Iowa Meets Alabama in Paradise Jam Semi-Finals

Nov. 18, 2006

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THE SETTING
Iowa (2-0) meets 10th-ranked Alabama Saturday, Nov. 18 in the semi-finals of the 2006 Paradise Jam. Game time is 5 p.m. CT. All games in the event are being played at the Sports and Fitness Center (3,000) on the campus of the University of the Virgin Islands. Iowa defeated Toledo 78-65 in the first round on Friday. Alabama defeated Middle Tennessee State 71-62 in the opening game on Friday. The winner of the Iowa vs. Alabama contest will play for the tournament title Monday at 7:30 p.m. CT. Monday’s third place game is slated for 5 p.m. CT.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Jim Albracht will handle the play-by-play of Iowa’s three games in the Paradise Jam, along with color commentator Bob Hansen. The Hawkeye Radio Network coverage includes a 60-minute pre-game show. Television: Fox College Sports will televise the semi-finals and the third place and championship games. Dave Brown and Larry Conley will call the action.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,379 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,423-956 (.598). That includes an 889-306 (.744) record in home games, a 534-650 (.451) record in games away from Iowa City, a 675-658 (.506) mark in Big Ten games and a 295-80 (.787) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

ABOUT THE PARADISE JAM
The 2006 tournament is the sixth annual Paradise Jam men’s event, but it marks the first time the event has included an eight team field. In the previous years the tournament has included just six teams. Iowa is the third Big Ten Conference team to participate in the event. Michigan participated in the event in 2002 and Wisconsin won the tournament a year ago.

TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Iowa is making its first appearance in the Paradise Jam. Toledo is the only team in the 2006 tournament that has played in the event previously. The Rockets, in the 2002 event, lost to eventual champion Brigham Young and Virginia Tech and defeated Kansas State.
• Four of the eight teams in the event participated in the NCAA Tournament last season and four teams won more than 20 games last season. Villanova advanced to the Elite Eight last season and Alabama advanced to the second round. The combined record of the eight teams last year was 164-82.
• Alabama is ranked 10th in the Associated Press rankings and 11th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. Both Xavier and Villanova are listed among teams receiving votes.
• Xavier returns five starters from a team that posted a 21-11 mark a year ago, while Toledo (20-11), Alabama (18-13) and College of Charleston (17-11) return four starters. Iowa and Villanova, with two each, return the fewest number of starters from last season.

IOWA AT NEUTRAL SITES
Iowa played six neutral site games in 2005-06, posting a 4-2 record. The Hawkeyes split neutral site games in the Guardians Classic, defeating ninth-ranked Kentucky in the semi-finals before falling to second-ranked Texas in the title game. Iowa won three straight neutral site games at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to claim the 2006 Big Ten Tournament title before falling in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI. Iowa will play three neutral site games, all in the Paradise Jam, during the 2006-07 regular season prior to the 2007 Big Ten Tournament at the United Center in Chicago.

IOWA IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
Iowa has faired well while taking part in regular-season tournaments over the past 24 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 2006 and its own invitational 23 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 2005-06 Guardians Classic, the 2002 Big Ten Conference Tournament and the 2004 Maui Invitational.

COACH Steve Alford
Steve Alford (pronounced ALL-ford) is in his eighth season as head coach at the University of Iowa and his 16th season as a college head coach. Alford holds a career record of 293-169 (.634), including a 137-92 (.598) 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 fourth among Iowa’s head basketball coaches in career wins, just two wins from third place. Alford’s 293 career victories are the most in the nation among all head coaches who are 41-years old or younger. Alford has posted a 13-5 record in the Big Ten Conference Tournament, leading the Hawkeyes to the tournament title in both 2001 and 2006. His total wins and winning percentage in the event rank tops among all Big Ten coaches. Alford is 52-60 (.464) in Big Ten games after leading Iowa to a second place finish (11-5) in the 2006 regular season. Alford is 8-7 in the NCAA Tournament (3-4 in Div. I and 5-3 in Div. III) and 2-4 in the NIT. Alford is the only Iowa coach to lead his Hawkeye teams to six consecutive winning seasons. Iowa has advanced to post-season action in each of the past six years and the Hawkeyes have won 20 or more games in three of his seven seasons. 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 and 2006. 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 has not coached against Alabama or Coach Mike Gottfried.

