Oct. 20, 2005
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ANNUAL BLOWOUT ON SATURDAY
The annual Black and Gold Blowout, presented by Mediacom, will be held Saturday, Nov. 22, following the Michigan at Iowa football game. Blowout activities are expected to begin in Carver-Hawkeye Arena approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the football game. The Blowout once again will feature a full game scrimmage by the 2005-06 Iowa basketball squad. Cost for the event is $5 and tickets are on sale at the UI athletic ticket office in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Arena ticket windows will also be open Saturday morning prior to the football game.
IOWA LINE-UP FOR SATURDAY
Coach Steve Alford and his staff will look at several different player combinations throughout the Blowout, with several players likely to see action for both units. The Black Shirt squad to start the game will include Adam Haluska, Jeff Horner, Tony Freeman, Justin Wieck, Erek Hansen, Greg Brunner and Kurt Looby. The Gold team will include J.R. Angle, Alex Thompson, Brett Wessels, Ryan Kennedy, Doug Thomas, Carlton Reed, Mike Henderson and Seth Gorney.
CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2006
Iowa’s captains are seniors Greg Brunner and Jeff Horner. Brunner, a native of Charles City, has started 32 of 33 games and averaged 14.7 points and 8.3 rebounds last year. He earned second team all-Big Ten honors in 2005 and placed second in the league in rebounding in each of the past two seasons. Horner, a Mason City native, has started 92 of 93 games over the past three seasons. He has led the team in assists in each of the last three seasons and a year ago averaged 14 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
THE RETURNING CAST
Iowa returns five starters and 11 lettermen from 2005. the returning starters include three players, Greg Brunner, Adam Haluska and Jeff Horner, who earned all-Big Ten recognition a year ago. Iowa returns 84.6% of its scoring from 2005, 90.9% of its rebounding, 81.6% of its assists and 78.5% of its steals. Iowa’s returning players shot 45.5% from the field, 38.7% from three-point range and 71.9% from the free throw line. The Hawkeyes return their statistical leader from last season in all categories,
EXHIBITION GAMES TO FOLLOW
Iowa gets an early jump on the season with its first exhibition game set for Thursday, Nov. 3 and the second and final exhibition slated for Wednesday, Nov. 9. The Hawkeyes will host Brock University (Canada) in the initial exhibition and Division III Wartburg College in the second contest. While neither of the exhibition games will be televised, both have 7:05 p.m. start times and both can be heard on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Brock University has opened the season with a 1-1 record and will play several more regular season games before visiting Iowa for its only exhibition contest. Wartburg College is coached by former Hawkeye player Dick Peth (1976-79). The Knights have won 20 or more games in each of the past five seasons and won the 2005 Iowa conference title while posting a 23-5 overall record. The Knights are led by senior center Nate Schmidt, the Iowa Conference Player of the Year last season.
IOWA IN EXHIBITIONS
Iowa is 11-1 in exhibition games under Coach Steve Alford, with the only setback being a 79-76 loss to the Harlem Globetrotters prior to the 2002 season. The Hawkeyes defeated Upper Iowa and Laval University of Canada last season.
IOWA RETURNS TO GUARDIANS CLASSIC
Iowa will make its second appearance in the Guardians Classic, hosting first and second round games November 14-15 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa will face Maryland-Eastern Shore in the opening round, while Colgate plays Utah Valley State. The semi-finals and championship will be held in Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium Nov. 20-21. The other regional hosts for the first and second rounds are Kentucky, West Virginia and Texas. The Iowa regional winner will meet the Kentucky regional winner in the semi-finals in Kansas City.
Iowa participated in the 2002 Guardians Classic, winning first and second round games in Iowa City to advance to Kemper Arena. Once in Kansas City, Iowa defeated Memphis 75-71 in the semi-finals before a 78-77 loss to Missouri in the title game. Iowa avenged that loss with an 83-65 win at Missouri later that season.
EXPERIMENTAL RULES TO BE USED
Three experimental rules will be in place during Iowa’s games in the Guardians Classic. The experimental rules include the following:
- Moving the three-point line one-foot behind the current three-point line to create a new experimental distance of 20 feet, 9 inches.
- Widening the free throw lane by one foot on each side (Please note that the experimental lane will serve both as the three-second lane and the free throw lane.
- Placing a restricted area arc which is to be three feet from the center of the basket ring.
