​The Iowa basketball program was full of surprises last season. Perhaps no surprise was bigger or more unexpected than the emergence of Tate Sage.A late addition after Ben McCollum took the Iowa job, Sage was a three-star signee in the Hawkeyes’ 2025 class. The 6-foot-7 guard brought intriguing raw skills to the table, but was seen by many as a project. That is what makes his down-the-stretch performance so incredible.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSage put together some good games in regular-season losses to Wisconsin and Michigan in February. Those were only a taste of what was to come.Following the Hawkeyes’ improbable upset of top-seeded Florida in the NCAA Tournament, a matchup with rival Nebraska awaited them. In the biggest Iowa game of this century, Sage rose to the occasion.Against the Huskers, the Weatherford, Okla., product recorded 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes off the bench. Sage drilled four huge 3-pointers to help Iowa clinch its first Elite Eight berth in nearly 40 years. Now he’s trying to build on a strong freshman campaign.In speaking with reporters last week, Sage acknowledged how that Nebraska performance could be a catalyst for him moving forward.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”That Nebraska game, I feel like kind of broke another level of realization, like, ‘Oh dang,'” Sage said.Sage impressed during the open portion of Iowa’s summer practice last week. As he impressed the media in attendance, Sage said his performance during the open practice was a good indication of how most summer practices have gone.“I would say so, yeah,” Sage said. “That’s where I’ve been getting comfortable, and I’ve been shooting it at a pretty high clip. I’m just getting more comfortable with my new role and trying to excel in it.”Sage has been focused on his diet and working to get leaner as his sophomore campaign approaches. He knows his role will grow and Sage is confident that he’s ready to handle it.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”I’m going to have a bigger role,” Sage said. “I’m going to have the ball in my hands a lot more, more looks at the rim. I’ve been shooting a lot, working on my ball-handling, and all these ball-screen actions, really whatever the team needs. If I need to be a scorer, I’ll be a scorer.”As the program turns the page from star Bennett Stirtz, Sage said he and the rest of the Hawkeyes are ready to pick up the slack.”I just think it’s going to be the Iowa Hawks,” Sage said. “I’m not saying we weren’t a true team last year, but it’s going to be more of a team effort. More involved, more spread out. There’s not going to be just one main guy. Everybody’s willing to do whatever they have to do to win.”Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hineyThis article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa basketball’s Tate Sage