Iowa Hosts Northern Iowa Tuesday Night

Dec. 6, 2004

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THE SETTING
Iowa (6-1) hosts Northern Iowa (3-1) Tuesday, Dec. 7 in the first of two games this week vs. in-state rivals. Game time is 7:05 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500).

Iowa improved to 6-1 over this past weekend, defeating Centenary (88-53) and North Carolina-Greensboro (83-58) to win the Gazette Hawkeye Challenge. Northern Iowa improved to 3-1 with an 80-73 win at Loyola of Chicago.

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 Regional will carry the game to a network of stations that includes KGAN Cedar Rapids, KDSM Des Moines, KWQC Quad Cities and KYOU Ottumwa. Larry Morgan and Mac McCausland will call the action.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,317 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,381-935 (.596). That includes an 861-303 (.740) record in home games, a 520-633 (.451) record in games away from Iowa City, a 657-644 (.505) mark in Big Ten games and a 267-77 (.776) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

IOWA IN CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa has compiled a 267-77 (.776) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa is 127-64 (.665) in Big Ten games and 140-13 (.915) in non-Big Ten games. Iowa has drawn over five million fans for men’s basketball games since the arena opened in 1983. Iowa has posted a 59-22 (.728) home record under Coach Steve Alford, including a 37-4 (.902) mark in non-conference home games.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked 23rd by the Associated Press in the Nov. 29 rankings. The Hawkeyes are not in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll top 25, but Iowa is the first team listed among those receiving votes. Iowa began the season receiving no votes in either of the rankings.

TWO STRAIGHT OVER RANKED TEAMS
Iowa’s back-to-back wins over Louisville and Texas marks the second time Iowa has won consecutive games against ranked opponents under Coach Steve Alford. The Hawkeyes, during the 2002-03 season, defeated 20th-ranked Michigan State 68-64 and 8th-ranked Illinois 68-61.

IOWA COACH Steve Alford
Steve Alford (pronounced ALL-ford) is in his sixth season as the head coach at the University of Iowa and his 14th season as a college head coach. Alford holds a career record of 251-149 (.628), including a 95-72 (.564) 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. Alford is tied for sixth among Iowa’s head basketball coaches in career wins and he is 34-46 (.425) in Big Ten games at Iowa. Alford is 8-5 in the NCAA Tournament (3-2 in Div. I and 5-3 in Div. III) and 2-4 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 2002, 2003 and 2004. 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 8-4 in his five 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. A year ago he was one of five players selected to ESPN’s Big Ten Conference Silver Anniversary team, honoring Big Ten players from the past 25 seasons.

Alford is 10-3 vs. Northern Iowa and 3-2 vs. UNI Coach Greg McDermott.

ALFORD CLIMBS WIN CHARTS
Iowa Coach Steve Alford collected victory number 250 as a head coach with the 88-53 win over Centenary. His career mark stands at 251-149 record.

Alford has a 95-72 record at Iowa, moving into a tie with Ralph Miller (1965-70) for sixth place on the Iowa list for coaching victories. Pops Harrison (1943-50) ranks fifth with 98 wins.

UNI COACH GREG MCDERMOTT
Greg McDermott is in his fourth season as the head coach at Northern Iowa and his 11th year as a college head coach. McDermott holds a 49-43 mark with the Panthers and his career record stands at 180-107. McDermott is an Iowa native and Northern Iowa graduate. He led the Panthers to a 21-10 overall record a year ago. The Panthers won the Missouri Valley Conference post-season tournament. UNI lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 60-55, to a Georgia Tech team that advanced to the NCAA title game.

McDermott posted a 135-66 record in six years at Wayne State (NE) and posted a 15-11 record in one season at North Dakota State. The native of Cascade enjoyed a successful playing career at UNI, leading the team in field goal percentage for three straight seasons.

McDermott concluded his playing career under Eldon Miller in 1988. McDermott is 2-1 vs. Iowa and Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford. Iowa and Northern Iowa did not meet during McDermott’s playing career.

