The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 9 but are only focused on themselves.

By Kyle Mann | [email protected]

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery’s team sits at No. 9 in the country after starting 5-0 in the Big Ten, and the program has a buzz around it that it hasn’t felt often in the past decade.

Despite the national recognition, the Hawkeyes don’t care; they’re focused on getting better and moving forward with their tough schedule.

No, really, the Hawkeyes don’t care at all about their ranking. They recognize the season has a long way to go and a lot can happen.

“Rankings this time of year are incredibly meaningless,” McCaffery said.  “And I mean that sincerely. They just don’t mean a thing … if we don’t take care of business between now and [the NCAA Tournament], it won’t matter.”

McCaffery took a very coach-esque route in his reaction to the ranking, but some would venture to wonder if the players are truly of the same mind. But this isn’t your typical 2016 college basketball team. Four seniors in the starting lineup brings an element of composure to the team, and they have the experience to know that what McCaffery says is true.

The always-concise Jarrod Uthoff echoed McCaffery’s belief following the win over Michigan on Sunday. When asked what it meant that his team would likely rise in the rankings, he simply replied, “Nothing.”

Jok-in on ’Em

The lone non-senior in the starting lineup, Peter Jok, arrived on campus with high hopes from Iowa fans who saw great potential in the guard as a lethal scorer. In his third season, Jok’s offensive potential has come to fruition in a big way, with an added bonus on defense.

Jok is second on the team with 13.9 points per game, but he has played even better since the beginning of conference play. In Iowa’s 5-0 start, Jok has upped his scoring to 15.4 per game, and he is also shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. With Uthoff presenting as commanding of a defensive assignment as there is in the Big Ten, Jok’s recent play inspires hope that Iowa has one of the best tandems in the league.

“Pete’s one of the best scorers in the country,” Mike Gesell said. “He can put up points in a hurry. He’s one of the best shooters I’ve been around, and he can get his shot off on anybody.”

And while Jok was never expected to be a defensive stopper, his abilities on that end of the court have improved drastically and are reflected by his numbers. He is third in the Big Ten with 1.4 steals per game.

McCaffery said Jok has played his way to “elite” status, and he has surely been a huge playmaker on both ends of the floor.

Ball control

The Hawkeyes have shot their way to success and defended well enough to disrupt even some of the toughest matchups in the league such as Michigan State and Purdue. What shouldn’t be overlooked, however, is that they aren’t doing anything to beat themselves.

They have great ball movement (third with 17.8 team assists per game), and use their veteran experience to protect it dearly. Their 1.8 assists to turnover ratio leads the Big Ten and goes a long way in assisting their league-best 3.9 turnover margin.

They shoot well, defend hard, and play smart.