Last season didn't end on a good note for Josh Dix or for the entire Iowa men's basketball team, as they lost to Utah in the second round of the NIT. Both Dix and the entire team are looking ahead to bigger and better things in 2024-25.
"I feel [the higher expectations] but I feel like it's our whole team. Last year didn't go as we wanted so we carry that chip on our shoulder ever day in practice and try to make each other better."
Part of the hope for improvement this winter comes from an influx of new faces. Dix discussed what the newcomers to the roster can bring to the table.
"Seydou [Traore] has been really good -- on the boards [and[ defensively. His shot's been really good too. Chris [Tadjo] is super athletic, and he's been really good on defense as well. Then Cooper [Koch], he's been super good just shooting the ball. He plays really fundamentally sound as well."
One of the biggest additions to the roster is Morehead State transfer Drew Thelwell. The veteran point guard has impressed Dix since his arrival on campus.
"He's been good since day one. He super confident in himself. He's seen a lot playing for four years. Hes played some really good competition, he knows where everyone should be and he gets everyone involved."
"[Drew]'s been really good, he's super sound -- [he] doesn't really turn the ball over at all, gets downhill, [he's] super-athletic, and he can defend as well."
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Dix spoke about his personal goals for the upcoming season as well. "I just try to be as confident as I can. Be more aggressive and look for my shot a little bit more, especially to start the year. I still want to try and guard the best player defensively on the other team, too."
In 2023-24, Dix led the team in three-point shooting, converting 42.1% of his attempts behind the arc (32-of-76), though he was just 2-of-11 from deep in Iowa's final four games. Working on his shot has been a key focus of his off-season workouts overall.
"I've been trying to shoot more threes, off the move, off the dribble, expanding my range," Dix said. "To make defenses have to play closer up so I can get downhill more [too]."
Finally, Dix spoke about how the team is moving forward without Tony Perkins and Patrick McCaffery, two experienced leaders who opted not to return to Iowa for one final season in 2024-25. "We have a lot more youth on the team [now]," Dix said.
"They were veteran leaders last year. There's a lot of excitement in the gym [with the new guys], but also a little more learning, because [Perkins and McCaffery] played a lot and we're going to miss them."
Dix noted that several players have stepped up as leaders in the wake of the departures of Perkins and McCaffery.
"Payton [Sandfort] obviously [is more vocal]. He's the leader, but Brock and Drew, they've been super vocal. Owen [Freeman] has stepped up too. Everyone just been trying to help each other out and I feel like we're really connected as a team right now."
