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Iowa men’s basketball center Owen Freeman will have finger surgery, out for rest of season
Sophomore Freeman is Hawkeyes’ team-leader in scoring and rebounding
Feb. 3, 2025 10:28 am, Updated: Feb. 3, 2025 3:12 pm
Iowa's Owen Freeman (32) lays the ball up during a game againnst Minnesota in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 21. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
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The Iowa men’s basketball team has lost an integral player for the rest of this season.
Sophomore center Owen Freeman will have finger surgery on his right hand today and miss the remainder of this season.
“After discussions with Owen, his family and our medical staff, surgery is the best course of treatment in terms of proper healing and rehabilitation,” said Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery.
“The risk of permanent injury was there. That's not something we're going to deviate from. His health and welfare is most important thing.
“The kid wants to play basketball for a long time, and we want him to play basketball for a long time, and that would be in jeopardy.”
Asked if it were his impression that Freeman would be back with the Hawkeyes next season, McCaffery’s response was an immediate “Yes.”
The 6-foot-10 Freeman started 19 games this season, averaging team-highs of 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. He scored at least 11 points in every game this season, and had 20-plus on four occasions. He is third in the Big Ten in blocked shots per game (1.8) and third in field goal percentage (.638).
Iowa enters the second half of Big Ten play with a 4-6 league record (13-8 overall), and hosts No. 7 Purdue tonight at 6.
Freeman’s absence leaves the Hawkeyes (13-8 overall, 4-6 Big Ten) with post play by committee. That would be 6-8 soph Ladji Dembele, 6-11 soph Riley Mulvey and 6-9 senior Even Brauns.
They have combined for 7.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Mulvey and Brauns have played sparingly.
“It’ll be tough,” Iowa senior foward Payton Sandfort said Monday. “Obviously, (Freeman) was a big producer and did a lot of good things with this team. But we’ve got a lot of guys that are ready and accept the challenge.
“It’s not just going to be one guy that replaces them. It’s going to be a collective effort. It's got to be a team.”
Iowa already had a rebounding problem, ranking last in the Big Ten with 8.5 fewer boards per game than its opponents in league play.
Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com
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