March 8, 2004
Listen to today’s edition of Inside Iowa
Iowa (16-11, 9-7) meets Michigan (17-10, 8-8) Friday, March 12 in the quarter-finals of the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Game time is 1:305 p.m. CT at Conseco Fieldhouse (14,123) in Indianapolis, IN. The teams split two games during the regular season, with Michigan winning 90-84 Jan. 28 in Ann Arbor and Iowa winning 69-61 Feb. 14 in Iowa City.
Iowa posted a 9-7 record in Big Ten play, earning the fourth seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The fourth seed is the highest the Hawkeyes have earned in the event, as Iowa was seeded fifth in 1998 and 1999, seventh in 2000, sixth in 2001 and ninth in 2002 and 2003.
Michigan is the fifth seed in the tournament after earning a tie for fifth during the regular season with Northwestern. The winner of the Iowa vs. Michigan game will play in the first semi-final game on Saturday at 12:40 p.m. CT.
IOWA EARNS FOURTH PLACE FINISH
Iowa ended the Big Ten season with a 9-7 record (16-11 overall), earning sole possession of fourth place. The Hawkeyes accomplished their best finish under Coach Steve Alford, despite losing four players during the course of the season. The Hawkeyes played the majority of the Big Ten season with seven scholarship players and nine players overall, missing four players who had combined to average 30 points and 17 rebounds from earlier in the season. The Hawkeyes have won four of their last six games and five of eight. Iowa did not lose consecutive games in Big Ten play and won four of eight road games. Two of the three most recent losses, to Wisconsin and at Northwestern, were by margins of one and two points, respectively.
ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Gary Dolphin handles the play-by-play with color commentator Bob Hansen. Television: ESPN will carry the game to a national cable audience. Dave Barnett, Tim McCormick and Steve Lavin will call the action.
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,308 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,375-933 (.596). That includes an 858-303 (.739) record in home games, a 517-630 (.451) record in games away from Iowa City, a 657-644 (.505) mark in Big Ten games and a 264-77 (.774) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA IN THE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Iowa is 8-5 overall in the Big Ten tournament, claiming four of the eight wins on the way to the tournament title in 2001 and three wins while returning to the title game in 2002. The eight wins trails only Illinois (11) for the most wins in the six-year event and Iowa’s .615 winning percentage trails only that of Illinois (.688) and Michigan State (.636).
Iowa lost in the first round in both 1998 and 1999 before winning its first game in the event in 2000. Iowa has been eliminated by the tournament champion in three of the six tournaments, including Michigan in the 1998 quarter-finals, Michigan State in the 2000 quarter-finals and Ohio State in the 2002 title game. The Hawkeyes are one of four teams (along with Michigan State, Illinois and Ohio State) to appear in more than one championship game.
Iowa Coach Steve Alford, with an 8-3 record, leads all Big Ten coaches in total wins and winning percentage (.727).
TOURNAMENT NOTES
The fourth-seeded team has posted a 6-5 overall record in the Big Ten Tournament, but that record does not include Michigan winning three games and the tournament title in 1998. The fourth seeded team (Michigan) won the tournament in 1998 and advanced to the finals in both 2000 and 2001. The fourth seed lost in the semi-finals in 1999 and 2002 and lost in the quarter-finals a year ago.
The top-seeded team in the tournament has lost four times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003) in the quarter-finals and holds a 4-5 record in the tournament. Michigan State in 1999 is the only top-seeded team to win the event.
Iowa’s 13 games in the Big Ten Tournament have been against nine different teams. Illinois is the only team Iowa has not played in the tournament, while the Hawkeyes have met Wisconsin (1-1), Indiana (2-0) and Ohio State (1-2) more than once. Iowa is 1-0 vs. Minnesota, Purdue and Northwestern and 0-1 vs. Michigan and Michigan State. The Big Ten Tournament returns to Chicago in 2005 and Indianapolis in 2006.
HAWKEYES WITH TOURNAMENT RECORDS
Reggie Evans in 2001 and 2002, set several tournament records, for single game, tournament and career. Evans holds single game records for free throws (12, tie), free throw attempts (17) and rebounds (18, twice). He also holds the record for rebounds in a tournament (51) and career tournament rebounds (91).
Dean Oliver holds the record for free throw attempts (35) in a tournament, Kyle Galloway in 2000 set a single-game and tournament record for free throw percentage (11-11, 100%) and Luke Recker holds tournament records for field goals (30) and total points (91).
