Iowa to Meet Texas Tech at United Center

Dec. 20, 2004

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THE SETTING
Iowa (9-1) travels to Chicago to meet Texas Tech (5-2) Tuesday, Dec. 21, as the two teams meet at a neutral site for a second straight season. Game time is 6:02 p.m. at The United Center (21,711).

Iowa improved to 9-1 with an 88-75 win over Western Carolina Saturday in Iowa City. Texas Tech lost to Ohio State 77-71 Dec. 16 in Dallas.

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: ESPN2 will carry the game to a national cable audience. Brad Nessler, Fran Fraschilla and Stacey Dales-Schuman will call the action.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,320 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,384-935 (.597). That includes an 864-303 (.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 270-77 (.778) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa, in the Dec. 13 rankings, is ranked 16th by the Associated Press and 21st in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. Iowa began the season receiving no votes in either poll.

THE SERIES
Iowa leads the series by a 3-1 margin, with two of the four games having been played in Iowa City. Texas Tech earned its first win in the series with a 65-59 victory last season in Dallas. The Hawkeyes defeated the Red Raiders 75-73 in Iowa City Dec. 13, 1958 before taking a 76-66 win in Lubbock on Dec. 12, 1959. The third meeting took place in the championship game of the 1985 Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, with Iowa securing a 58-48 victory.

ALFORD CLIMBS WIN CHARTS
Iowa Coach Steve Alford collected career victory number 250 as a head coach with the 88-53 win over Centenary. His career mark stands at 254-149.

Alford has a 98-72 record at Iowa, moving into a tie for fifth place on the Iowa list for coaching victories. Pops Harrison (1943-50) also earned 98 wins.

Iowa’s top four coaches in career wins include Tom Davis (269), Lute Olson (168), Rollie Williams (139) and Bucky O’Connor (114).

TECH COACH BOB KNIGHT
Bob Knight is in his fourth season as the head coach at Texas Tech and his 39th year as a college head coach. Knight is 73-35 with the Red Raiders and his career mark stands at 837-324. Knight posted a record of 662-239 as Indiana’s coach from 1971-00 and he was 102-50 at Army (1965-71). Knight was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 and he has led teams to three NCAA championships (1976, 1981 and 1987) and the 1979 NIT title. At Indiana he was named national Coach of the Year in 1975, 1976 and 1989 and he led four Hoosier teams to the Final Four while winning 11 Big Ten titles. He coached Team USA to the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, a team that featured Iowa Coach Steve Alford. Knight holds a 35-20 record vs. Iowa and a 3-0 record vs. Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford.

COMMON OPPONENT
Iowa and Texas Tech have played just one common opponent. Texas Tech defeated Centenary 93-41 in Lubbock and Iowa defeated Centenary 88-53 in Iowa City. Texas Tech lost to Ohio State from the Big Ten, while Iowa owns wins over Texas and Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference.