THE SERIES
Iowa holds a 29-5 advantage in the series that began with a 51-9 Iowa win in 1906, but Northern Iowa has won two of the last three meetings. Northern Iowa defeated the Hawkeyes 77-66 in Cedar Falls last season, while Iowa scored a 63-54 decision when the Panthers visited Iowa City early in the 2003 season. The teams did not meet between 1917-1980, and Iowa holds a 15-4 advantage since the series resumed. Iowa has won all 19 games played in Iowa City, winning all eight games played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

A YEAR AGO
Northern Iowa outscored Iowa 15-5 over the final five minutes in taking a 77-66 win in Cedar Falls on Dec. 9. After missing their first 14 three-point attempts of the game, the Panthers connected on three three-point baskets in the final six minutes to pull away. Northern Iowa led by just one, 62-61, with 4:58 to play, but the Hawkeyes scored just five points the rest of the way.

The first half was close all the way, with Northern Iowa leading by eight points in the early going and Iowa fighting back for a four point lead late in the half. The 39-39 score at halftime marked the ninth tie of the game. Neither team was able to gain control in the second half, but Iowa used a three-point basket by Jeff Horner to take a 51-47 advantage with 12:39 remaining. Iowa would lead until 8:19 remained when a basket by David Gruber gave the Panthers the lead for good.

After shooting 55.2% from the field in the first half, Iowa shot just 30% in the second half. For the game the Hawkeyes made just 2-14 (14.3%) three-point attempts and shot just 66.7% from the free throw line. Northern Iowa shot 44.4% from the field in the game and added 18-22 (81.8%) free throws. The Panthers won the rebounding battle by a 42-35 margin. Iowa committed a season-low eight turnovers, including just one in the second half.

Pierre Pierce led Iowa’s scoring with 15 points, with 14 of those coming in the first half. Jared Reiner added 12 points and Jeff Horner scored 10. Greg Brunner led Iowa with eight rebounds, Reiner added six and Pierce and Brody Boyd each grabbed five. Horner led Iowa with five assists. Erik Crawford led UNI with 24 points, while Brooks McKowen added 15. Matt Schneiderman added 11 points and seven rebounds and Grant Stout scored eight points and had seven rebounds.

UNI AT IOWA NOTES

• Iowa holds an all-time record of 114-32 vs. current members of the Missouri Valley Conference after winning at Drake (91-75) earlier this season. Northern Iowa is 6-33 against the Big Ten, but has only played Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
• Iowa assistant Coach Brian Jones played college basketball at Northern Iowa.
• Iowa Director of Athletics Bob Bowlsby joined the Iowa staff after serving in the same position at Northern Iowa. Rick Hartzell, UNI’s athletic director, was an assistant baseball coach at Iowa from 1980-82.
• Iowa’s roster includes eight players from the state of Iowa, while the Northern Iowa roster also includes eight Iowans.
• Iowa’s Mike Henderson and Carlton Reed, both from Waterloo, competed against UNI junior Ben Jacobson in the Iowa state championship game. Jacobson helped his Sioux City East team win that state title 2002, while Henderson led his Waterloo East HS team to the state title as a senior the following season.

IN-STATE SERIES CONTINUES
Both Iowa and Northern Iowa are playing their second game in the state series. Iowa won at Drake (91-75), while Northern Iowa defeated Iowa State 99-82 in Cedar Falls.

Iowa will host Iowa State Dec. 10, while Northern Iowa will play at Drake Jan. 29 and host Drake Feb. 16. Iowa State earlier scored a 73-46 win over Drake in Ames. A year ago, Iowa defeated Drake in Iowa City, but lost games at Northern Iowa and Iowa State.

HORNER EARNS BIG TEN HONOR
Guard Jeff Horner was named Big Ten Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 29 for his efforts in Iowa’s three games in the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Horner, a 6-3 junior from Mason City, led Iowa to wins over Louisville and Texas before the Hawkeyes lost to North Carolina in the championship game. Horner, who was a member of the Maui all-tournament team, had 27 points in the semi-final win over Texas and scored 18 points vs. Louisville and North Carolina. He led the tournament in scoring with 63 points and tied for second (with Iowa teammate Pierre Pierce) with 17 assists. Horner in the three games shot 65.2% (15-23) from three-point range, hitting 6-7 in the title game.

The honor is the second of Horner’s career. He earned the honor last Feb. 9 after leading Iowa to a double-overtime win at Indiana.

IOWA WINS OWN TOURNAMENT
Solid shooting and a strong defensive effort helped Iowa overcome 21 turnovers as the Hawkeyes defeated UNC Greensboro 83-58 in the championship game of the Gazette Hawkeye Challenge. Iowa shot 50.8% from the field in the win, including a tournament-record 57.9% (11-19) from three-point range. The Hawkeyes also held Greensboro to 33.8% shooting and forced 22 turnovers.

