By
News Desk
Iowa teams led by Fran McCaffery were offensively minded. Fast-paced, high scoring and fun to watch. The makeup of Hawkeye teams moving forward is going to be a culture shock to what fans are accustomed to seeing.
Ben McCollum has won the Joe B. Hall award — that goes to the nation’s top first-time head coach in division one basketball. McCollum led Drake to a program record 31 wins, and displayed how defense creates championship basketball.
Drake ranked 2nd in the country in scoring defense. McCollum’s philosophy is a slower, more efficient offense creates better opportunities on defense. Offensively, Drake was the 50th in effective field goal percentage.
“We’ll always play defense,” McCollum said. “So shot selection and the ability to get quality shots equals efficiency, which allows your defense to set, which allows you to play good defense.”
Building a great defensive culture is getting not the best players — but the right players.
“Tough kids win. Connected groups win. Groups that serve each other win. Kids that work with a level of humility win. And that hasn’t changed.” McCollum said.
McCollum’s vision is Iowa basketball is going to embody the program’s biggest legend.
“Have you ever seen Chris Street play? Like just with the intensity, the energy, the effort, the enthusiasm, the joy, the servant mentality, the toughness. Everything that Iowa stands for is what our team is going to look like.”
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