IOWA, TECH NOTES

• Iowa Coach Steve Alford played his college career at Indiana under current Texas Tech Coach Bob Knight, helping the Hoosiers win the NCAA title as a senior in 1987. Alford was also a member of the gold medal winning 1984 United States Olympic team that was coached by Bob Knight.
• Iowa Coach Steve Alford is 0-3 vs. Texas Tech, falling to the Red Raiders twice when he was the head coach at Southwest Missouri State and last season when Iowa dropped a 65-59 decision in Dallas.
• Alford is 0-3 vs. Bob Knight. Knight’s Indiana team defeated Alford’s Southwest Missouri State team by a 78-66 score in 1997-98 (Hoosier Classic, Indianapolis) and Knight’s Indiana team defeated Alford’s first Iowa team 74-71 in 1999-00. That game was in Bloomington as the teams meet just once that season. A year ago, Texas Tech defeated Iowa 65-59 in Dallas.
• During Bob Knight’s coaching tenure at Indiana, Knight collected 34 wins against Iowa in 54 games (Knight now stands at 35-20 vs. Iowa). Knight compiled more than 34 wins against all but two other Big Ten teams (he had 31 vs. Michigan State and 32 vs. Purdue). These figures do not include Knight’s 19-3 record vs. Penn State.
• Iowa’s all-time record against current members of the Big 12 Conference is 86-45. Iowa, this season, defeated Texas 82-80 in the semi-finals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational and defeated Iowa State 70-63 in Iowa City. Iowa was 0-3 vs. the Big 12 a year ago.
• The contest vs. Iowa is the second straight for Texas Tech against a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Red Raiders lost to Ohio State 77-71 Dec. 16 in Dallas. Texas Tech currently holds a 9-17 all-time record against members of the Big Ten, having played eight of the 11 conference members.
• Red Raider Assistant Coach Les Fertig was an assistant coach at Ohio State from 1989-92, helping the Buckeyes win two Big Ten titles.
• Red Raider Assistant Coach Pat Knight played at Indiana from 1991-95, helping the Hoosiers win Big Ten titles in 1991 and 1993. Knight and the Hoosiers won eight of 10 games from Iowa in those years, although Knight did not play in Indiana’s two wins during the 1991-92 season.
• Red Raider Assistant Coach Stew Robinson played at Indiana from 1983-86, helping the Hoosiers win the 1983 Big Ten title. Iowa posted a 5-3 record against the Hoosiers during Robinson’s career.

IOWA VS. THE LONE STAR STATE
Iowa holds an all-time record of 27-5 against teams from Texas, having played 13 different Texas opponents. The most recent games have been the 65-59 loss to Texas Tech in Dallas last season and the 82-80 win over Texas this season in the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

IOWA SPURTS PAST WESTERN CAROLINA
Iowa controlled the action in the early going of both the first half and the second half in taking an 88-75 win Saturday evening in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes build a 23-5 advantage after 12 minutes before the visitors closed to within 32-25 at intermission.

Iowa built the advantage back to 14 points in the first five minutes of the second half and led by as many as 24 points with six minutes to play.

Iowa shot 50.8% from the field for the game, including 53.3% from three-point range. The Hawkeyes also had 26 assists and forced 224 WCU turnovers.

Pierre Pierce led Iowa with 21 points, eight rebounds and four steals, while Jeff Horner added 20 points and 10 assists. Greg Brunner had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Erek Hansen and Adam Haluska each added 10 points.

TEXAS TECH FALLS TO OHIO STATE
Ohio State used a solid shooting performance and strong defense down the stretch to take a 77-71 win over Texas Tech Dec. 16 in Dallas. After Texas Tech tied the score at 71-71 with just over three minutes remaining, the Buckeyes scored the final six points of the game. Matt Sylvester gave OSU a 73-71 advantage with a tip-in and Tony Stockman added four straight free throws from there as OSU held on.

Ohio State started fast, leading throughout most of the first half and maintaining a 41-33 halftime advantage. OSU shot 53.1% from the field in the first half, including 45.5% from three-point range. OSU shot just 39.4% over the final 20 minutes and earned the win despite making 8-17 (47.1%) free throws.

Stockman led Ohio State with 23 points, hitting 5-10 treys and all four of his free throw attempts. Terence Dials added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Texas Tech was led by freshman Martin Zeno with 20 points, while Curtis Marshall had 13 and Ronald Ross scored 10. Darryl Dora led the Red Raiders with eight rebounds and Zeno and Marshall each added seven.

TECH WON A YEAR AGO
A slow start in the first half and a cold night at the free throw line spelled defeat in Iowa’s 65-59 loss to Texas Tech last Dec. 22 in Dallas, TX. The Hawkeyes shot just 35.7% from the field in the first half and trailed 39-27 at halftime. Trailing 52-39 with 12 minutes to play, Iowa used a 10-2 scoring run to get back in the game, cutting the margin to 54-49 with 5:18 remaining. Iowa would cut the margin to four points in the final two minutes, but the failure to make free throws played a big part at the end of the contest. Iowa made just 12-25 (48%) of its free throws in the game, including 5-12 in the second half.

