By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Despite having more than a dozen scholarship offers from schools that include Michigan State, Indiana, Illinois and Purdue, Owen Freeman only took two official visits in high school, and that was to Iowa and Wisconsin.

He ultimately picked the Hawkeyes over the Badgers and Freeman will now make a return trip to Madison, Wisconsin on Friday as Iowa’s starting center/power forward.

“That was the only other official visit I took,” Freeman said of the Badgers.

“Asked what gave Iowa the edge, Freeman said:

“Just a connection I made with coach (Fran) McCaffery and the coaching staff. And this is where I believe God wanted me.

“So, obviously, it’s all worked out pretty well.”

The 6-foot-10 Freeman leads Iowa in scoring (17.1) points and rebounding (6.5), while shooting 66.1 percent from the field, which ranks second in the Big Ten.

He was also named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year last season.

So, being a Hawkeye has worked out pretty well for Freeman, so far.

But there still is work to do, considering Iowa didn’t make the NCAA Tournament last season.

And while it’s too early to know if the current Iowa team is worthy of NCAA Tournament consideration, a win over the Badgers in Madison would certainly look good on the Iowa’s postseason resume.

The Hawkeyes (10-3, 1-1) have dropped their last three games in Madison. Iowa’s last win at the Kohl Center came on Feb. 18, 2021 — a 77-62 victory.

A win would lift Iowa to 2-1 in conference play after having started 0-3 last season.

“It’s huge because I feel like this year the Big Ten is up for grabs and I feel like we’ve got a real great shot at taking it,” said Freeman, who missed Iowa’s last game – a 112-70 win over New Hampshire this past Monday – due to an minor ankle injury. “We haven’t won there in a while, I believe.

“So, yeah, especially after last year starting o-3 in conference, going up two-one, that would be huge for us. And the coaches are going to get us right and I think we have the right mindset going in there and stealing a W.”

Wisconsin (10-3, 0-2) is also hungry for a win after losing its first two conference games to Michigan State at home and at Illinois.

“I’m looking forward to competing and the coaches are going to get us right with the game plan,” Freeman said.

Freeman said his ankle feels good now and he will be ready to go on Friday.

Freeman will be matched against a tall and talented Badger frontline that is led by 7-0 senior center Stephen Crowl and 6-11 sophomore forward Nolan Winter, who averages 11.2 points per game.

“They’ve got the two bigs, basically two seven footers out there,” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said of Crowl and Winter. “Both of them can shoot threes. Both of them can play in the post.”

Freeman has struggled to stay out of foul trouble as a Hawkeye, so it’s reasonable to think that Wisconsin would try to use its size to draw fouls on him.

“I think that just comes with playing smart,” Freeman said. “It kind of seems like teams are trying to get me in foul trouble, which I had (trouble) with last year. And obviously, there’s been a couple games this year where I’ve gotten in early foul trouble.

“But I know that’s honestly a compliment because they don’t want me on the floor. But yeah, that could be something they go to.”

There Badgers will for sure go to Missouri transfer Jon Tonje for some offense productivity. The graduate forward  leads the team with a 19.2 scoring average and is shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range. He is also 94-of-100 from the free throw stripe.

“He’s one of the better players in the league, I think, right now,” Fran McCaffery said of Tonje. “You look at his numbers.

“But it’s a completely different team than last year and they’ve come together, I think, really well.”

Wisconsin lost multi-year starting guard Chuckie Hepburn to the transfer portal as he now plays for Louisville.

The Badgers won eight straight games to open the season, which included a 103-88 win over No. 9 Arizona, before losing three straight in early December.

Wisconsin is 7-1 at home with its lone loss coming against Michigan (67-64) in its league opener. The Badgers also lost at No. 19 Illinois, 86-80.

Iowa (10-3 1-1) vs. Wisconsin (10-3, 0-2)

When: Friday, 6 p.m.

Where: Madison, Wisconsin, Kohl Center (17,071)

TV: FS1

Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network

All-time series: Friday’s game is the 176th game in the all-time series between Iowa and Wisconsin. The Badgers lead, 89-86. The Hawkeyes have dropped their last three games in Madison. Iowa’s last win at the Kohl Center came on Feb. 18, 2021 — a 77-62 victory.

Iowa won the most recent meeting to snap a four-game losing streak to Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes won 88-86 in overtime in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes have won three games in Madison during the McCaffery era (2011-12, 2016-17, 2020-21)