By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Drew Thelwell laughed when he saw the four media members waiting to talk to him in the Vibrant Arena hallway.

“This is a first,” he said.

There is a lot that’s new for the fifth-year point guard since coming to Iowa after four years at Morehead State. It’s taken him a while, but he’s fitting in quite well with the Hawkeyes.

Thelwell was someone everyone had questions for after the Hawkeyes’ 76-66 win over Washington State on Friday night in Moline, Ill. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers in a 52-second span in the final four minutes, putting Iowa into a lead it wouldn’t give up. Plus, he was at the top of Iowa’s pressure defense that locked down the Cougars.

“Drew knows how to win games,” forward Payton Sandfort said.

He does. Thelwell was the winningest player in Morehead State history, a part of 94 wins in a program that went to three postseason tournaments — two NCAAs and one NIT — and won two Ohio Valley Conference regular-season and postseason tournament titles during Thelwell’s time there.

It was why Iowa coach Fran McCaffery went after Thelwell when he went into the NCAA’s transfer portal after last season. McCaffery needed veteran guard depth after Tony Perkins’ transfer, and Thelwell seemed like the perfect fit.

“Morehead State, they’ve had some really good players,” McCaffery said. “They won 27 games last year. I’ve coached at that level, I know how hard it is to win 27 games. You need a guy like that to engineer victory.”

Thelwell did that in Friday’s game. He hadn’t made a shot when he hit his first 3-pointer with 3:55 left in the game to put Iowa up 60-59. His second 3-pointer gave Iowa a 63-62 lead, and the Hawkeyes wouldn’t trail after that.

“I was a bit nervous, but they did feel good coming out of my hand,” said Thelwell, who missed a 3-pointer on Iowa’s next possession. “I’m not going to lie, (the missed 3-pointer), definitely a heat check, but it did feel good, too.”

Thelwell played just 7 ½ minutes in the first half, and missed his lone shot.

“He didn’t play a whole lot early in the game, but he was still engaged in the game, engaged in the huddles,” Sandfort said. “Then he comes out, makes huge plays defensively, and had those threes.”

That, Thelwell said, comes from his experience.

“Keeping your nerves and your composure really helps in those situations,” Thelwell said. “Definitely relied on experience tonight.”

“(Thelwell) came in and hit those big threes late,” Washington State coach David Riley said. “For him to come in and understand the game plan, and the system, it’s impressive.” 

Still, there has been some adjustment for Thelwell. Coming to Iowa meant not just a step up in competition, there was a new system to learn.

“He started slow throughout the summer,” McCaffery said. “But he just kept getting better. He just kept grinding instead of making excuses. He just came in and studied. Like, ‘OK, I got it, this is all new. I’m an old guy, but this is all new.’”

Thelwell hasn’t started for the Hawkeyes in their first four games, but is still averaging almost 22 minutes. He averages 10 points per game — one of five Iowa players averaging in double figures so far this season — and is tied for the team lead with seven steals. He also has 13 assists against four turnovers.

The new home is definitely a good fit.

“I’m definitely more comfortable,” Thelwell said. “Especially with a different system. Now that I do it every day, I’m a lot more comfortable. Just taking it day by day.”

Photo: Iowa’s Drew Thelwell (right) stops South Dakota’s Chase Forte in last Tuesday’s game. (Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)