A three-point basket by Jeff Horner gave Iowa a 5-2 advantage three minutes into the contest and the Hawkeyes never trailed. Greensboro had closed to with 33-25 with three minutes to play in the first half before Iowa scored the final eight points of the period for a 41-25 halftime advantage.

Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures, with Pierre Pierce scoring 19 to lead the way. Adam Haluska added 17, Horner 14 and Greg Brunner 12. Junior Doug Thomas came off the bench to lead Iowa with 10 rebounds, while Brunner added nine and Horner added a career-best 11 assists.

THREE EARN ALL-TOURNEY HONORS
Three Iowa players, Greg Brunner, Jeff Horner and Pierre Pierce, all juniors, were named to the all-tournament team of the Gazette Hawkeye Challenge, with Horner and Pierce sharing MVP honors.

Pierce scored 36 points in the two games, including 19 in the championship tilt. He also had 11 rebounds, eight assists and six steals. Horner, who had a career-high 11 assists in the title game, had 23 points, seven rebounds, 18 assists and five steals in the two wins. Brunner led Iowa with 15 rebounds in the two games, while adding 26 points, five blocked shots and four assists.

HAWKEYES SET TOURNEY RECORDS
As a team, Iowa set two Gazette Hawkeye Challenge tournament records and tied a third, in the win over UNC Greensboro. The Hawkeyes set a tournament record and tied their own school record with 12 blocked shots. That record was set earlier this season in a loss to North Carolina. Iowa also shot 57.9% (11-19) from three-point range to set a tournament record and the 11 three-point field goals tied a tournament mark.

NORTHERN IOWA WINS AT LOYOLA
Northern Iowa improved to 3-1 on the season with an 80-73 victory at Loyola of Chicago. The Panthers took control of the game late in the first half and used a 15-4 run early in the second half to built a 56-40 advantage. Loyola answered to take a 61-60 lead with seven minutes to play before UNI went in front for good on a basket by Ben Jacobson with just over two minutes to play.

Five Panthers scored in double figures, as Jacobson and Erik Crawford each scored 19. Eric Coleman added 16 points and nine rebounds, Grant Stout added 10 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double in four games and reserve Chris Foster added 10 points.

HAWKEYES SET BLOCK RECORD
Iowa set its second single-game record of the season in a loss to North Carolina and tied that record in a win over North Carolina-Greensboro. The Hawkeyes blocked 12 shots in each of those two games, and junior center Erek Hansen led the way in both games with five each. The previous record of 11 blocked shots was set in an 80-65 win at Drake on Jan. 4, 1993.

IOWA SETS FREE THROW MARK
Iowa set school and Carver-Hawkeye Arena records in its opening win over Western Illinois by making all 20 of its free throw attempts. Six Hawkeyes contributed to the record, with Pierre Pierce and Erek Hansen each making four. The previous best for a perfect free throw percentage (18-18) came in a win at Indiana in 1979. The previous record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena was 94.7%, when Iowa made 18-19 attempts vs. Wisconsin in 2001.

NEW FACES CONTRIBUTE EARLY
Several new faces have been big contributors in Iowa’s first seven games. The newcomers are averaging 26.7 points and 13.4 rebounds per outing.

Junior college transfer Doug Thomas scored 14 points and led Iowa with nine rebounds in the opening win over Western Illinois, and he added 10 rebounds vs. UNC Greensboro. Thomas added eight points and five rebounds vs. North Carolina and he had six rebounds in the win over Texas.

Sophomore Adam Haluska has scored in double figures in five of seven games, including a career-high 21 points in a win at Drake, and he leads the team in free throws and free throw attempts.

In the win at Drake, freshman Carlton Reed scored 14 points, while freshman Alex Thompson added four points and three rebounds in two of Iowa’s last three games.

Newcomers contributed 31 points and 13 rebounds in the opening win, 37 points and 11 rebounds vs. North Carolina, 39 points and 15 rebounds in the win at Drake, 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. Centenary and 27 points and 19 rebounds vs. UNC Greensboro.

IOWA VS. RANKED FOES
Steve Alford has posted a 17-24 record against ranked opponents as Iowa’s head coach. Iowa, this season, has defeated 11th-ranked Louisville 76-71 and 13th-ranked Texas 82-80, with a loss to 11th-ranked North Carolina. Those three games were at the Maui Invitational.

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 41 games against ranked teams, Alford and his Iowa team are 6-7 in home games, 8-8 at neutral sites and 3-9 when playing ranked teams in their home arena.

