Iowa 98, Alabama State 67: Harding Highlights Blowout Win

IOWA CITY -- Iowa was back at it again on Friday evening in a non-conference matchup with Alabama State, taking the victory 98 to 67.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

The trio of Pryce Sandfort, Owen Freeman and Ladji Dembele, have had their moments in the sun in this young season as freshmen.

Though he hasn't played poorly, the same couldn't exactly be said for fellow freshman, Brock Harding. He changed the tune on Friday.

The last of the freshmen quartet, Harding looked as steady-handed, even-keel and crafty as we've seen him to date. Though he didn't fill the stat-sheet, Harding brought value to the table with his composure, and he did put up five points and seven assists over 15 minutes.

"When you have a lot of guys around you that can score the ball, it makes it that much easier," Harding said postgame. "Guys cut, and they know they're going to get the ball. We've got shooters all around, and that makes my job a lot easier as the point guard."

After Iowa's 110-68 victory over North Dakota on Tuesday, Harding spent time after the game getting up extra shots.

"I just thought that I still had a little bit left in the tank," he said. "I was going to put it to good use. Might as well go get a couple extra shots up. We have another game coming up, so just kind of staying locked in for the next one after our wins."

He did the same thing Friday night.

The first half of the game wasn't exactly pretty -- for either team. Moreso for the Hawkeyes, who didn't expand their lead to double digits over this low-major opponent until only 41 seconds before halftime -- 47-37.

The Hornets were the aggressor from the start. They brought a toughness and grit Quincy and North Dakota hadn't shown against the Hawkeyes this season.

"They just kept fouling," senior forward Patrick McCaffery said following the game. "You don't score a ton early because they just keep fouling. But eventually, you get in the bonus, and that's when it kind of separates itself, because they continue to foul. They're a very aggressive defensive team, so it's just kind of the way they play."

That physicality carried over into the second half, too. Within the first 1:15 of the latter 20 minutes, ASU had four fouls. The Hornets finished with 29 total for the game (though somehow didn't have anybody foul out).

"We saw this team's stats from last year and the first couple of games," Harding said. "They're an aggressive, physical team that gets a lot of fouls every game. We knew it was going to be that type of game. We had to get good shots and get the ball in the paint."

Payton Sandfort was expected to be the straw that stirs the drink this season for the Iowa offense, and so far, he has done just that.

Over his 28 minutes, Sandfort put up 17 points, including 12 between 2:32 and 41 seconds left in the first half. He made three three-pointers and three free throws over that time-span.

"He's supremely confident in his shooting ability," Fran McCaffery said. "He's very gifted in that area. He moves very well without the ball, so he's open a lot. We're pretty locked in to screening for him. When you have a guy like Payton Sandfort, you've got to get that guy open, and we do."

Sandfort added 12 rebounds as well.

"Now that we're playing he and Patrick at the forward positions, he recognized, 'I've got to get on the glass,'" Fran said. "He's got a real sense of where to go to get offensive rebounds."

And for the first time over three games, Patrick McCaffery looked like his first instinct was to score on Friday.

"That's kind of my mentality," he said. "If I have space to drive or shoot the ball, I'm really confident in the work I've put in and in my ability. I always try to be aggressive and to hunt shots. Tonight they went in, and it was helpful."