Dasonte Bowen Bulking Up for Year 2

Iowa Sophomore PG Adding Strength for Tough Play in B1G

Iowa’s Dasonte Bowen shoots over Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis on Jan. 5, 2022 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

Dasonte Bowen experienced the growing pains that so many in college basketball deal with in their freshman season, and he understands that.

What the Iowa guard wants is to build off those experiences.

Bowen played in 26 of Iowa’s 33 games last season, with one start. But he averaged just 9.3 minutes in those games.

Now, with minutes available at the point guard spot, the challenge, he said, is just getting better, and it started by getting stronger to deal with the physicality of playing in the Big Ten.

“As your (role) grows, as your minutes expand, you have to grow, you have to be bigger,” Bowen said. “That was probably one of the key things I had to do in the offseason — get stronger, gain some weight. That’s what I’m doing now.”

Ahron Ulis, a 27-game starter last season who played 722 minutes, transferred after the season, which means there is an opening for Bowen. It’s time he’s been wanting after dealing with the mental toll of not getting much playing time last season.

“Coming from high school, it’s the same as a lot of people on my team, and around the country,” Bowen said. “You’re usually ‘the guy’ from where you’re from. When you get to college, it’s a different scene. Maybe you’re not playing as much, not getting as many touches. It’s tough out there, because that’s not what you’re used to your whole life. It’s definitely a little challenging, but like I said, it definitely helped me mentally and I’m a lot stronger this year.”

Still, Bowen feels he improved throughout the season, and he wants to build on that growth.

“Even though the numbers might not say it, if you look at my first start against Wisconsin (on December 11) versus when I played in the (NCAA) tournament against Auburn, I would say I was a completely different player,” Bowen said. “I looked a lot more seasoned out there, I was seeing things a lot better. I definitely think I grew a lot.”

Bowen’s season high in minutes came in a November 26 game against TCU, when he played 20 minutes in a 79-66 loss. He had a six-game stretch of double-digit minutes in late December and early January when Iowa’s depth was limited because of injuries, but he played just 41 minutes in his final 11 appearances of the season.

The key to getting through that, Bowen said, was “staying mentally strong.”

“There were a lot of ups and downs last year,” he said. “And although this season might be better, I’m still expecting some ups and downs. Last year helped prepare me mentally. This year I know what to expect.”

Bowen was a 47 percent shooter last season, including 36 percent in 3-pointers. Those numbers, he said, can improve.

“With your jump shot, it’s a little tricky,” he said. “It’s about getting confidence, getting more shots. I think my jump shot is coming along really well with the confidence I’m building right now.”

But Bowen also understands the position he’ll play in Iowa’s rotation.

“I’ve always been good at creating my own shot,” he said. “But also, I want to create for others. Helping others, that opens up stuff for you as well.”

There will be plenty of competition for minutes — Iowa’s roster construction has plenty of versatility — and Bowen understands that.

“That’s beyond me,” he said. “I just focus on myself.

“The opportunity is right in front of me now. I have to work and take it.”