Iowa Men’s Basketball using late momentum after slow start [Video]

IOWA CITY, Iowa — For the first time since 2018, Iowa men’s basketball missed the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes dug themselves a deep hole, including an 0-3 start in Big Ten play and three losses in the non-conference.

“We know that those November games and December games are just as important as that ones at the end of the year, so we just got to be focused and stay motivated throughout the whole course of the year,” said junior guard Josh Dix.

Despite the slow start to the season, Iowa won four out of five late in the season to make a push to the NCAA Tournament bubble. However, a loss on senior day and a one-and-done trip at the Big Ten Tournament placed the Hawkeyes in the National Invitational Tournament.

“Obviously, the NIT is a …