Big Ten Basketball: Projecting each team’s key player production for 2021-22

Iowa – Jordan Bohannon and Keegan Murray

Decrease in production: Jordan Bohannon

The redshirt senior has already appeared in 143 games for the Hawkeyes, 133 of those games as a starter while averaging between 10 points and fourteen points every season (except for the year he was redshirted after ten games). 1,092 of the point guard’s 1,638 career points have come from behind the arc.

Last season Bohannon averaged just over ten points last season, but his fellow starters will look different this season. A number of factors indicate the 6’1 point guard will see his production decrease. On one hand, Joe Weiskamp, Luka Garza, CJ Frederick, and Jack Nunge are the four players who round out the top five three-point shooters on Iowa after Bohannon. Those four will no longer be on the roster, thus ultimately destroying the Hawkeyes’ pump fake and swing around the arc looking for the open man.

Secondly, with Garza no longer connecting on almost eight buckets a night in or near the painted area, there will be less need to double down and leave players open along the arc swinging to find an open man, resulting in Bohannon being open fewer times a game.

Increase in production: Keegan Murray

When you go from averaging 18 minutes per game backing up Luka Garza to a starting role on a sorely undersized team, your production is going to increase. Coach Fran McCaffery did manage to recruit Filip Rebraca from the transfer portal, but Murray’s role as a starter is secure. The  Hawkeyes’ will have 6’11 sophomore Josh Ogundele and 6’11 freshman Riley Mulvey who have combined for a total of 17 minutes played in the NCAA backing up Murray at center.

As Murray’s minutes sky-rocket, his 7.2 points per game will increase. A lot of Murray’s points came off of his 60 percent two-point field goals, the inclusion of Joe Toussaint will result in more dribble penetration in order to draw the help for a dish and easy finish by Murray.