ALFORD MOVES TO FOURTH
Coach Steve Alford has collected 137 victories as Iowa’s head coach, a total that ranks fourth on Iowa’s list of coaches in career wins. Alford, in 2006, moved past Bucky O’Connor, Iowa’s head coach from 1952-58 (he also was Iowa’s head coach for 11 games in 1950), who earned 114 wins. Iowa’s top three coaches in career wins are Tom Davis (269), Lute Olson (168) and Rollie Williams (139).

ALABAMA COACH MIKE GOTTFRIED
Mike Gottfried is in his ninth season at Alabama and his 12th season as a college head coach. Gottfried holds a record of 192-96 with the Crimson Tide and his overall mark stands at 230-120. Gottfried was the head coach at Murray State (1995-98) for three seasons, posting a 68-24 record while earning two NCAA and one NIT tournament invitations. He also served as an assistant coach at UCLA (1988-95), helping the Bruins earn seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including winning the national title in 1995. Gottfried had led Alabama to five straight NCAA Tournaments and the Crimson Tide moved to the top ranking in the country during the 2002 season. Alabama advanced to the Elite Eight in 2004 and won the Southeastern Conference title in 2002, earning Gottfried SEC Coach of the Year honors. As a player at Alabama, Gottfried helped the Crimson Tide post a three-year mark of 75-24. Alabama advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for three straight years and earned one SEC title. Gottfried has not coached against Iowa or Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford.

THE SERIES
Iowa and Alabama are meeting for the first time.

NOTES ON THE CRIMSON TIDE

• Iowa and Alabama both participated in the Guardians Classic early in the 2001-02 season, but the teams did not meet. Iowa lost to Missouri 78-77 in the title game after defeating Memphis 75-71 in the semi-finals. Alabama lost to Missouri 75-68 in the semi-finals before defeating Memphis 81-70 in the third place game.
• Iowa holds an all-time record of 14-12 against current members of the Southeastern Conference. Iowa has played Arkansas (3-2), Georgia (1-1), Kentucky (3-5), Louisiana State (0-3), Mississippi State (2-0), South Carolina (3-0) and Tennessee (2-1).
• Iowa’s last game vs. a team from the SEC was a 67-63 win over Kentucky last season in the semi-finals of the Guardians Classic.
• Alabama holds an all-mark of 19-14 against members of the Big Ten Conference, having played every team except Iowa.
• Alabama Coach Mike Gottfried was an assistant coach at UCLA when Iowa defeated the Bruins 88-71 in Iowa City in December, 1990.

IOWA WIN STREAK RANKS THIRD
Iowa currently holds the third longest home winning streak in the nation. Iowa won all 17 home games a year ago and has won 19 straight dating back to the final home game of the 2005 season. Iowa’s last home loss was a 75-65 decision to Illinois on Feb. 19, 2005. Last season marked Iowa’s first unbeaten home season in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which opened in 1983. The 17 victories set a school record for home wins in a season. The Hawkeyes lost just one home game in 1993 (15-1) and 1996 (14-1). The 19-game streak is a new mark for Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa’s record for consecutive home wins is 24. That streak began in 1946-47 and ended in 1948-49. Last season marked Iowa’s seventh perfect home season in school history and the first since 1966. Iowa’s current streak of 24 consecutive non-conference home wins ranks 14th-longest among Division I programs. That streak dates back to the final home game of the 2002-03 season, an NIT loss to Georgia Tech.

IOWA DEFEATS TOLEDO IN FIRST ROUND
Freshman Tyler Smith came off the bench to score 28 points to lead Iowa to a 78-65 win over Toledo in the first round of the Paradise Jam. Smith, who had just two points in Iowa’s season opening win while fighting foul problems, made his mark early against the Rockets. He had 11 points on 5-7 field goals in the first half as the Hawkeyes built a 33-30 lead at the midway point. Smith and the young Hawkeyes took over the boards in the second half in earning the win. For the game, Smith connected on 11-17 field goals and 5-8 free throws and made his only three-point attempt. He added six rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes of action. Smith had plenty of help from his young teammates. Junior center Kurt Looby, in just his second game at Iowa, collected two quick fouls and played just two minutes in the first half. Consequently, the Hawkeyes held just a 21-19 rebounding advantage. Looby was a different story in the second half. He ended the contest with 13 points and nine rebounds as the Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle 51-30. Junior center Seth Gorney and senior guard Adam Haluska each added 10 points and five rebounds. Cyrus Tate added nine points and seven rebounds off the bench as Iowa’s reserves scored 42 points. Iowa shot 42.2% from the field, compared to 37.5% for Toledo. The Hawkeyes also shot 35.7% from three-point range and hit 19-25 (76%) free throws. Iowa’s defense also allowed the veteran Rockets just three free throw attempts in the second half. Toledo scored the first five points of the second half to take a 35-33 advantage. A three-point basket by Haluska put Iowa on top 40-38 and the Hawkeyes never trailed from there. Smith scored on a drive, sandwiched around two Looby dunks, and after another Smith basket on the break the Hawkeyes led 49-40 with 15 minutes to play. Toledo would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.

