Fran McCaffery’s team is coming off of 26-10 record last season. He’s promising a better defensive team this season per 247Sports’ David Eickholt.

Iowa was towards the bottom of the B1G in points allowed on defense last season. The Hawkeyes allowed the 13th-most points per game in the B1G with 71.2 in 2021.

McCaffery mentioned that he knows that this team definitely has the ability to be much better on defense this season.

We have the ability to do that. We can put pressure on the ball. We can be in the passing lane. When you start looking at defensive numbers, it comes down to rebounding because if you’re giving up second shots, typically that’s a high-percentage shot. It’s an offensive rebound kick-out, open 3, it’s an offensive rebound put-back that’s a high-percentage shot.

Iowa will need to find another spark on offense now that Keegan Murray got drafted by the Sacramento Kings.

Iowa’s season starts on Nov. 7.