iowa made 252 total threes on the year while opponents sank 284.

This also leads to my next point of emphasis for the offseason…