As a team, Iowa holds single-game records for points (94, tie), free throws (36), free throw attempts (48) and forced turnovers (22). Iowa holds tournament records for points (304), free throws (106), free throw attempts (152) and rebounds (162). Iowa’s seven-game winning streak in the 2001 and 2002 events is also a tournament record.
CAREER TOURNAMENT LEADERS
Four Hawkeye players rank among the leaders in Big Ten Tournament career statistics. Current senior Brody Body is tied for ninth in steals with nine. Reggie Evans is the career leader in rebounds (95), he ranks sixth in scoring (111) and is tied for 10th in blocked shots (seven). Luke Recker ranks fourth in scoring with 135 points and Dean Oliver is tied for fourth in steals (14) and ranks sixth in assists (34).
IOWA VS. RANKED FOES
Having played six games against ranked opponents this season, Steve Alford has posted a 15-23 record against ranked opponents as Iowa’s head coach, including a 2-4 mark in 2003-04. Iowa, this season, defeated 16th-ranked Louisville 70-69 in overtime and 24th-ranked Purdue 71-61 in Iowa City. Iowa lost at 22nd-ranked Missouri, 76-56, at 25th-ranked Illinois, 88-82, lost 54-52 to 14th-ranked Wisconsin in Iowa City and lost 78-59 to 23rd-ranked Illinois in Iowa City.
Alford’s Hawkeye teams are 5-8 when playing teams ranked in the top 10, including wins over top-ranked Connecticut (70-68 in 1999-00), 2nd-ranked Missouri (83-65 in 2001-02), 5th-ranked Ohio State (67-64 in 1999-00), 7th-ranked Illinois (78-62 in 2000-01) and 8th-ranked Illinois (68-61 in 2002-03). The eight losses to top 10 teams have been once to top-ranked (Duke, 2001-02), once to 3rd-ranked (Illinois, 2000-01), twice to 4th-ranked (Michigan State, 1999-00 and 2000-01), twice to 5th-ranked (Tennessee, 2000-01 and Missouri, 2001-02), once to 9th-ranked (Kentucky, 2000-01) and once to 10th-ranked (Illinois, 2002).
In the 38 games against ranked teams, Alford and his Iowa team are 6-7 in home games, 6-7 at neutral sites and 3-9 when playing ranked teams in their home arena.
IOWA COACH Steve Alford
Steve Alford (pronounced ALL-ford) is in his fifth season as the head coach at the University of Iowa and his 13th season as a college head coach. Alford holds a career record of 245-146 (.627), including an 89-69 (.563) record at Iowa, a 78-29 (.729) record in four seasons (1992-95) at Div. III Manchester College and a four-year record (1996-99) of 78-48 (.619) at Southwest Missouri State. He is 34-46 (.425) in Big Ten games at Iowa. Career win No. 200 for Alford came in 2002 in a 78-53 win at Iowa State. Alford is 8-5 in the NCAA Tournament (3-2 in Div. I and 5-3 in Div. III) and 2-3 in the NIT.
Alford led Iowa to the 2001 Big Ten Conference Tournament title and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament in his second season with the Hawkeyes. Iowa earned a return trip to the title game of the Big Ten Conference Tournament in 2002 and advanced to the NIT in post-season play in both 2002 and 2003. The Hawkeyes set a Big Ten Conference Tournament record with seven straight wins over two seasons (2001-2002) before a last-second loss in the first round of the 2003 tournament. Alford’s record in the event is 8-3 in his four seasons. Alford led Southwest Missouri State to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1999 and in 1995 Manchester advanced to the NCAA championship game before suffering its first defeat of the season.
Alford is a 1987 graduate of Indiana, where he led the Hoosiers to the 1987 NCAA title. Alford was a member of the 1984 U. S. Olympic team that earned the Gold Medal and he was the 26th player selected in the NBA Draft following his senior season. Alford played four seasons in the NBA before beginning his coaching career. At Indiana, Alford started 120 of 125 games in four seasons. He served as team captain in 1987 when the Hoosiers were 30-4. Steve concluded his college career as Indiana’s all-time scoring leader with 2,438 points and he holds the Indiana record for career steals with 178. He was a consensus first team All-American and the Big Ten MVP as a senior.