HAWKEYES OPEN SEASON WITH WIN
Senior guard Adam Haluska matched a career-high with 29 points in leading Iowa to a 75-53 season-opening win over The Citadel Nov. 13 in Iowa City. Haluska connected on 8-16 field goal attempts, including 6-14 treys, and added 7-7 free throws. He also had five rebounds and six assists. Sophomore Cyrus Tate, in his first game at Iowa, came off the bench to add 13 points on 6-7 field goals. Junior center Seth Gorney added 10 points and three steals and junior forward Kurt Looby led both teams with 14 rebounds. Sophomore point guard Tony Freeman had 11 assists, seven points and six rebounds. Iowa shot 49.1% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, while holding The Citadel to 33.9% shooting. Iowa won the rebounding battle 40-33 and had 25 assists.

ALABAMA STOPS MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
Alabama improved to 2-0 with a 71-62 win over Middle Tennessee State in the first round. The Tide shot 49% from the field while holding Middle Tennessee State to 42.4%. Alabama also won the rebounding battle 36-32. The Tide was led by guard Ronald Steele with 20 points, including a 7-7 night at the free throw line. Richard Hendrix added 16 points and eight rebounds and Alonzo Gee added 12 points.

THE HAWKEYE ROSTER
The Iowa roster includes 14 players. One of those players, David Palmer, will redshirt as a transfer from another Division I program. The squad includes two seniors, three juniors, six sophomores and three freshmen. Nine of the players are in their first year with the Iowa program. Along with the four Iowans on the roster, there are two players from Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee and one from California, Ohio and Texas and St. John’s, Antigua.

THE RETURNING CAST
Iowa returns two starters and five lettermen from 2006. The returning starters include seniors Adam Haluska and Mike Henderson, who each started all 34 games last season. Haluska was a third team all-Big Ten selection and an academic all-American. With just five players returning from a year ago, Iowa returns 38.8% of its scoring, 27.9% of its rebounding, 40.8% of its assists and 41.8% of its steals. Iowa’s returning players shot 42.9% from the field, 34.9% from three-point range and 77.4% from the free throw line.

IOWA SEEKS SEVENTH STRAIGHT
Iowa, in 2007, is seeking its seventh consecutive winning season. The current streak of six straight ranks as the second longest in the history of Iowa basketball. Iowa’s record for 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). Harrison coached Iowa to five straight winning seasons from 1944-48, Lute Olson coached Iowa to 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. Iowa had five consecutive winning seasons on three occasions, 1979-83, 1985-89 and 1995-99. Iowa is one of four Big Ten teams to post a winning record in each of the last six seasons, joining Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Iowa, in 2006, advanced to post-season play for the sixth straight season and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

ANOTHER STRONG SCHEDULE
Playing five of its first six games on the road, Iowa again faces a demanding schedule in 2006-07. After opening the season at home, Iowa travels to the Paradise Jam, meeting Toledo in the first round. Other teams in the field include Alabama, College of Charleston, Middle Tennessee State, Villanova, Virginia Commonwealth and Xavier. Iowa also plays at Arizona State in November and plays at Virginia Tech as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The in-state series includes home dates with Northern Iowa and Iowa State and a visit to Drake before Big Ten play begins in January. Alabama began the season in the top 25 and is currently ranked 10th, while Villanova, Virginia Tech and Xavier are listed among teams receiving votes in the early season rankings. Iowa could play as many as 18 games against teams that advanced to post-season play a year ago. That includes two games vs. Illinois (NCAA), Indiana (NCAA), Michigan State (NCAA) Wisconsin (NCAA), Penn State (NIT) and Minnesota (NIT) and single games vs. Northern Iowa (NCAA), Ohio State (NCAA) and Michigan (NIT). After the semi-final game vs. Alabama (NCAA), Iowa will meet either Villanova (NCAA) or Xavier (NCAA) Monday.

