Hawkeyes On Fire Hawks Eye Perfect Start As Southern Comes To Town

Iowa recovered from shaky beginnings to run past visiting Texas A&M Commerce in Monday's season opener. The Hawkeyes were led by Payton Sandfort's clutch shooting and the team's tenacious defense, as they were able to overcome a slow start and notch their first victory of the season.

Despite leading by just two points at halftime, Iowa stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Lions by more than 20 points. The Hawkeyes also outrebounded Texas A&M Commerce and capitalized on their opponents' mistakes, converting turnovers into crucial baskets.

While the Hawkeyes aspire to be sharp throughout when Southern visits Iowa City on Thursday, they now know there's precedent for overcoming early struggles. Head coach Fran McCaffery was pleased with his team's performance but also acknowledged there's still room for improvement. "It was a good win for us, and we learned a lot," McCaffery said. "We started a little slow, but our guys made some key plays, they battled, and that was great to see."

As Iowa prepares to host Southern on Thursday, they know they will be in for another stiff challenge. The Jaguars possess a potent offense that could potentially exploit any lapses in the Hawkeyes' defense. The Hawkeyes recognize the importance of starting strong, but also take comfort in knowing they can overcome adversity.

With Payton Sandfort leading the charge, the Iowa Hawkeyes are looking to start the season with a perfect 2-0 record. They aim to draw inspiration from their convincing win against Texas A&M Commerce and establish themselves as one of the top contenders in the Big Ten Conference.