Alford is a member of the Manchester College M Association Hall of Fame and the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2001 he was named one of the “Top 50 Athletes” in the history of the state of Indiana and was selected as a member of the 15-man Indiana University all-Century team.
Alford is 3-5 vs. Michigan and 2-2 vs. Wolverine Coach Tommy Amaker.
ALFORD NAMED TO ESPN TEAM
Iowa Coach Steve Alford was named to ESPN’s Big Ten Conference Silver Anniversary team, honoring Big Ten players from the past 25 years. Alford led Indiana to the 1987 NCAA championship and was a member of the 1984 USA Olympic team that won the gold medal.
Other members of ESPN’s team are Kevin McHale, Minnesota, Glenn Robinson, Purdue, Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State and Jim Jackson, Ohio State.
IOWA AT CONSECO FIELDHOUSE
Iowa has posted a 4-1 record in Conseco Fieldhouse, including a 3-1 record in the 2002 Big Ten Tournament. The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes defeated Purdue, Wisconsin and Indiana in three straight days to advance to the title game for the second straight season before falling to Ohio State. Iowa improved to 4-1 at Conseco earlier this season, taking a 70-69 overtime win over Louisville in the Wooden Tradition.
IOWA IN INDY
Iowa is 5-7 all-time in Indianapolis, while playing in three different arenas. Iowa is 4-1 in Conseco Fieldhouse, 0-2 at Market Square Arena and 1-4 at Butler’s Hinkel Fieldhouse.
Along with the 2002 Big Ten Conference Tournament at Conseco, Iowa defeated Louisville there earlier this season. Iowa took part in the 1980 Final Four at Market Square Arena, losing to Louisville in the semi-finals and falling to Big Ten rival Purdue in the consolation game. Iowa lost four of five games at Hinkel Fieldhouse between 1937 and 1950.
MICHIGAN COACH TOMMY AMAKER
Tommy Amaker is in his third season as the head coach at Michigan and his seventh season overall as a college head coach. Amaker is 45-41 at Michigan and his career mark stands at 113-96. He posted a 68-55 record in four seasons as the head coach at Seton Hall. Amaker graduated from Duke University in 1987, where he earned all-America honors and was named National Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Amaker scored 1,168 points during his playing career and ranks second in Duke history in career assists and steals. Amaker was a member of the Blue Devil coaching staff from 1989-97, serving as associate head coach his final two seasons before taking over at Seton Hall in 1997-98. Amaker is 2-2 against Iowa and Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford.
THE SERIES
Michigan holds a 78-52 advantage in the series that began with a 19-15 Wolverine win in 1912. Michigan defeated Iowa 90-84 Jan. 28 in Ann Arbor before Iowa took a 69-61 decision Feb. 14 in Iowa City. Michigan won the only meeting last season, 70-62 in Ann Arbor. Iowa scored a 76-56 decision in Iowa City in the only meeting in 2002. Michigan has won seven of the last 11 meetings.
Michigan’s 77-66 win in the 1998 Big Ten Conference Tournament marks the only game in the series that has been played at a neutral site. Iowa was the fifth seed in 1998 and Michigan was seeded fourth. The Wolverines won the tournament title that season with a 76-67 win over Purdue.
BOTH IN HALL OF FAME
Iowa Coach Steve Alford and Michigan Coach Tommy Amaker are both members of the Athletic Hall of Fame of their respective alma maters. Alford attended Indiana, where he is a member of the Indiana Hall of Fame and a member of Indiana’s all-Century team. Amaker is a member of the Duke University Hall of Fame.
GAME NOTES
Iowa and Michigan are two of five teams that have won the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Michigan won the inaugural tournament in 1998 and Iowa earned the tournament title in 2001. Michigan State won the event in 1999 and 2000, Ohio State won in 2002 and Illinois won in 2003.
Steve Alford and Tommy Amaker met once as players, with Alford’s Indiana team defeating Amaker’s Duke team 88-82 in the regional semi-finals of the 1987 NCAA Tournament. Duke had played in the championship game the previous year, while Alford and the Hoosiers went on to win the NCAA title in 1987. Alford had 18 points, five assists and two rebounds in the win over Duke, while Amaker led the Blue Devils with 23 points.
Iowa Coach Steve Alford was named to the all-Final Four team in 1987 when Indiana won the national title. Michigan Coach Tommy Amaker was named to the all-Final Four team in 1986 when Duke lost to Louisville in the NCAA title game.