SEEKING FIVE STRAIGHT IN `05
Iowa is seeking a fifth straight winning season, a streak that would match the second longest consecutive winning seasons record in the history of Iowa basketball. Iowa’s longest streak of consecutive winning seasons is seven, from 1950 through 1956. Pops Harrison, Bucky O’Connor and Rollie Williams all coached the Hawkeyes during those years. Only a 10-10 record in 1949 kept Iowa from 13 consecutive winning seasons (1944-56).

Lute Olson coached Iowa to five straight winning seasons from 1979-83, George Raveling and Tom Davis combined to coach Iowa to winning seasons from 1985-89 and Davis coached Iowa to winning seasons from 1995-99.

ANOTHER STRONG SCHEDULE
As has been the case in recent years, the Iowa schedule is very demanding. In non-conference action, Iowa took part in the EA Sports Maui Invitational early in the season, defeating #11 Louisville and #13 Texas, while falling to #11 North Carolina.

The non-conference slate also includes Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Air Force and Saint Louis, five teams that participated in post-season play a year ago. Northern Iowa, Texas Tech and Air Force all participated in the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa also hosts non-conference games vs. Western Illinois and Western Carolina and plays at Drake. The Gazette Hawkeye Challenge included wins over Centenary College and North Carolina-Greensboro.

All in all, Iowa will play 16 games against teams that advanced to post-season play a year ago.

IOWA IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
Iowa has faired well while taking part in regular-season tournaments over the past 23 years. In that time Iowa has won the Great Alaska Shootout (1986-87), the Cal-Irvine Anteater Classic (1986-87), the Maui Classic (1987-88), the San Juan Thanksgiving Shootout (1992-93), the San Juan Christmas Shootout (1997-98), the Big Ten Conference Tournament in 2001 and its own invitational 22 times.

In addition, Iowa was runner-up in the 1985-86 Far West Classic, the 1987-88 All-College Tournament, the 1988-89 Chaminade Classic, the 1991-92 Tampa Tribune Holiday Invitational, the 1994-95 Rainbow Classic, the 1995-96 Great Alaska Shootout, the 1999-00 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, the 2001-02 Guardians Classic, the 2002 Big Ten Conference Tournament and the 2004 Maui Invitational.

IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa made its 20th appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2001, defeating Creighton 69-56 in the opening round of the East regional before falling to second-seeded Kentucky 92-79 in the second round. Iowa, which earned the Big Ten’s automatic bid, was seeded seventh in the East.

The Hawkeyes hold an overall record of 27-22 in the tournament, advancing to the Final Four in 1955 (fourth), 1956 (second) and 1980 (fourth). Iowa has advanced to at least the second round in its last 10 tournament appearances, last losing in the first round in 1986. Iowa reached the regional championship in 1987 and lost in the regional semi-final in 1988 and 1999.

1,000 POINT POSSIBILITIES
Iowa has three players, all juniors, who could reach the 1,000 point plateau this season. Pierre Pierce has scored 830 points, Jeff Horner has 749 and Greg Brunner has 636. Some notes on Iowa’s 1,000-Point Club include:

• 35 Hawkeye players have scored over 1,000 points, the most recent being Glen Worley last season
• The last Hawkeye to reach 1,000 points in three seasons was Dean Oliver in 2000
• Iowa has had three 1,000-point scorers on the roster in the same season on three occasions. Jess Settles, Kenyon Murray and Chris Kingsbury in 1996, Roy Marble, B.J. Armstrong and Jeff Moe in 1988 and Marble, Armstrong and Ed Horton in 1989

HORNER OFF TO FAST START
Junior guard Jeff Horner is off to a fast start through seven games, leading the team with an 16.7 scoring average. Horner also is averaging 6.7 assists, 5,3 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. Horner had a career-high 27 points in the win over Texas and he led the Maui Invitational in scoring with 63 points in three games. He added 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a win at Drake.

Horner made 15-23 three-point attempts in the three games in Hawaii, moving into Iowa’s top 10 in both three-pointers and three-point attempts. Through seven games he is shooting 52.9% from the field, 54.5% from three-point range and 77.8% from the free throw line.

He added his first career scoring and assist double-double in the win over UNC Greensboro with 14 points and career-best 11 assists.

Horner was named to the all-tournament team at the Maui Invitational and he was co-MVP (with teammate Pierre Pierce) of Iowa’s Gazette Hawkeye Challenge.