THE HAWKEYE ROSTER
The Iowa roster includes 16 players, including 10 who played prep basketball in the state of Iowa. The squad includes five seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen. Along with the 10 Iowans, there is one player from California, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Texas and St. John’s, Antigua.
1,000 POINT CLUB ADDS MEMBERS
Seniors Jeff Horner and Greg Brunner joined Iowa’s 1,000 Point Club a year ago. Horner has scored 1,095 points in three seasons and is the only Iowa player ever to score over 1,000 points, grab over 400 rebounds and distribute over 400 assists. Horner was honorable mention all-Big Ten a year ago. Brunner has scored 1,035 career points and he has 676 rebounds. Brunner has ranked second in Big Ten rebounding in each of the past two seasons. He was named second team all-Big Ten last season and earned a gold medal at the World University Games this past summer. Brunner is tied for ninth in career blocked shots (84) and is near Iowa’s top 10 in career rebounds.
IOWA SEEKS SIXTH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON
Iowa is seeking a sixth straight winning season, a streak that would rank as the second longest in the history of Iowa basketball. Iowa enjoyed seven straight winning seasons from 1950-56. Iowa has had five consecutive winning seasons on four occasions, 1979-83, 1985-89, 1995-99 and 2001-05. Iowa is one of four Big Ten teams to post a winning season in each of the last five years, joining Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Iowa advanced to post-season play for the fifth straight season a year ago, returning to the NCAA Tournament.
IOWA EARNS PRE-SEASON RECOGNITION
The Iowa basketball team has received pre-season recognition heading into the opening of practice. Following are some samples of what is being predicted:
- Senior Jeff Horner is rated the Best Passer in the Big Ten by Street & Smith’s and the No. 8 point guard in the nation by Lindy’s
- Senior Greg Brunner is rated the Player with the Best Instincts in the Big Ten by Street & Smith’s and the No. 14 power forward in the nation by Lindy’s
- Senior Erek Hansen is rated the Best Shot Blocker in the Big Ten by Street & Smith’s
- Junior Adam Haluska is rated the No. 18 small forward in the nation by Lindy’s
- Iowa’s front court is rated sixth best in the nation by Lindy’s
IOWA COACH Steve Alford
Steve Alford (pronounced ALL-ford) is in his seventh season as the head coach at the University of Iowa and his 15th season as a college head coach. Alford holds a career record of 266-160 (.624), including a 110-83 (.570) 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 ranks fifth among Iowa’s head basketball coaches in career wins and he is 41-55 (.427) in Big Ten games. Alford is 8-6 in the NCAA Tournament (3-3 in Division I and 5-3 in Division III) and 2-4 in the NIT. His record in the Big Ten Tournament is 10-5 in six seasons. Iowa won the tournament in 2001, returned to the title game in 2002 and just missed the championship game in 2005. Alford led Iowa into the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament in his second season and the Hawkeyes returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2005. Iowa advanced to the NIT in 2002, 2003 and 2004. 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. In 2004 he was one of five players selected to ESPN’s Big Ten Conference Silver Anniversary team.
ALFORD REACHES 100 HAWKEYE WINS
Coach Steve Alford collected win No. 100 as Iowa’s head coach in a 73-63 victory over Air Force on Dec. 28, 2004. Career victory No. 250 came in the 88-53 win over Centenary in early December. His career mark stands at 266-160. Alford is 110-83 at Iowa, moving into fifth place on the Iowa list for coaching victories. Iowa’s top four coaches in career wins include Tom Davis (269), Lute Olson (168), Rollie Williams (139) and Bucky O’Connor (114).
IOWA ON THE TUBE
Every Iowa game throughout the 2005-06 season will be televised. Iowa will appear on national cable television (ESPN and ESPN2) as many as 11 times. Hawkeye games not selected for national coverage will be televised regionally by ESPN Plus, while several conference games will be televised throughout the Big Ten Conference viewing area as part of the Big Ten regional network agreement with ESPN Plus.
