Another Mega News For the Iowa Basketball -Fan are buzzing

The Hawkeyes add a sixth transfer in the spring portal window.

New Iowa head coach Ben McCollum is actively working on enhancing the Hawkeye basketball roster this week. McCollum has scheduled visits, and he started the week off on a high note by announcing on Monday afternoon that the Hawkeyes secured their first transfer portal commitment from a player who was not previously at Drake.

The commitment was made by former Kansas State guard Brendan Hausen, as confirmed by his agent.

Kansas State transfer Brendan Hausen has committed to Iowa, per his agent Drew Kelso.

Averaged 10.9 PPG and made 90 three-point shots last season.

Should be dynamite in Ben McCollum's system.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 14, 2025

Hausen is a significant addition for McCollum for several reasons. First and foremost, he becomes the first player on the roster who wasn’t at Iowa last season or previously coached by McCollum, marking progress in transitioning from establishing a core to enhancing the roster with quality players who suit the system.

The second key reason this is a notable signing is Hausen’s fit within that system. Standing at 6’4”, he started his career at Villanova before transferring to Kansas State a year ago. He played in all 33 games for the Wildcats, averaging 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in just under 28 minutes per game. Most impressively, Hausen, known as the “Amarillo Assassin,” nearly reached a 39% shooting accuracy from three-point range.

This performance was not based on low volume; Hausen averaged seven three-point attempts per game last year, hitting nearly three shots from beyond the arc. Over his three years in college, he has maintained a shooting percentage of 39.1% from deep.

Originally a 4-star recruit from Amarillo, Texas, Hausen was ranked as the #72 overall player and the #11 shooting guard in the class of 2022. He finished his high school career as his school’s all-time leading scorer with a total of 2,208 points and was named the 2021-2022 Boys Athlete of the Year in the Texas Panhandle.

Hausen is an outstanding shooter with a range that extends up to 30 feet. He possesses a quick release, making him an excellent catch-and-shoot option (ranking in the 91st percentile nationally according to College Basketball Scouting) alongside former Drake point guard Bennett Stirtz.

While Iowa fans have raised concerns about Drake’s pace of play under McCollum, efficiency is a core principle of his offensive strategy. He has mentioned that last season’s slower pace was largely due to subpar shooting, but historically, his offensive efficiency relies on shooting approximately 90% of attempts from either beyond the arc or close to the basket, with virtually no mid-range jump shots.

Hausen embodies this approach perfectly. Over the past two seasons, more than 85% of his shots have come from beyond the three-point line, and he is particularly lethal when shooting from the left corner.

Overall, Hausen becomes the sixth transfer to commit to Iowa, joining the five players who are making the transition from Drake along with McCollum. Those five include PG Bennett Stirtz, CG Kael Combs, SG Isaia Howard, SF Tavion Banks, and PF Cam Manyawu. With PF Cooper Koch deciding to remain with the Hawkeyes and Valley big man Trevin Jirak switching his commitment from UNI, Iowa now has a total of eight scholarship players for the 2025-2026 season.

It’s clear that Ben McCollum is looking to add another big man. He also mentioned last week that the team aims to recruit 4-5 more transfers before Hausen’s commitment. Iowa is reportedly hosting Utah Valley guard Tanner Toolson on campus this Monday as well. The Hawkeyes have been associated with several other players in the transfer portal recently and hosted a four-star guard from the 2025 class over the weekend.

While it has taken some time to gain momentum, Ben McCollum and his new staff appear to be getting into a rhythm on the recruiting front.

Welcome aboard, Brendan Hausen!