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17 W hen Fran McCaffery was introduced as the University of Iowa head men's basketball coach in 2010, he brought an exciting style that has resulted in winning basketball: five 20-win seasons, four NCAA Tournament appearances, three NITs, and Big Ten first-division finishes in five of the last six years. Now, entering his 10th season with the Hawkeyes, McCaffery believes his 2019-20 team is the most versatile. "at was done by design," McCaffery said. "e more guys that you have who have dribble, pass, and shoot, the better chance you have to win." Iowa returns nine lettermen from last year's squad that won 23 games, finished in the upper division of the Big Ten, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa has four experienced players and one freshman 6-foot-9 or taller in Luka Garza, Ryan Kriener, Jack Nunge, Cordell Pemsl, and Patrick McCaffery. Garza was one of the best centers in the Big Ten in 2019, averaging 13.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as a sophomore. Kriener enters his final year as a Hawkeye aer posting single-season bests in nearly every statistical category as a junior. Nunge and Pemsl return aer redshirting during the 2018-19 season. Nunge used his sophomore year to build strength and improve his game aer a rookie season that saw him average 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds, while also collecting 34 assists, 25 blocks, and 21 steals. Pemsl is back aer a season recovering from leg surgery. e native of Dubuque, Iowa, averaged 8.9 points as a freshman and 5.7 points as a sophomore. Patrick McCaffery joins his brother, Connor, on the Hawkeye roster aer finishing his prep career as Iowa City West's all-time leading scorer. Redshirt junior Riley Till is also in the mix in the front court. Till earned a scholarship aer last season and is someone McCaffery can count on when his name is called. One question entering the season will be the status of senior point guard Jordan Bohannon. e native of Marion, Iowa, underwent hip surgery in May and his status is uncertain due to a five-to-nine-month recovery. Last year, Bohannon averaged 11.6 points, 3.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and made a team- best 79 3-pointers. With Bohannon's status uncertain, McCaffery signed his first graduate transfer at Iowa, inking Valparaiso transfer Bakari Evelyn. If Bohannon is unable to go, McCaffery can turn to Evelyn, Connor McCaffery, and freshman Joe Toussaint to run the offense. McCaffery enters his second full season aer ranking second on the team in assists (102), while also averaging 4.4 points. Evelyn tied for first on the Crusaders in 3-point field goals made (48), ranked second in assists (68), and was fih in scoring (8.4) last year. Toussaint, a native of Bronx, New York, is the all- time leading scorer at Cardinal Hayes High School. On the wing, Iowa returns sophomore Joe Wieskamp and redshirt freshman CJ Fredrick. Wieskamp, who was named to the All-Big Ten Preseason Team, averaged 11.1 points, making 59 3-pointers, and ranked second on the team in rebounding (4.9) a year ago. e Hawkeyes will have one of their most demanding schedules ever assembled under McCaffery in 2019-20. Iowa faces 14 teams that finished in the top 50 of the NCAA's NET Ranking a year ago. "We have depth for a reason and we're going to need it," said McCaffery. "ere is no breathing room up and down the schedule. I believe we have the veterans who can handle it." NOVEMBER SCHEDULE Nov. 4 Lindsey Wilson College (Exh.) Nov. 8 SIUE Nov. 11 DePaul Nov. 15 Oral Roberts Nov. 21 North Florida Nov. 24 Cal Poly Nov. 28 vs. Texas Tech (Las Vegas, Nevada) Nov. 29 Creighton or San Diego State (Las Vegas, Nevada)