IOWA HAS STRONG FINISH
Following is a list of Iowa’s accomplishments in 2006:

• Posted 25 wins, which ranks as the second highest total in school history. The Hawkeyes won 30 games in 1987 and 24 games in 1988. The 22 regular season wins tie as the second most in school history. The Hawkeyes won 27 regular season games in 1987 and 22 in both 1988 and 1989.
• Posted 10 wins in 14 games against top 25 teams. Iowa was 3-2 against top 10 teams.
• Prior to tournament play, Iowa was the only Division I team in the nation to record 10 wins against teams that were ranked in the top 25 at the time of the game.
• Posted 11 Big Ten wins, the most for an Iowa team since the 1996-97 team won 12 conference games. The 11 Big Ten wins are the most for Iowa since the Big Ten went to a 16-game league schedule in 1998.
• Won the Big Ten Conference Tournament with three straight wins. Iowa also won the event in 2001 and was second in 2002. Iowa is one of three teams with two tournament titles and Coach Steve Alford is the only Big Ten coach to take three teams to the championship game.
• Earned a tie for second place in the regular season standings. Iowa had not placed as high as second in the regular season since earning a tie for second with a 12-6 record in 1997.
• Earned a third seed in the NCAA Tournament. The three seed is the highest since the Hawkeyes were seeded second in the 1987 event. Iowa was also a three seed in 1981.
• Earned the No. two seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa’s previous best seed in the event was fourth in 2004.
• Advanced to the title game of the Big Ten Conference Tournament for the third time since 2001.
• Defeated seven top 25 opponents in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa set school records for home wins and total wins over ranked opponents last season.
• Completed its first-ever undefeated home season in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which opened in 1983, and its first undefeated home season since 1966.
• Completed the seventh season in Iowa history with an undefeated home record. Iowa was also undefeated at home in 1902 (3-0), 1926 (9-0), 1945 (11-0), 1948 (12-0), 1950 (6-0) and 1966 (12-0).
• Established a school record 17 home wins in one season. The previous record of 16 was established in 1985.
• Improved its overall home winning streak to 18 games, a streak that ranks longest in the Big Ten and fourth best in the nation.

IOWA SCHEDULE NOTES

• Iowa has reached the title game in 11 of 12 in-season tournaments under Coach Steve Alford in the past seven seasons. The Hawkeyes have won their own Hawkeye Challenge in each of the seven years. Iowa was second in the Guardians Classic in both 2002 and 2006, second in the Maui Invitational in 2005 and second in the IKON Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in 2000. In the only event Iowa did not advance to the title game, the Hawkeyes placed third in the Rainbow Classic in 2001. Under Alford, Iowa is 25-5 while playing in tournament events during the season, plus 13-5 in the Big Ten Tournament and a combined 3-6 in the NIT and NCAA tournaments.
• The Hawkeyes, in 2006-07, could meet two teams from Philadelphia (LaSalle and Villanova) and two teams from Charleston, SC (The Citadel and College of Charleston), along with two teams from Virginia (VA Commonwealth and VA Tech).
• Iowa is slated to play two schools which are headed by former University of Iowa presidents. Mary Sue Coleman is the President at the University of Michigan and David Skorton at Cornell University.
• Iowa Coach Craig Neal will see a familiar face should the Hawkeyes meet College of Charleston in the Paradise Jam. Bobby Cremins, who coached Neal when the Hawkeye assistant was playing for Georgia Tech, is in his first season at Charleston. The teams are in opposite brackets and will not meet.
• Herb Sendek, the first year coach at Arizona State, was the head coach at North Carolina State a year ago when the Hawkeyes defeated the Wolfpack 45-42 in Iowa City as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
• Seth Greenberg, now the head coach at Virginia Tech, was the head coach at Long Beach State when Iowa defeated the Forty-Niners101-79 in the finals of the 1993 Hawkeye Challenge.
• Iowa’s single exhibition game was against Buena Vista University, marking the second straight year Iowa hosted a member of the Iowa Conference. Buena Vista has won the Iowa Conference post-season tournament in each of the past five seasons and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament the last five seasons.

