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Oh yeah, what a feeling! Football is in the air which means Iowa Hawkeyesbasketball is right around the corner. We’ll be counting down the days, here and there, until Iowa’s first game tips off. The countdown continues with… Isaiah Moss.
Previously:
55: Luka Garza
51: Nicholas Baer
35: Cordell Pemsl
30: Connor McCaffery
25: Tyler Cook
24: Nico Hobbs
20: Riley Till
15: Ryan Kriener
13: Austin Ash
10: Joe Wieskamp
5: C.J. Fredrick
— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) July 23, 2018
Isaiah Moss
Guard, 6’5”, 208 lbs
Junior, Chicago, IL (Simeon)
Isaiah Moss has had an up-and-down career as an Iowa Hawkeye. After redshirting in 2015-16, he has averaged 8.7 points per game in 61 starts and 67 games overall. He started in all 33 of Iowa’s games last year while he averaged 11.1 points a game, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
Between his freshman and sophomore years, Moss saw jumps across the board in his shooting percentages and posted a split of 42.0%/38.6%/87.9% for FG/3P/FT. It’s not outside the realm of possibility to see Isaiah Moss approach 50/40/90.
Moss’s most impressive game of 2018 came in a loss to Minnesota where he scored 32 points - seven more than in any other game - on 12/18 shooting. His next three highest scoring outputs also came in losses: 25 at Maryland and 24 & 18 against Louisiana and South Dakota State in the Cayman Islands.
For 2018-19, it’s imperative to see him further develop his game as a finisher around the rim - mainly through attacking the basket off the dribble - and maintain his three point shooting percentage. Consistency is another thing he must work on, as 12 of his lowest scoring outputs came in conference (or equivalent) losses. Can he become a guy for Iowa to turn to when they need a basket?
In my rotation breakdown, I expect his minutes to stagnate at ~24 a game as reinforcements come on the wing. After consistency on offense, the other burning question is if he able to become a reliable defender. While he might not be as talented on that end of the floor as a guy like Anthony Clemmons, the effort Sapp played with in his tenure is something for every Hawkeye guard to emulate.
Moss has shown incredible flashes in his career as a Hawkeye. If he is able to refine his offensive game even more while bringing it on defense, he’ll be a valuable piece for Iowa this year and next.