Iowa Hawkeyes Men’s Basketball Program Experiences Mass Exodus

Whenever a coach is fired there is sure to be a few players that simply don't want to wait around for the unknown. That's exactly the situation that our Iowa Men's basketball program finds itself in currently. As of today, six players have opted for the transfer portal after the firing of head coach Fran McCaffery.

Here's a closer look at the players who have entered the portal, according to the Hawkeye Beacon on Rivals.com:

Cooper Koch

This freshman power forward comes in at 6'8" and 215 lbs. Koch was a promising 4-star recruit from Peoria, Illinois, but had a frustrating freshman season due to injuries and illness. He played in just 10 of Iowa's 33 games, averaging 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game. However, he shot an impressive 48.4% from the field and 42.9% from three. It is likely that Koch will receive a medical redshirt and has four years of eligibility remaining.

Pryce Sandfort

This sophomore power forward comes in at 6'7" and 210 lbs. Sandfort became a key contributor off the bench for Iowa. He averaged 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 48.8% from the floor and 40% from three-point range. He scored in double figures for Iowa's final four games, including a 16-point, 11-rebound performance against Nebraska. Sandfort has two years of eligibility remaining.

Brock Harding

This sophomore point guard comes in at  6'0" and 165 lbs. Harding played a pivitol role in Iowa's backcourt this season. He often alternated between starting and coming off the bench and posted averages of 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 45.4% from the floor and 39.8% from three-point range. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Owen Freeman

This sophomore power Forward comes in at 6'10" and 245 lbs. Freeman was a standout performer for Iowa, leading the team in scoring at 16.7 points per game and rebounding at 6.7 per game. He played in only 19 games due to a season-ending finger injury that required surgery. Freeman shot 63.8% from the floor. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Josh Dix

This junior shooting guard comes in at 6'5" and 210 lbs. Dix was a Hawkeye standout performer, averaging a career-best 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Dix shot over 40% from three-point range in all three of his seasons at Iowa, including 42.2% this year. Dix has one year of eligibility remaining.

Riley Mulvey

This junior center comes in at 6'10" and 245 lbs. He played a limited role but showed improvement throughout the season. Mulvey averaged 2.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in just over seven minutes per game. He shot 68% from the floor and has one year of eligibility left.

With six key players opting to enter the transfer portal, the Iowa Hawkeyes face a major roster overhaul. The program's direction now hinges heavily on the hiring of a new head coach and their ability to recruit both portal talent and incoming freshmen to stabilize the roster for next season.