Even with the horrible ending, Iowa’s season had way more good than bad
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – As the final seconds ticked off the clock of Iowa’s 67-63 loss to Richmond, I thought about how miserable Fran McCaffery must have felt for his players.
A season that had brought so much joy and reason to be proud suddenly was over.
In barely two hours, Iowa’s five-month journey had ended abruptly as Iowa became the latest five seed to lose to a 12 seed.
It wasn’t just that Iowa lost in the first round to a lower seed, it’s how it happened as Iowa missed 23 shots from 3-point range and was held 21 points below its Big Ten leading per-game scoring average against a team that finished in sixth place in the Atlantic-10 Conference.
Richmond had to win its conference tournament to make the NCAA Tournament, so maybe playing under that pressure for four games helped to prepare the Richmond players for the win-or-go-home mentality in the Big Ten Dance.
Iowa certainly faced some pressure on its way to winning the Big Ten Tournament, but Iowa was also pretty much a lock to make the NCAA Tournament heading into the conference tournament.
Whatever the case, it’s time to move on.
You can dwell on Iowa’s NCAA Tournament woes, which includes 23 consecutive seasons without making the Sweet 16 and ignore all the good stuff from this season.
Because Iowa’s lack of NCAA Tournament success sucks, there is no better word for it.
It just sucks.
But still, what’s the point?
It was just one game, albeit on the biggest stage, but it shouldn’t erase what Iowa accomplished in all the weeks leading up to the NCAA Tournament.
In no way am I saying ignore it or excuse it because that would be wrong.
The NCAA Tournament certainly matters and some fans, fair or not, believe that teams are defined largely by what they accomplish, or fail to accomplish in the NCAA Tournament.
Some will say the disappointment from making yet another early exit from the NCAA Tournament outweighs the joy from having won the Big Ten Tournament and 26 games overall, which ranks second in program history for wins in a single season.
I used to be that way, and still struggle to keep in perspective just how much damage a one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament should inflict on a team’s legacy.
The Big Dance, to some, has become such and big and powerful event, and to be an upset victim, especially in the first round, minimizes what a team accomplished during the regular season.
But I don’t see it that way anymore, and I have the current Iowa team to thank for shifting my opinion.
As horrible as Thursday’s loss was to Richmond, when I look back at this season, I will choose to focus on what this Iowa team accomplished rather than dwell on what it didn’t.
Instead of ripping Fran McCaffery and saying he’s a horrible postseason coach, I’ll choose to focus on how he had to replace four starters, including the most decorated and productive player in program history in Luka Garza, a two-time All-Big Ten selection in Joe Wieskamp, a talented 3-point shooter in C.J. Fredrick and a versatile post player in Jack Nunge, and yet, still found a way to win the Big Ten Tournament and 26 games.
I’ll choose to focus on how Fran McCaffery responded when Iowa entered February just 4-6 in conference play and sputtering on offense.
He didn’t panic, but he did make two changes in the backcourt that might have helped to save Iowa’s season.
The decision to move Jordan Bohannon back to point guard after he had started the first 21 games at shooting guard, and to make Tony Perkins the new starter at shooting guard, drew mixed emotions because it also meant that Joe Toussaint would be benched after starting the first 21 games at point guard.
Some fans wondered why Toussaint was being benched since Bohannon was struggling on offense, and since Toussaint was a better defender.
That narrative quickly faded, however, as Iowa would go on to win 12 of 14 games.
Fran McCaffery knew that he had to keep Bohannon in the lineup because of Bohannon’s 3-point shooting ability, because of his unmatched experienced, and because he protects the ball.
And he was right.
Fran McCaffery also was right to give Perkins a chance to start because Perkins, obviously, was ready judging from how he seized the opportunity by making an impact on both ends of the floor.
Fran McCaffery also was right to believe and trust that Toussaint would handle the demotion with class and maturity because part of being a good head coach is knowing your players and knowing how each one would react to a certain situation, good or bad.
Toussaint embraced the role, even though deep down he probably hated it, and his team-first mentality is another thing I’ll choose to remember from this season, along with how well graduate transfer Filip Rebraca fit in, and how hard Rebraca played.
The extraordinary rise of Keegan Murray, of course, is another part of this season that I will choose to remember because we probably won’t see anything like it again.
Although, I said the same thing about Luka Garza just a year ago, and then along came Keegan Murray, from averaging seven points off the bench as a freshman to being a consensus All-American as a sophomore.
After going 52 years without having a consensus All-American, Iowa has had one in each of the past three seasons as Garza achieved that rare status twice.
Keegan Murray almost certainly has played his last game as a Hawkeye as he is considered a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
He didn’t have one of his best games on Thursday, and yet, he still scored 21 points and had nine rebounds.
Keegan Murray’s miraculous ascent to stardom is similar to what Brad Banks accomplished for the Iowa football team when he went from being the backup quarterback in 2001 to the runner-up for the 2002 Heisman Trophy in his only season as a starter.
Keegan and his twin brother Kris Murray, a talented 6-8 forward in his own right, impacted this season from a positive standpoint in so many ways.
It’s reasonable to think that Kris Murray might lead Iowa in scoring next season.
But if he doesn’t, maybe it’ll be 6-9 Patrick McCaffery, who scored 18 points and made four 3-point baskets in the loss to Richmond.
The lanky son of Fran McCaffery showed flashes of brilliance this season when healthy, and he has a scorer’s mentality.
Patrick seems fearless with the ball in his hands, and that shows strong mental toughness.
He does have tendency to force some off-balance shots, but that’s due partly to his confidence, and to his willingness to compete.
Patrick McCaffery was arguably Iowa’s best player against Richmond, and that’s something else I’ll choose to remember rather than the loss because Patrick truly is an inspiration as a cancer survivor.
It was eight years ago this month when Patrick McCaffery had a malignant tumor removed from his thyroid.
Patrick also lost one of his best friends to cancer when Austin “Flash” Schroeder succumbed to the dreaded disease in 2015.
So as devastating as Thursday’s loss was to the Iowa players, coaches and fans, it pales in comparison to what the Schroeder family lost and to what the McCaffery family could have lost.
So, as I thought about how horrible Fran McCaffery must have felt, I figured he could handle it because that’s part of being a head coach, but also because of his life experiences.
In addition to his son’s fight against cancer, Fran McCaffery also lost both of his parents to the disease.
Fran and his wife, Margaret, have made it their life’s mission to help fight against cancer by raising money and awareness.
And with that role comes perspective.
Fran McCaffery was seated to the right of three of his players, including his oldest son, senior guard Connor McCaffery, in Thursday’s postgame press conference. Keegan Murray and Bohannon were also seated at the table.
Bohannon became emotional when asked what his message to fans would be.
Fran McCaffery reached over and patted Bohannon on the back as Bohannon struggled to speak.
It was a sad ending to a season that was filled with much joy and happiness.
But it was also an act of love, and another thing I’ll choose to remember from a season that had way more good than bad parts to it.
Gave it everything he had.
Thank you, @JordanBo_3! #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Th5U8YjPlt
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 18, 2022