While football season is in full swing, it doesn’t mean we can’t dabble in some basketball prep ahead of the first tip-off on November 3rd! Next up is a UFC fighter masquerading as a basketball player: Isaia Howard!
#23 – Isaia Howard, G, 6’5” 216 lbs
3rd year; Plattsburg, MO; Plattsburg
2025-26: 37 games, 5.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 45.0% FG, 28.1% 3P, 69.4% FT, 18.2 MPG
Howard is another former Bulldog who came over with Ben McCollum after Iowa hired him. He had modest stats his freshman season but
was an absolute bucket as a high schooler where he finished with 34.4 PPG & 13.2 RPG for Plattsburg. He had 2 games over 50 points his senior season. Dude can fill it up.
He likes to yam; he likes to block; he looks like an absolute menace to go against – just constantly stunting on fools and getting revved up.
That hasn’t changed since he’s donned the black & gold.
He always plays with energy. Constantly in his opponent’s grill on defense. Despite playing just 18 minutes a game he was second on the team in steals with 1 a game.
However some of that scoring has not yet translated to Big Ten basketball consistently. He had just four games in double digits last season, the final one coming on January 6th. Yet his season high of 19 was absolutely integral in getting the Hawks over Grand Canyon in their Thanksgiving tournament. He went 7/10 in 29 minutes. He added six boards, a steal, and a block.
The Plattsburg native will have to develop some offensive consistency this season as the team has added wing depth in high school recruiting. Since the Hawks lost their three top scorers, there is that void in scoring. If he can be a consistent scorer – especially if his 3 point shot can approach 40% – off the bench, it will be a boost to the much needed offense.
It’ll make it hard to take him off because it’s such a joy to watch him play basketball like a psychopath.