Michigan assistant Coach Charles E. Ramsey, in his third year on the Wolverine staff, was an assistant coach at Drake University in Des Moines in 1995 and 1996. Iowa defeated the Bulldogs in both of those seasons.
Michigan assistant Coach Chuck Swenson, in his third season with the Wolverines, previously served as a graduate assistant at Indiana. He was an assistant at Duke when Steve Alford and Indiana defeated the Blue Devils in the 1987 tournament, he was an assistant at Duke when the Blue Devils defeated Iowa in 1996 and he was an assistant coach at Penn State from 1996-2001.
BOTH PROTECTED HOME COURT
Iowa and Michigan split during the regular season, with the Wolverines winning 90-84 Jan. 28 in Ann Arbor and Iowa winning 69-61 Feb. 14 in Iowa City.
Michigan used an 11-2 scoring run to start the game and a 13-2 spurt to close the first half to gain control of the first meeting. The Wolverines built a 31-20 advantage in the first 11 minutes before Iowa used a 15-0 run of its own to take a 35-31 lead. Iowa held Michigan without a point for nearly seven minutes as Glen Worley and Pierre Pierce each had three baskets during the scoring spree.
Several Iowa turnovers led to Michigan’s run to close the half, which ended with the Wolverines holding a 44-37 advantage.
The Wolverines maintained their advantage in the second half, leading by as many as 14 points, 70-56, with 10 minutes left to play. Iowa rallied from that point, but came up short. The Hawkeyes were able to get as close as four, 88-84, with less than five seconds to play, but Michigan sealed the verdict with its two final free throws. Iowa shot a season-best 58% from the field, including 43.8% (7-16) from three-point range, and added 19-26 (73.1%) free throws. Michigan won the rebounding battle by a 30-27 margin. The Wolverines shot 53.4% from the field and 45.5% from three-point range.
Pierre Pierce led Iowa in scoring with 23 points. Glen Worley added 18 and Brody Boyd and Greg Brunner each scored 13. Worley and Pierce led Iowa with seven rebounds apiece and Brunner added five.
Lester Abram scored 24 points to lead the Wolverines, while Courtney Sims added 16 and Daniel Horton scored 15.
Iowa held Michigan to 32.1% shooting from the field in taking a 69-61 win in Iowa City in the second meeting. Iowa controlled the action throughout much of the first half, leading by as many as nine points on two occasions, the last at 23-14 with 8:36 left in the half. Michigan’s zone defense then took Iowa away from points in the paint as the Wolverines rallied for a 32-28 halftime advantage. Michigan scored the final nine points of the half as Iowa did not score a point in the final 4:14
Michigan maintained a slight advantage over the first eight minutes of the second half before a three-point basket by Brody Boyd gave Iowa a 41-40 advantage with 12:09 remaining. Jeff Horner’s three-pointer gave Iowa a 44-42 advantage with 11:22 remaining and the Hawkeyes led the rest of the way. Horner’s basket began a 14-3 Iowa scoring run as the Hawkeye lead reached 11 with 7:15 to play. Michigan closed to within five points on two occasions, the last at 63-58 with 1:02 to play, but Iowa held on for the win as Kurt Spurgeon and Horner each added a pair of free throws to secure the victory.
Iowa’s defense improved in the second half as Michigan made just 7-29 (24.1%) field goal attempts. Michigan had a 21-20 scoring advantage at the free throw line and a 48-32 rebounding advantage, but Iowa forced 21 Michigan turnovers while collecting 11 steals.
Horner led Iowa’s scoring with 20 points, while Body scored 14, Glen Worley 13 and Pierre Pierce 11. Worley added seven rebounds, Pierce had five rebounds and a career-high eight assists and Erek Hansen had four blocked shots. Michigan was led by Lester Abram with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Dion Harris added 10 points.
LEADING THE LEAGUE
Iowa had three different players lead the Big Ten in a statistical category during the 16-game league season. Sophomore Jeff Horner led the Big Ten in free throw percentage (91.8%), senior Brody Boyd led the league in steals (2.7 per game) and sophomore Erek Hansen led the league in blocked shots (2.5 per game).
Horner, in Big Ten games only, also ranked second in three-point percentage (51.2%), 3rd in three-point field goals per game (2.7), 4th in assists (4.0), 9th in scoring (14.3), 12th in field goal percentage (50.8%) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4) and 16th in rebounding (5.5).