Morehead State guard Drew Thelwell signs with Iowa
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery needs help in his backcourt, and help is on the way.
Drew Thelwell, a 6-foot-3 guard from Morehead State, signed a scholarship tender with Iowa on Wednesday, and just one day after he had visited the UI campus.
His commitment helps to make up for the loss of senior guard Tony Perkins, who recently announced that he will transfer to Missouri for his final season.
Former Iowa guard Dasonte Bowen is also in the transfer portal as a sophomore. He started the first eight games last season but then lost his starting position and eventually fell out of the rotation before suffering a season-ending injury.
“We are excited to welcome Drew to the Hawkeye family,” Fran McCaffery said in a release. “Drew has a complete skill set with exceptional passing abilities and most importantly, he’s a winner. He will be a tremendous fit for our program.”
110% Committed ‼️
Hawkeye nation, let’s do this
pic.twitter.com/hmd1Orh6mQ— drew_thelwell (@DrewThelwell) April 17, 2024
Thelwell, who is from Orlando, Florida, averaged 10.0 points, 6.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game this past season. He shot 43.5 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from 3-point range.
Thelwell started all 68 games during his junior and senior seasons. He averaged a career-best 11.1 points and 2.8 assists as a junior, shooting 46.3 percent (133-of-287) from the floor and 38.1 percent (51-of-134) from 3-point range. The Eagles won 22 games, claimed the OVC regular season title and advanced to the NIT.
“I was looking for the right fit and with the Iowa coaches and overall program, I found it,” Thelwell said in a release. “I wanted to find a family and a home away from home and I believe the University of Iowa is the perfect fit.
“I am a player that likes to push the ball; Iowa’s system does that and allows you to play free. This is a dream come true for me. These are the opportunities you think about as a kid.”
Thelwell will join an Iowa backcourt that includes junior guard Josh Dix and sophomore point guard Brock Harding.
Thelwell landed in double figures 13 times during his senior season with four 20-point contests. He had five or more assists in 23 games, seven or more assists in 15 games and 10+ assists in three contests, including a 19-assist game in a win over Alice Lloyd College.
For his career, Thelwell has reached double figures in 37 games with six 20-point contests. He has 29 career games with five or more assists.
As a prep, Thelwell eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark during his high school career at Orangewood Christian and Master’s Academy in Florida. He earned all-state honors by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association and was a second-team all-area selection by the Orlando Sentinel.
Thelwell averaged 23 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists during the 2018-19 season at Orangewood and 19 points, five rebounds and four assists at Master’s, while shooting 34 percent from 3-point range.
Thelwell will join an Iowa program that won 19 games and advanced to the NIT Second Round during the 2023-24 season.
Fran McCaffery might not be finished adding to his roster as Iowa is also expected to host Arkansas State guard Camren Hunter on Thursday.
Former Iowa forward Patrick McCaffery also recently announced that he plans to transfer to Butler for his sixth and final season.
The son of Fran McCaffery was named the recipient of the Chris Street Award at Iowa’s annual awards banquet on Tuesday.
Hawkeyesports.com contributed to this report