PIERCE WELL BALANCED
Junior guard Pierre Pierce is proving to be a very versatile player through Iowa’s first seven games. Pierce is averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in all seven games, has at least six assists in four of seven games and five or more rebounds in five games.

Pierce made a three-point basket in the final minute to lead Iowa in a win over Texas, scoring 18 points vs. the Longhorns and 16 points vs. Louisville in Iowa’s first two games of the Maui Invitational. He had 13 points vs. North Carolina, 15 in a win at Drake and 19 vs. UNC Greensboro. Pierce was named co-MVP (along with teammate Jeff Horner) of Iowa’s Gazette Hawkeye Challenge.

BRUNNER WORKING THE BOARDS
Junior forward Greg Brunner is Iowa’s top returning rebounded and he is averaging 6.1 rebounds after seven games. Brunner, who ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding last season, had a season-best 10 rebounds in the win over Louisville, he had nine vs. UNC Greensboro and eight in the win over Texas. Brunner has scored in double figures in six of Iowa’s seven games, with a season-high of 17 vs. Texas. He is shooting 58.9% from the field and 76.9% from the foul line. He was named to the all-tournament team of Iowa’s Gazette Hawkeye Challenge.

HANSEN BLOCKING THE WAY
Junior center Erek Hansen has picked up where he left off a year ago, making an art of blocking shots. Hansen led the Big Ten in blocked shots last season and has 23 blocks in six games this year. Hansen did not play in the win at Drake after suffering a bruised hip in practice the day before the game.

Playing with added confidence at both ends of the floor, Hansen is averaging 8.7 points and three rebounds per game, shooting 50% from the field and 68.8% from the foul line. He had 13 points in the opening win over Western Illinois and added 11 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots in a win over Texas. Hansen has blocked five shots in three games and is the main reason Iowa set (and later tied) a single-game record of 12 blocked shots.

HALUSKA HITS NEW HIGH
Sophomore Adam Haluska reached a career-high 21 points in the win at Drake, and he also had eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Haluska had 19 points in the loss to North Carolina and 17 points vs. UNC Greensboro. In his first season at Iowa, Haluska has scored in double figures in six of seven games. Haluska is shooting 85.3% from the free throw line and he leads the team with 29 free throws and 34 attempts. He is averaging 13.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

THOMAS HELPS ON THE GLASS
Junior Doug Thomas is making a major addition to Iowa’s rebounding efforts, as he is second on the team with an average of 5.9 rebounds per game. Thomas had nine rebounds in his first game as a Hawkeye and added a season-best 10 in a win over UNC Greensboro. Thomas is averaging 5.6 points while shooting 63.2% from the field and 78.9% from the foul line.

TRI-CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2005
Iowa’s tri-captains for the season include juniors Greg Brunner, Jeff Horner and Pierre Pierce. Pierce, a native of Westmont, IL, started all 29 games a year ago, leading the team in scoring (16.1) while averaging 5.7 rebounds per game. Brunner, a native of Charles City, started 26 of 29 games. His 8.2 rebounds per game were a team best and ranked second in the Big Ten. Horner, a Mason City native, has started all 60 games over the past two seasons. He led the team in assists in each of the last two seasons while also averaging 13 points and 5.3 rebounds last year.

THE RETURNING CAST
Iowa returns three starters and six lettermen from 2004. Those six returning lettermen last season scored over 1,200 points and totaled over 600 rebounds. The six players, in 2004, scored 60.1% of Iowa’s points, had 56.9% of the rebounds, 67.5% of the assists, 64.4% of the blocked shots and 45.2% of the steals.

In 29 games, a sophomore led Iowa in scoring 26 times and a sophomore was the top rebounder in 22 games. The Hawkeyes return their statistical leader from last season in all categories, with the exception of steals (Brody Boyd). The 13-man squad includes one senior, six juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. The roster includes eight Iowans, plus one player from California, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Texas.

NEWCOMERS GAIN ATTENTION
Iowa’s class of newcomers includes seven players. That list includes juniors Doug Thomas and Justin Wieck, sophomore Adam Haluska and freshmen J.R. Angle, Seth Gorney, Carlton Reed and Alex Thompson. The group is ranked the second best incoming class in the Big Ten and 20th in the nation by Hoop Scoop in the June issue of Basketball Times.

Street and Smith’s ranks the group as the top incoming class in the Big Ten and names Thompson on the all-Midwest team on its list of Top 100 Freshman.

