Former Valpo Forward Ben Krikke Transfers to Iowa

Iowa picked up some size earlier this week with the news that former Valpo forward Ben Krikke is transferring to Iowa.

The 6’9” forward spent his first four seasons at Valparaiso, starting in the frontcourt for the past three seasons. As a senior he posted career highs with 19.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while hitting almost 80% of his free throws and occasionally making some three pointers.

With Iowa set to lose Kris Murray, Filip Rebraca and Connor McCaffery, Krikke brings some much needed experience to the frontcourt. With the mass exodus of talent inside, Krikke will likely have a solid shot at starting next season. The forward is more at home playing the four, so the Hawkeyes will likely explore options in the transfer portal to find a more traditional center to pair with their recent addition.

Krikke is a capable scorer with a high efficiency rating in the post. He can play from outside, occasionally hit a three and can be utilized well in the screen game. Naturally one of his biggest downsides stem from his issues defensively and inability to protect the rim, but that isn’t exactly a far departure from what Iowa is used to.

Iowa essentially landed someone to play the four that will immediately contribute and be a viable starter for 2023-24. Overall a solid addition for Fran McCaffery and company.