Iowa upbeat heading into matchup with New Orleans

While Iowa may be smarting from consecutive narrow defeats to conference and in-state rivals, the Hawkeyes have learned to smile at the same time.

As they pause from facing fellow high-majors with Sunday's visit from New Orleans, the Hawkeyes feel encouraged about their progress five weeks into the season.

Iowa (7-3) led third-ranked Iowa State by 12 in the first half and nine down the stretch before running out of steam in Thursday's 89-80 home loss. Five days earlier, the team played a tight game at No. 23 Michigan but came up short in the closing seconds.

"We're right there with the No. 3 team in the country, who took (No. 2 Auburn) to the wire," Iowa forward Payton Sandfort said. "So, we're right there. I'm proud of everybody. We have a lot to build on."

Six double-figure scorers helped keep Iowa afloat against Iowa State, including team leaders Owen Freeman (16.7 points per game), Sandfort (16.1) and Josh Dix (13.4).

The Hawkeyes hope to parlay a spark from reserve Ladji Dembele into bigger things. Dembele matched a career high with 11 points while making a personal-best three baskets from 3-point range in three attempts.

"I told him, ‘Come off the bench. Play with confidence,'" Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. "He was getting a little tentative. He wasn't tentative at all (Thursday), he was great."

New Orleans (2-6) has been idle since a three-point loss at Nicholls State in its Southland Conference opener on Dec. 7.

Freshman forward MJ Thomas enjoyed his strongest game as a Privateer, contributing a career-high 16 points to go with nine boards. James White, a transfer from Alabama-Birmingham, added 15 points.

Entering the season, first-year New Orleans coach Stacy Holowell envisioned "a group that will develop and be developed as we go," considering the makeup of the roster. The Privateers have four freshmen and seven transfers.

An arduous nonconference schedule continues to offer opportunities for growth, albeit on the fast track. New Orleans opened the season with an 89-65 loss at Kansas State and fell by 31 points at then-No. 17 Baylor on Nov. 27.

White, the team's leading scorer at 18.5 points per game, shot a combined 8-for-32 against Kansas State and Baylor.

After Sunday, the Privateers are also set to visit Texas, LSU and Vanderbilt before the calendar flips to 2025.

--Field Level Media