Lindy’s rates the incoming class as 14th best nationally and lists Haluska fourth among its top 10 transfers. Athlon Sport’s also lists Haluska among the top transfers in the nation and rates the overall class fourth best in the Big Ten.

SCORING BY HALVES
Iowa has outscored its opponents 282-244 in the first half and 315-261 in the second half. Iowa has led at halftime in four of seven games and the Hawkeyes have outscored their opponent in the second half in six of seven games.

HAWKEYE TIDBITS

• Iowa’s contest at Drake is the only true road game for the Hawkeyes in non-conference play. Iowa played three neutral site games at the EA Sports Maui Invitational and will play Texas Tech at a neutral site (Dec. 21 at the United Center in Chicago).
• Iowa has not trailed in any of its three wins since returning from Maui. The Hawkeyes led from wire to wire in wins over Drake and Centenary, and were tied just once, 2-2, in the win over UNC Greensboro.
• Iowa had a season-best six players score in double figures in the win over Western Illinois and four players score in double figures in each of the following four games. Iowa is 1-0 when six players score in double figures, 4-1 when four reach double figures and 1-0 when two are in double figures.
• Iowa is 4-0 when leading at halftime and 2-1 when trailing at intermission.
• Iowa is 2-1 when controlling the opening tip and 4-0 when not controlling the tip.
• Iowa is 2-0 in games decided by 10 points or less, and has not played an overtime game.
• Under Steve Alford, Iowa is 28-6 when shooting at least 50% from the field, including 3-1 this season.
• North Carolina is the only Iowa opponent to shoot over 50% from the field this season. Last season, Iowa was 0-5 when its opponent shot at least 50% from the field.

NOTES FROM A YEAR AGO

• Iowa is one of four Big Ten teams to post a winning season in each of the last four years, joining Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Iowa advanced to post-season play for the fourth straight season a year ago.
• Iowa’s 9-7 Big Ten record earned a fourth place finish in the conference race, a feat that was accomplished despite the fact that Iowa lost an average of 30 points and 17 rebounds from the team that posted a 9-4 record through its first 13 games of the season.
• Iowa collected four Big Ten road wins in 2004 and seven in the last two seasons. In Big Ten play, only Illinois (six) and Michigan State (five) won more road games a year ago as Iowa won at Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State and Minnesota. The Hawkeyes won three road games in 2003. Under Steve Alford, Iowa has won at least three Big Ten road games in three of five seasons.
• For the first time since 1987-88, Iowa did not lose consecutive games in Big Ten play. Michigan State was the only other conference team to avoid consecutive losses during the conference season.
• Iowa outscored its opponents 491-397 from the free throw line, attempting 731 free throws compared to 575 for the opponents. Iowa outscored 20 of 29 opponents from the free throw line while averaging 25.2 free throws per outing. In Big Ten games, Iowa made as many free throws (294) as its opponents attempted.
• Iowa ranked second in the Big Ten, for all games, in five statistical categories, including scoring offense, field goal defense, three-point field goal percentage, rebounding margin and assists per game.
• Iowa’s single-game bests in 2003-04 included Pierre Pierce with 28 points vs. Michigan, a career-high. Greg Brunner had 14 rebounds in the double-overtime win at Indiana, also a career-high. Jeff Horner had a career-high nine assists in the win over Drake and 2004 Brody Boyd had seven steals in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois.

HALK TALK WITH Steve Alford
Fans of the University of Iowa basketball program may join Iowa Coach Steve Alford and radio announcer Gary Dolphin each week during the season for the “Hawk Talk with Steve Alford” radio call-in show. The show takes place each week at Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Café in Iowa City. The show airs from 6-7:30 p.m. on the following dates: Dec. 6, 13; Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28; and Mar. 7.

IOWA ON THE TUBE
Every Iowa game throughout the 2004-05 season is slated for television. Iowa appeared on national cable television (ESPN and ESPN2) in three games in the Maui Invitational and the Dec. 21 game vs. Texas Tech in Chicago is slated for national cable television on ESPN2. Iowa games not selected for national coverage will be televised regionally by ESPN Plus, while several conference games are scheduled to be carried throughout the Big Ten Conference viewing area as part of the Big Ten regional network agreement with ESPN Plus.

AFTER THIS
Iowa continues its home stand Friday, hosting in-state rival Iowa State at 7:05 p.m. The Hawkeyes then break for final exams and return to action Dec. 18, hosting Western Carolina.