Iowa held Texas Tech to 26 points in the final 20 minutes, as Tech shot just 37.5% in the second half and 40.7% for the game. Iowa won the rebounding battle by a 40-37 margin.

Pierre Pierce led Iowa’s scoring attack with 18 points, and he added six rebounds and four assists. Glen Worley added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench and Jeff Horner added 11 points and a team-high three steals. Greg Brunner led Iowa with eight rebounds.

Tech was led by Andre Emmett with 23 points and seven rebounds. Josh Washington came off the bench to add 13 points and Jarrius Jackson added seven rebounds.

HAWKEYES ADD TO THE ROSTER
Ryan Kennedy (6-7, 210) is a sophomore forward who has joined the Iowa basketball team as a walk-on. Kennedy attended Roosevelt High School in Des Moines as a prep.

Kennedy earned honorable mention all-conference recognition as a prep senior, serving as team captain and earning team MVP honors.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Three Hawkeyes currently rank among national leaders in statistical categories. Junior center Erek Hansen ranks third with 34 blocked shots (3.8 per game), while junior guard Pierre Pierce is 10th in steals with 28 (2.7 per game). Junior guard Jeff Horner ranks fourth in the nation with 67 assists (6.7 per game), fifth with 32 three-point field goals and 25th with 2.1 steals per game.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE, BACK-TO-BACK
Forward Greg Brunner has posted back-to-back double-doubles. Brunner had 11 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Western Carolina after collecting 11 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Iowa State. Brunner has three scoring and rebounding double-doubles this season and he leads the team with a 7.1 rebounding average.

Guard Jeff Horner has scoring and assist double-doubles in two of Iowa’s last three games. He scored 20 points and added 10 assists in the win over Western Carolina. Against UNC Greensboro Horner had 12 points and a career-high 11 assists. Horner leads Iowa in scoring (16.5) and assists per game (6.7).

NO TREYS ALLOWED
In the 70-63 win over Iowa State, Iowa held the Cyclones without a three-point basket as ISU missed all six of its attempts. That marks the first time an Iowa opponent did not make at least one three-point basket since early in the 2001-02 season, when Iowa State missed all eight of its three-point attempts in a 78-53 loss to Iowa in Ames.

THREE EARN ALL-TOURNEY HONORS
Greg Brunner, Jeff Horner and Pierre Pierce 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 vs. North Carolina. Iowa also shot 57.9% (11-19) from three-point range to set a tournament record and the 11 three-pointers tied a tournament mark.

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 10 games. The newcomers are averaging 23.7 points and 11.8 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 seven of 10 games, including a career-high 21 points in a win at Drake and 20 points in a home win over Iowa State.

In the win at Drake, freshman Carlton Reed scored 14 points, while freshman Alex Thompson added five points and three rebounds in the win over Western Carolina.

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.

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 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.

HORNER OFF TO FAST START
Junior guard Jeff Horner is off to a fast start through 10 games, leading the team with a 16.5 scoring average. Horner also is averaging 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 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. Horner was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his play in Maui. The honor is the second of Horner’s career, as he earned it last Feb. 9 after leading Iowa to a double-overtime win at Indiana.

He added his first career scoring and assist double-double in the win over UNC Greensboro with 14 points and a career-best 11 assists. He added 16 points and nine rebounds in the win over Northern Iowa. Horner scored Iowa’s final five points in the last 95 seconds against the Panthers and he added 12 points and seven assists in a win over Iowa State. He collected 20 points and 10 assists vs. Western Carolina, hitting 7-10 field goals and 4-5 three-point attempts.