ANOTHER STRONG SCHEDULE
Iowa’s non-conference schedule has the Hawkeyes meeting teams from nearly every major conference in the nation. The Hawkeyes will participate in the Guardians Classic to open the season. Regional hosts in the event, along with Iowa, include Kentucky, West Virginia and Texas. The semi-finals and championship games will be held in Kansas City. Iowa’s non-conference home schedule is highlighted by games vs. Arizona State of the Pac 10 Conference and North Carolina State of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Iowa will also host Fairfield, Tulane and Valparaiso in the Hawkeye Challenge and Maryland-Eastern Shore, Colgate and Utah Valley State in the first round of the Guardians Classic. Iowa will meet Texas-San Antonio, Drake and Robert Morris in home games as well. Non-conference road games are at Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Saint Louis, along with the Guardians Classic. Following are pre-season views on some of Iowa’s non-conference opponents:
- Kentucky is picked to win the Southeastern Conference and is ranked third nationally by Street & Smith’s
- Texas is picked to win the Big 12 and is ranked fifth nationally by Street & Smiths
- Iowa State is picked third in the Big 12 and is ranked 12th nationally by Street & Smith’s
- Northern Iowa is picked to win the Missouri Valley by Street & Smith’s and advance to the NCAA Sweet 16
- North Carolina State is picked fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference by Street & Smith’s
- West Virginia is picked fifth in the Big East and ranked 22nd nationally by Street & Smith’s
- In the Big Ten, Street & Smith’s picks Michigan State (8th), Indiana (17th), Michigan (19th) and Illinois (21st) among its top 25
- Iowa opponents in Lindy’s top 25 include Michigan State (3rd), Texas (5th), Wisconsin (14th), North Carolina State (15th), Ohio State (16th), West Virginia (17th), Kentucky (19th) and Illinois (22nd). Lindy’s has Iowa ninth.
BRUNNER IS TOP RETURNING REBOUNDER
Senior forward Greg Brunner ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding in each of the last two seasons. With the leading rebounder not returning last season or this season Brunner is the Big Ten’s top returning rebounder for the second straight year. This marks the fourth time in the last five seasons Iowa has had the top returning rebounder. Reggie Evans led the league in rebounding in 2001 and returned to defend his title in 2002. Jared Reiner led the Big Ten in rebounding in 2003 and returned in 2004.
IOWA’S HAWKEYE CHALLENGE
Iowa’s Hawkeye Challenge, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, features Tulane meeting Valparaiso in Friday’s opening game and Iowa hosting Fairfield in the second game. All three teams are taking part in the tournament for the first time, while Fairfield and Tulane are making their first-ever trip to Iowa City and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa defeated Valparaiso in Iowa City in the first round of the 2003 NIT.
IOWA HOSTS LEAGUE CHALLENGE
For the first time since the 2001 season, Iowa will host a game in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa returns to the event by hosting North Carolina State Nov. 30 in a game televised by ESPN2. The Hawkeyes hold a 1-3 record in the event. Iowa lost to Maryland in Baltimore in 2000 before defeating Georgia Tech in Iowa City in 2001. Iowa lost to Duke at the United Center in Chicago in 2002 and lost at Florida State in 2003. Iowa did not participate in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in 2004 and 2005. The Hawkeyes have not played North Carolina State since a 102-96 double-overtime loss to the Wolfpack in the second round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament. North Carolina State holds a 3-2 series advantage over Iowa, but the teams have never met in Iowa City.
2005-06 SCHEDULE NOTES
- Iowa’s schedule could include as many as 16 games against teams that advanced to post-season play a year ago, including 13 games against teams that were in the NCAA Tournament. That includes two games against Illinois (NCAA), Indiana (NIT), Michigan State (NCAA), Minnesota (NCAA), and Wisconsin (NCAA), single games vs. Arizona State (NIT), Iowa State (NCAA), North Carolina State (NCAA), Northern Iowa (NCAA) and possible games vs. Kentucky, Texas and West Virginia, three teams that were in the NCAA Tournament
- Including two exhibition games, Iowa’s 2005-06 schedule includes 19 home dates. Iowa will host Wartburg in its second exhibition game. The Knights are coached by former Hawkeye player Dick Peth, a letterman from 1976-79.
- When Iowa participated in the 2002 Guardians Classic, it defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore in the first round, the same opponent the Hawkeyes will meet this season in the first round.
- North Carolina State will be the first team from the Atlantic Coast Conference to play in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since Georgia Tech defeated Iowa 79-78 in the NIT at the conclusion of the 2003 season.
- Arizona State will be the first team from the Pac 10 Conference to play in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since Iowa defeated UCLA 88-71 on Dec. 22, 1990. Iowa’s last contest against a Pac 10 team came in the championship game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in 1999-00. Stanford defeated Iowa 72-58 at Madison Square Garden in New York, handing Iowa its first loss under Steve Alford after the Hawkeyes had defeated Connecticut, the top-ranked team in the nation and the defending NCAA champion, in the semi-finals. The Hawkeyes will play a return game in Tempe during the 2006-07 season.
