Iowa 2017-18 Preview: Hawkeyes Look to Retain High Flying Offense

In the weeks leading up to the 2016-’17 college basketball season, BTPowerhouse will be releasing its preview series breaking down each Big Ten team. These will come in a set of series previewing the overall team, the team’s backcourt, wings, and big men, and the team’s schedule. Each post will take a look at its top in-depth and give predictions on the upcoming season.

Today’s edition of the ‘BTPowerhouse Preview Series’ will focus on the wings for Iowa. The Hawkeyes will look to Isaiah Moss and Brady Ellingson to lead one of the highest scoring offenses from a year ago.

'BTPowerhouse Preview' - Iowa’s Wings:

• 2016-’17 All-Big Ten Qualifiers: Peter Jok (All Big Ten First Team)
• Key Departures: Peter Jok
• Additions: Connor McCaffery
• Top Player: Isaiah Moss

Last season Iowa was one of, if not the best, scoring team in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes finished first in the conference in points per game with 80.5. They also finished fourth in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage by making 38% of their shots from long range as a team. Most of that was contributed by Peter Jok and Jordan Bohannon, the former no longer on the team.

With Jok gone, Bohannon can not shoot the Hawkeyes to victories by himself. He will need more help on the wings. That is where Isaiah Moss and Brady Ellingson step in.

Starting Rotation

Isaiah Moss was a consistent part of Iowa’s offensive gameplan but he sometimes could get lost on the court. Averaging only 6.5 points per game last season, he was able to make some key shots for the Hawkeyes. However, Moss did have stretches where he could not find the bottom of the net. Besides looking to improve his shooting attack Moss will look to be a better distributor from the wing as well. With forwards Nicholas Baer and Dom Uhl among others returning, an improved shot will lead to more defense on Moss and in turn more looks to forwards inside of the paint.

Bench Rotation

If Moss is in a stretch where he is struggling to make baskets from deep, Christian Williams and Brady Ellingson can be brought off the bench to provide a punch that the Hawkeyes offense will be searching for. Ellingson was tops on the Hawkeyes a year ago shooting from deep, hitting 47% of his long range shots. Coming off the bench again this season will provide Iowa with a feared shooter that can not be left open by opposing defenses.

Overall

The wings of the Iowa Hawkeyes will be responsible with taking pressure off of their point guard Jordan Bohannon. With improved shooting, Moss and Ellingson, along with Bohannon, will once again be the catalysts to one of the highest scoring offenses in the Big Ten.