Horner is shooting 52.1% from the field, 54.2% from three-point range and 80.5% from the free throw line. 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 10 games. Pierce is averaging 16.4 points, 4.2 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game and he leads the team with 28 steals. He has scored in double figures in all 10 games, has at least six assists in four games and five or more rebounds in seven 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, 19 vs. UNC Greensboro and he had 15 points, eight rebounds and five steals in a win over Iowa State. He had a season-high 21 points vs. Western Carolina, hitting 8-11 field goals, and he added eight rebounds, four steals and three assists, all in just 24 minutes. 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 rebounder and he is averaging 7.1 rebounds after 10 games. Brunner, who ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding last season, had a season-best 13 rebounds in the win over Iowa State and he added 11 vs. Western Carolina, along with 11 points and five assists, recording his second straight double-double. He had 10 rebounds vs. Louisville, nine vs. UNC Greensboro and eight in the win over Texas. Brunner has scored in double figures in nine games, with a season-high of 23 in the win over Northern Iowa. He is shooting 56.3% from the field. 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 34 blocks in nine games this year. Hansen did not play in the win at Drake after suffering a bruised hip in practice the day before the game. Hansen collected a career-high seven blocks in the win over Iowa State and ranks among the national leaders at four blocks per game. The seven blocks in a game ties as the seventh best single game performance at Iowa.

Playing with added confidence at both ends of the floor, Hansen scored a career-high 14 points in the win over Northern Iowa, hitting his first six shots of the game. Hansen is averaging 9.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, shooting 50.7% from the field and 70% 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 or more shots in four 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. Playing against his former school, he added 20 points in a win over Iowa State, hitting 4-8 treys. Haluska had 19 points in the loss to North Carolina and 17 points vs. UNC Greensboro. He matched his career-high of four assists in the win over Northern Iowa and played an outstanding defensive game.

In his first season at Iowa, Haluska has scored in double figures in eight of 10 games. Haluska is shooting 80.5% from the free throw line while averaging 13 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

THOMAS HELPS ON THE GLASS
Junior Doug Thomas is making a major contribution to Iowa’s rebounding efforts, as he is fourth on the team with an average of 4.7 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 4.5 points while shooting 60% from the field and 75% from the foul line.

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 Iowa basketball history. 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 hosted non-conference games vs. Western Illinois and Western Carolina and won at Drake. The Gazette Hawkeye Challenge included wins over Centenary College and North Carolina-Greensboro. Iowa will play 16 games against teams that advanced to post-season play a year ago.

1,000 POINT POSSIBILITIES
Iowa has three players, all juniors, who could reach the 1,000 point plateau this season. Pierre Pierce has scored 880 points, Jeff Horner has 797 and Greg Brunner has 681. 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

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 70 games over the past three 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 388-333 in the first half and 443-383 in the second half. Iowa has led at halftime in seven of 10 games and the Hawkeyes have outscored their opponent in the second half in eight 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 meets Texas Tech at a neutral site Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago.
• Iowa has had four players or more score in double figures in nine of 10 games, with a season-best six players in the win over Western Illinois. Iowa is 1-0 when six players score in double figures, 1-0 when five score 10 points or more, 6-1 when four reach double figures and 1-0 when two are in double figures.
• Iowa has four players averaging between 13 and 16.5 points per game and four players averaging between 4.7 and 7.1 rebounds per outing.
• Iowa is 7-0 when leading at halftime and 2-1 when trailing at intermission.
• Iowa is 4-1 when controlling the opening tip and 5-0 when not controlling the tip.
• Iowa is 4-0 in games decided by 10 points or less, and has not played an overtime game.
• Under Steve Alford, Iowa is 30-6 when shooting at least 50% from the field, including 5-1 this season.
• North Carolina and Northern Iowa are the only Iowa opponents 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.
• 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 in the Big Ten Tournament, a career-high. Greg Brunner had 14 rebounds in the double-overtime win at Indiana, also a career-high. Jeff Horner had a then career-high nine assists in the win over Drake and 2004 Brody Boyd had seven steals in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois.

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.

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 Caf, in Iowa City. The show airs from 6-7:30 p.m. on the following dates: 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’s final non-conference games include home dates with Air Force (Dec. 28) and Saint Louis (Dec. 31). The Hawkeyes open Big Ten play Jan. 5, hosting Michigan.