Hawkeyes Look to Stay Undefeated Against Surging Coyotes

The Iowa Hawkeyes will host the South Dakota Coyotes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Tuesday evening as the college basketball season heats up. The Hawkeyes, currently 2-0 on the young season, will be looking to keep their winning streak alive against a tough South Dakota squad that has also gotten off to a 3-0 start.

The Hawkeyes are coming off an impressive 89-74 victory over Southern University last Thursday, in which they shot a scorching 53.3% from the field and 45% from 3-point range. Leading the way for the Hawkeyes in that game were the brotherly duo of Pryce and Payton Sandfort, who combined to knock down 17 3-pointers. The Sandfort brothers currently rank first and second in the Big Ten in 3-pointers made so far this season.

Defensively, sophomore forward Owen Freeman has been a force for the Hawkeyes, averaging 15 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game through the first two contests. Freeman’s interior presence has been a key factor in Iowa’s success early on, and the Hawkeyes will need him to continue that dominant play against a South Dakota team that likes to attack the paint.

“Owen has really stepped up for us on both ends of the floor,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “His ability to protect the rim and clean up the glass has been huge, and we’re going to need that same level of production from him if we want to keep this winning streak going.”

As for the Coyotes, they enter Tuesday’s matchup with a 3-0 record, having defeated Texas A&M-Commerce and Southern University in their first two games. Senior guard A.J. Plitzuweit leads South Dakota, averaging 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game so far this season.

McCaffery stated, “South Dakota is a highly skilled team, with A.J. Plitzuweit serving as their key player.” “If we want to win, we’ll need to excel at containing him and complicating their offense.”

One key factor that could play in Iowa’s favor is the home-court advantage of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes have been dominant at home in recent years, and they’ll be looking to feed off the energy of their passionate fan base on Tuesday.

“Our fans always give us an extra boost when we’re playing at home,” said junior guard Josh Dix. “We’re really looking forward to getting out there in front of them again and putting on a show.”

With both teams looking to remain undefeated, Tuesday’s matchup promises to be an exciting one. The Hawkeyes will be looking to continue their hot shooting and stifling defense, while the Coyotes will be looking to pull off the upset on the road.

The Big Ten Network will broadcast the game nationally starting at 8 p.m. CT. Fans can also stream the game live on FUBO, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.

Key Storylines:

  • Iowa’s dynamic duo of Pryce and Payton Sandfort is leading the way on offense.
  • Owen Freeman, a sophomore forward, anchors the Hawkeyes’ defense.
  • South Dakota’s veteran guard A.J. Plitzuweit is posing a tough challenge.
  • Iowa’s home-court advantage at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Projected Starters:

Iowa:

G Brock Harding (5.5 ppg, 6.0 apg, 2.0 spg)
G Josh Dix (12.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 spg)
F Payton Sandfort (18.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.0 spg)
F Ladji Dembele (4.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.5 spg)
F Owen Freeman (15.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 1.5 spg)

South Dakota:

G A.J. Plitzuweit (18.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg)
G Tasos Kamateros (12.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 apg)
F Kruz Perrott-Hunt (10.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F Mason Archambault (7.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 apg)
C Manuel Vela (5.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.7 bpg)

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