It might surprise some people to see Cam Manyawu as the lone Hawkeye in @EvanMiya’s top 20 @B1GMBBall player rankings. Yes, Cam only averaged 6.6 PPG, but there’s a lot more to his impact than the scoring column suggests, and the data clearly agrees, as EvanMiya’s rankings stem from BPR (Bayesian Performance Rating), a formula that measures a player’s overall impact rather than simply looking at points per game. Manyawu was 1st on Iowa in offensive rebounding rate (13.9%), shot 63.1% from the field, and posted a 3.9% block rate (Iowa's highest) He also started all 37 games for a team that reached the Elite 8. Now he gets a 7-foot-3 rim protector next to him, unlocking even more potential ways for his skillset to shine.

Jaxson Davis is no longer making a visit to Iowa, narrowing his recruitment to five schools — first reported by @JoeTipton. Could be any number of reasons, but it’s hard not to notice the timing with 5-star PG Cayden Daughtry just coming off his official Iowa visit. 👀

When you’re recruiting 5-stars, every edge counts. And for Iowa, Bryston Williams could be one of its biggest. McCollum’s first-ever recruit at Northwest Missouri State, Williams developed into an All-Defensive player and now sits at the center of Iowa’s recruiting efforts. A young, charismatic coach who can tell a 5-star firsthand what playing for McCollum is like, and what that experience can do for you on and off the court, is invaluable. Don’t undercount it.

It’s always a big recruiting opportunity when you get a Cy-Hawk night game. Few are bigger than having 5-star Cayden Daughtry in town this weekend. Daughtry’s list is down to 14, with seven of those schools having an official visit scheduled. The No. 2 PG in the country is making one of those trips to Iowa City. Even if Iowa doesn’t land him, it’s a telling sign of where recruiting is headed under Ben and his staff.

5 legitimate résumé opportunities and a hell of an 11-day stretch with Virginia Tech, Creighton & Xavier. UMBC and Prairie View A&M were also NCAA Tournament teams last year, while Bethune-Cookman won the SWAC regular-season title. Love this schedule. Clear signal the staff isn’t expecting any sort of drop-off.

Wouldn’t get too attached to any of this yet. It’s a preliminary injunction, not a final ruling, and comes from just a single Colorado judge. @samcehrlich (who tracks this stuff so well) already said he expects the NCAA to appeal this quickly, and appellate courts have been siding with the NCAA lately when these get challenged. It's a big mess and I'd be surprised if it ends here.

The Thunder know how to draft. I imagine Bennett Stirtz will end up playing both guard spots. At the 1, his IQ, controlled pace, and pick-and-roll game fit perfectly with how Oklahoma City operates. At the 2, his off-ball movement, shooting, and willingness to make the extra pass give them another elite connector and scorer to keep the offense dynamic. The first Hawkeye to ever record 700+ points, 100+ assists, and 50+ steals in a single season. I don’t expect the accolades to stop anytime soon.

Iowa’s non-con schedule is really heating up. Early projections have: • Iowa State: Top 10 • Alabama: Top 15 • Creighton: Top 30 • Virginia Tech: Top 30 • Xavier: Top 50 That’s five projected Top-50 opponents, including two projected Top-15 teams, before January even hits us. Iowa itself sits around #40 in Torvik’s early rankings. Last season, the Hawkeyes played just four non-con opponents that finished inside the NET Top 100. This jump in difficulty says a lot about how our staff views the current roster and the expectations around the team.

Huge addition to the non conference schedule. With this, here's what we know so far: Eastern Illinois | Nov. 6 (home) Creighton | Nov. 15 (Casey's Center) Xavier | Nov. 20 (away) Iowa State | Dec. 10 (home) Alabama | Dec. 21 (Casey's Center) South Dakota | Dec. 29 (home) A lot of empty days around Thanksgiving is unusual for a P5 team.. ya know.. #feastweek and all. I think you'll see a single day "showcase" emerge, not expecting the Hawks to enter a bracket-style tournament with 4 quality opponents already in the hopper.

Iowa is officially on the board for the class of 2027. Keller Daugherty, a 6-foot-Ten Forward with a #153 national class ranking (#8 in MO), committed to the Hawkeyes earlier today. Will play multiple positions. And checks a lot of McCollum' boxes, especially the "around winning cultures" one: Daugherty starred for a top 15 (MO) Lee's Summit and competed in Class 6, which features the largest schools across the state. He also comes from an elite AAU program in @VWBAelite — with notable recent alums like Keaton Wagler, and our very own Isaia Howard. Great addition and fit. Get familiar, Hawk fans!

Offseason vibes. Go USA. Go Hawks.

Most of the elite non conference tournaments have been booked years in advance. Would've loved to see Iowa in the Players Era 16, but not happening this season. The best tournament with an unannounced field is likely the ESPN Invitational in Florida. Last year's 'Magic' bracket featured BYU, Miami, Georgetown and Dayton. The Battle 4 Atlantis also has 1 single spot open. With Virginia, Marquette and A&M in the quadrant with an open slot, potentially providing three Q1-2 opportunities before December hits. With a solid noncon schedule already in place, don't think you'll see the Hawkeyes enter a tournament just for the sake of it. Has to be a good fit like last year's Palm Springs trip, which provided us winnable games against quality opponents.

One of the best all around point guards in this class — two way player who can lead you in assists and scoring. Coached by a highly respected coach Vic Morris at Calvary, a hotbed for talent. Top 90 nationally in 3pt made. Standout quote: "I'm a wolf. I'm going to kill anything in front of me and play this game the right way," — from @stockrisers On Iowa recruitment: "pitching to me that I can create my own legacy at Iowa. Coach Ben has done a great job of developing guards, even at the Division 2 stage. Just showing me how bad they want and need me" All-City.. All-League..Has been MVP at elite camps and sessions, like EYBL. Will be a first team All American before he leaves college.

Disappointed in how Fran & co. treated longtime Iowa reporters. But equally disappointed in those reporters. If you knew what was happening behind the scenes and sat on it — that’s a disservice to the fans who trusted you and goes against every fiber of journalistic integrity. Dropping harsh narratives a year after he’s gone is cowardice. I'm thrilled about the staff we have in place, it's time to move on.