- Valparaiso last visited Iowa City for the first round of the 2003 NIT when Iowa scored a 62-60 win. The Crusaders were coached at the time by Scott Drew, who had taken over for his father, long-time Valparaiso Coach Homer Drew. When Scott left Valpo to take over at Baylor, Homer returned from retirement as the head coach. Bryce Drew, Homer’s son and Scott’s brother, is in his first season on the Crusader coaching staff.
- Iowa will look for its second straight mythical state title after sweeping Drake, Iowa State and Northern Iowa a year ago. Iowa hosts Drake, and former Hawkeye Coach Tom Davis, but must travel to both Iowa State and Northern Iowa to face teams that were also in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
FINAL 2005 NOTES
- For the first time ever, Iowa, in 2005, played all four teams that advanced to the Final Four. During the course of the season, Iowa played six games against the Final four teams, posting a 2-4 record. Iowa was the only team in the nation to play all of the Final Four teams, while Iowa and Duke were the only teams to collect two wins against the four teams.
- With 21 wins in 2005, Iowa enjoyed a fifth straight winning season, a streak that matches the second longest consecutive winning seasons streak in Iowa basketball history.
- The 19 wins mark the highest regular season victory total for Iowa under Steve Alford and the most for Iowa since 1998. Iowa won 18 regular season games in 2001 on the way to posting a 23-12 final record.
- As a team, Iowa ranked 15th nationally in blocked shots per game (5.4). Individually, Erek Hansen ranked 19th in blocked shots per game (2.6) and Jeff Horner ranked 27th in assists per game (5.5).
- Several new faces made big contributions throughout the 2004-05 season. The newcomers averaged 23.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per outing. Newcomers contributed 25 points or more in nine games and 15 or more rebounds in 10 games.
- Iowa closed the regular schedule with three straight victories for the first time since 1997. It also marks the first time since 1987 in which Iowa closed the season with three straight wins, when two of the wins were on the road. Iowa had not won its final two road games of the season since 1991 when Iowa won at Indiana and at Northwestern in the final two road games.
- 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 eighth-ranked Illinois 68-61.
HAWKEYES SET THREE RECORDS
Iowa set three team records during the course of the 2005 season. The Hawkeyes set a single-game record for free throw percentage (100%) in the first game of the year, making all 20 of their attempts in a win over Western Illinois. Iowa established a season record with 174 blocked shots and a single game record with 12 blocked shots. The previous season record of 165 blocks was set in 32 games in 1993. The Hawkeyes had 12 blocks vs. three opponents, including North Carolina, UNC Greensboro and Saint Louis. The previous record of 11 blocked shots was set in an 80-65 win at Drake on Jan. 4, 1993.
IOWA SETS ARENA RECORDS
Also in 2005, Iowa set three Carver-Hawkeye Arena team records. Iowa established a new mark when by shooting 67.5% (27-40) from the field in a win over Air Force. That percentage ranks as the second best ever for an Iowa team in a single game. The Hawkeyes set a record for free throw accuracy with the 100% (20-20) performance against Western Illinois. Iowa set a new high with the 12 blocked shots in wins over UNC Greensboro and Saint Louis.
IOWA ON THE TUBE
Every Iowa game throughout the 2005-06 is expected to be televised. The Hawkeyes could have as many as 10 appearances on national television, as seven Big Ten Conference games have been selected to be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2. Iowa games not selected for national coverage are televised regionally by ESPN Plus, while several conference games will be carried throughout the Big Ten Conference viewing area as part of the Big Ten regional network agreement with ESPN Plus.
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 from 7-8:30 p.m. and the dates are Nov. 28; Dec. 5, 8, 12 and 19; Jan. 10, 16, 23 and 30; Feb. 6, 12, 20 and 27; and March 6, 13 and 20.
IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa made its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, falling to Cincinnati in the opening round at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Iowa earned the bid after posting a 21-win season, including wins over Purdue and 10th-ranked Michigan State in the 2005 Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes hold an overall record of 27-23 in the tournament, advancing to the Final Four in 1955 (fourth), 1956 (second) and 1980 (fourth). Iowa had advanced to at least the second round in its last 10 tournament appearances before last season. Iowa reached the regional championship in 1987 and lost in the regional semi-final in 1988 and 1999.
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.
AFTER THIS
Iowa’s initial exhibition game of the season is Thursday, Nov. 3 against Brock University of Canada. Game time is 7:05 p.m.