Hawkeyes defeat Bethune-Cookman in men’s basketball opener, 89-58

IOWA CITY — The lid was lifted on the Iowa men’s basketball season, and the roof came down on Bethune-Cookman.

The Wildcats of Daytona Beach were treated like a Daytona motel by spring-breakers in a Monday season opener at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa won, 89-58.

The Hawkeyes’ 12th-straight season-starting win featured a lot of nice statistics compiled against the Reggie Theus-coached team from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The best may have been 25 assists on their 34 baskets, with 11 different players getting at least one.

Iowa shot 58.8 percent from the field in the first half to build a 54-35 lead at the break.

Junior guard Tony Perkins scored in several ways on his path to 16 points. He slashed to the basket, made 3-pointers, had a tip-in, and dunked off a steal he made.

Perkins also had five assists. He is the Hawkeyes’ No. 1 point guard until you hear differently, and you probably won’t.

“I feel good, feel great,” Perkins said. “The confidence from last year boosted me up a lot.”

Kris Murray was the last of the Iowa starters to score, but notched 14 points in his second career start.

All five starters scored in double-figures for the Hawkeyes. Forward Patrick McCaffery made three 3-pointers and had 12 points. Senior power forward Filip Rebraca played as authoritatively as he has as a second-year Hawkeye with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Right?

“I don’t really remember the games last year,” Rebraca said with a laugh. “So I would say yes. Sorry for the short answer.

“I’m looking to be aggressive.”

Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery suggested this was the Rebraca who “was dominant” at North Dakota when he averaged 16.8 points and 7.6 rebounds there two seasons ago.

“Now he’s taking charge,” McCaffery said. “It was always in there, but now you’re seeing it.”

Sophomore wing Payton Sandfort scored 13 points. He never had more than two assists in a game last season. He had four Monday. But he said he was most pleased with “my defensive intensity.”

Sandfort’s primary defensive assignment was B-C guard Joe French, the SWAC’s Preseason Player of the Year. French scored 30 points at Seton Hall last season. Bethune-Cookman shot just 34.6 percent from the field, and French was 1-of-5 and scored just 3 points.

“I took a lot of pride in shutting him down,” said Sandfort.

“We’ve really been talking about that defensive identity that we have. Obviously, it’s kind of looked down upon by a lot of people around the country. So we’re trying to change that narrative, and I think tonight was a really good start.”

In the first half, Sandfort and freshman guard Dasonte Bowen traded assists to each other for baskets on two consecutive Hawkeye possessions. Sandfort whipped a second-half pass to Perkins in transition for an uncontested 3-point shot that was good.

Iowa had 11-0 runs in both halves. It held the Wildcats scoreless in the first 5:52 of the second half.

Oh, Hawkeye junior center Josh Ogundele drew the loudest ovation of the game with a deft drive for a score. He had a career-high three steals and his first career assist over 11 minutes.

“He gave us 11 really good minutes,” McCaffery said. “I think he’s capable of probably 15, 16.”

Iowa’s next game is at home Friday at 7 p.m. against North Carolina A&T, a 100-61 winner over Edward Waters College Monday.

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