Iowa Basketball Rolls Over SEMO

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Fran McCaffery knew Payton Sandfort was on account of have a breakout recreation.

The Iowa coach had to ensure Sandfort knew that as effectively.

Breaking Sandfort out of his stoop was one thing McCaffery wished to occur, and it occurred in Saturday’s 106-75 win over Southeast Missouri State at Carver-Hawkeye Area.

Sandfort scored 24 factors on 9-of-13 capturing, his greatest recreation of the season after a couple of unhealthy capturing performances.

Sandfort was simply 14-of-55 from the sector during the last eight video games, however his 3-of-29 capturing in 3-pointers was particularly irritating for the sophomore.

He was 2-of-6 from behind the arc from this recreation, however that didn’t matter.

“, it’s been a extremely powerful stretch,” Sandfort mentioned. “However I’m actually pleased with myself. I feel I actually discovered myself on this stretch, on and off the court docket. Numerous tough nights, however I simply continued to place within the work and that is not going to cease, whatever the end result. I am not going to alter who I’m or what I do.”

McCaffery didn’t need Sandfort to alter both.

“You’ve bought to allow them to play by means of it,” McCaffery mentioned. “You do not need to yank them and you do not need to get on him. You need to keep constructive, which I’ve achieved. As a result of I understand how good he’s. He is bought to know that you simply imagine. He’ll by no means belief his expertise if he does not suppose the coach does.”

Sandfort by no means saved capturing, which was essential.

“That is one thing I continued to do over the previous couple of video games and it hasn’t, I suppose, appeared nice from the surface, however it does not matter as a result of Coach needs me to maintain capturing,” Sandfort mentioned.

Sandfort missed his first shot, a 3-pointer with 11:07 left within the first half. However when he scored seven consecutive factors within the span of 42 seconds, the stoop had disappeared.

“I feel it was actually vital for me simply to attempt to discover my rhythm tonight, which was good,” Sandfort mentioned. “I feel an important factor was simply having enjoyable once more. I’ve made this simply an excessive amount of, or overthinking every thing greater than what it’s. So simply going on the market and being me and having enjoyable with my teammates, successful video games. That was enjoyable.”

“He missed a couple of at the beginning however as soon as (the pictures) began falling, it was unending,” mentioned ahead Filip Rebraca, who led the Hawkeyes (8-3) with a career-high 30 factors.

Sandfort mentioned to get by means of this, he simply needed to chill out.

“I’ve performed this recreation endlessly,” he mentioned. “And I feel the largest factor I needed to get again to was enjoying prefer it was a recreation once more. I used to be simply too disturbing on myself, simply put an excessive amount of stress on myself, which then makes the sport actually onerous. So I simply needed to work by means of it and discover my love for the sport once more after which simply simply hold placing within the work.”

“He was actual shut,” McCaffery mentioned. “He is been enjoying very effectively, working onerous, staying after it, staying constructive. And the factor that I advised him was typically guys which can be good shooters, they get the fame of ‘OK, he’s a shooter.’ Payton Sandfort is only a actually good basketball participant.”

Sandfort constructed on what Rebraca began. He had 11 of Iowa’s first 19 factors, beginning a dominating present through which he was 12-of-13 from the sector whereas additionally getting 9 factors and 6 assists.

“Boy, that’s a terrific weapon to have,” McCaffery mentioned.

“I want it was at all times that simple,” Rebraca mentioned. “I simply took benefit of my dimension and I used to be enjoying more durable, so it form of got here simple at occasions.”

Patrick McCaffery added 20 for the Hawkeyes, who hadn’t performed since final Sunday’s residence loss to Wisconsin.

Chris Harris led SEMO (5-7) with 19 factors.