Hawkeyes take bright path after crossroads

SEATTLE - Iowa entered its men's basketball season somewhat at a crossroads and ended it on the bright path of sustainability.

Gonzaga dashed the Hawkeyes' hopes of a Sweet Sixteen run, 87-68, on Sunday at KeyArena. But the progress shown by Iowa (22-11) this year confirms the program continues make strides.

Coach Fran McCaffery has guided Iowa to three straight 20-win seasons and consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament. This year, Iowa won its first NCAA game in 14 years. More than the win-loss record, this season will be remembered more for the journey.

Iowa finished 12-6 in Big Ten play, its best league record since 1996-97. It posted a 7-3 record in true road games and earned wins at Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana in the same season for the first time since 1970. They Hawkeyes won at North Carolina and Friday's win against Davidson was the program's largest margin-of-victory (31 points) in NCAA history.

But what separated this Iowa team from others was its response to adverse situations. Last year, the Hawkeyes ranked in the top 10 but dropped seven of their final eight to fall nearly out of the NCAA tournament. This year, every time Iowa lost, it responded.

'We had some bumps in the road that we had to endure that made this one a little more unique,” McCaffery said.

The Hawkeyes dropped back-to-back games in New York to fall to 2-2. The team responded with six straight wins, including a 60-55 victory at North Carolina. When instate foes Iowa State and Northern Iowa beat the Hawkeyes by double digits, Iowa won the Big Ten opener at Ohio State.

A 4-1 Big Ten start quickly dissipated into 4-4, including an 82-50 pounding at Wisconsin. Two impressive wins against Michigan and Maryland were followed by losses to Minnesota and Northwestern. At 6-6 in league play, Iowa's season - and maybe even program - hung in the balance.

'We had four losses in the non-conference, but we upgraded the schedule,” McCaffery said. 'We challenged ourselves. We had a couple of tough losses, but we came back, we jump-started the season. Then we lose a couple in a row, we get our ears pinned back at Wisconsin, we lose at Northwestern. ‘We lost a league game on the road, no time to panic. Let's just go to work.' That's what they did, and that's what I'll always remember.”

Iowa finished Big Ten play with six straight victories, winning by an average of 17 points. It was the program's longest league win streak since 1986-87 and propelled Iowa into a third-place tie in league standings.

As much as the results, the 2014-15 season will be remembered for senior forward Aaron White, a first-team all-Big Ten selection. He scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games and finished with 19 against Gonzaga. He ranks second in Iowa history for career points (1,859), third in rebounds (901) and crushed school marks for free throws (618) and attempts (800). He knocked down more free throws than any Big Ten player in the last 53 years.

'Every time I take the floor, I try to represent my family, this program, this state, my teammates and my coaches,” White said. 'Really what's done is done. I think I've had a good career. I think people will remember me for leaving it all out on the floor every time I took the floor. These past four years have been a blessing.”

Seniors Gabe Olaseni, Josh Oglesby and Kyle Denning all completed their eligibility as solid contributors. Olaseni, a London, England native, entered the program as a raw athlete and finished as the Big Ten's sixth man of the year. Oglesby, a Cedar Rapids native, was Iowa's first local recruit. Denning was invaluable in running the scout team as both a walk-on and later a scholarship player.

'I think, Gabe, Josh, Kyle, myself, I think we had a great example,” White said. 'Not that we're perfect or the best, but I think we did it the right way, with class and professionalism.”

Mostly, this team and group will be remembered for changing the face of Iowa basketball. It was McCaffery's first full class and they signed up after an 11-win season. During their tenure, Iowa advanced one step farther in every postseason, from the NIT to the NCAA tournament.

'You can look at it in terms of numbers and that's one component of it, but there's so much more,” McCaffery said. 'When you look at the journey of this year, but also the four-year ride that they've been on, how they've led and how they've worked in the locker room, in the weight room, in the classroom on the road, after losses, after tough losses. They just kept believing in each other, and there's no better example for young guys to experience.

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com