IOWA’S HAWKEYE CHALLENGE
Iowa will once again host its own Hawkeye Challenge on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2. Iowa will meet Texas-Pan American in the second game on Friday, following the opening game that pits Coppin State against LaSalle. LaSalle is making its third appearance in the tournament after placing second in 1996 and fourth in 2001. Texas-Pan American finished fourth in 1992 in its only appearance in the event and Coppin State is taking part in the tournament for the first time. Coppin State played in Iowa City during the 1998-99 season.

HALUSKA OVER 1,000 POINTS
Guard Adam Haluska heads into his final season as Iowa’s most honored player, both on the court and off. Along with earning third team all-Big Ten honors a year ago, Haluska is a two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree and a year ago he was recognized as an academic all-American. Haluska has earned the Chris Street Award, one of the top Iowa team awards presented at the end of each season, in each of the past two years. Last season he was also named to the NABC District 12 all-District second team and he was a member of the all-tournament team in both the Hawkeye Challenge and the Guardians Classic. Haluska surpassed 1,000 career points with his career-high 29-point performance in a win at Penn State last season. He has 1,264 points in his career, with 980 of those coming with the Hawkeyes. His 185 three-point field goals attempts last season rank sixth best at Iowa. He ranks ninth in career three-point field goals (130) and seventh in career attempts (356). Haluska began the season with 29 points in the win over The Citadel, matching his career high. He also added five rebounds and six assists. He added 10 points and five rebounds in the win over Toledo. Haluska has made 11-11 free throws in two games and has made 14 straight overall, dating back to the final game of the 2006 season. He scored in double figures in 27 of 34 games a year ago and was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week for his play in wins over Indiana and Ohio State. He averaged 13.9 points and 4.7 rebounds and led Iowa in steals in 11 games. Haluska has started all 100 games he has played in his career. His consecutive starts streak ranks 10th longest among all Division I players, according to STATS — Chicago.

HENDERSON NUMBERS IMPROVED
Guard Mike Henderson played a key role in Iowa’s 2006 success, improving his numbers in several categories from his sophomore season while earning the team “Most Improved Award”. Henderson matched his career scoring high with 17 points in the win at Purdue. Henderson led Iowa in a home win over Penn State, collecting 16 points while connecting on 6-7 field goals and 3-4 free throws. Henderson averaged 7.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per outing, improving his shooting to 48.7%. In Big Ten games only, he ranked sixth in league field goal percentage (54.9%). Henderson scored in double figures in 11 games after scoring 10 or more points just three times in his first two seasons.

SMITH STEPS FORWARD IN PARADISE
Freshman Tyler Smith, who had just two points in his first college game, led Iowa with 28 points in the win over Toledo. Smith connected on 11-17 field goal attempts and 5-8 free throws. He also led Iowa with five assists and collected six rebounds in 32 minutes of action.

FREEMAN SOLID AT THE POINT
Guard Tony Freeman had a solid first season with the Hawkeyes a year ago and played well in Iowa’s opening win. Freeman had a career high 11 assists and six rebounds in the opening game of the season. He added a career-best eight rebounds in the win over Toledo. Freeman, last season, played in 33 of 34 games, with four starts in the non-conference season. Freeman averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds and collected 53 assists and 19 steals. He scored a season-high 10 points in a win over Michigan and had a season-best seven assists in a win over Arizona State.

LOOBY HITS THE BOARDS
After sitting out last season as a redshirt, junior Kurt Looby began to prove that his hard work from a year ago will pay dividends. Looby led Iowa with 14 rebounds in the win over The Citadel and added three blocked shots as well. After playing just two minutes in the first half against Toledo, he ended the game with 13 points and nine rebounds, all in the second half. The native of St. John’s Antigua is playing somewhat close to home this weekend. Looby’s mother, Olivet, will be in St. Thomas to see him play.

GORNEY ADDS TO THE MIDDLE
Junior center Seth Gorney started for the first time in his career against The Citadel and responded with 10 points, two rebounds and three steals, matching his career scoring high. Gorney hit 4-7 field goals and 2-2 free throws in 25 minutes. Gorney added 10 points (4-6 FGs) and five rebounds vs. Toledo. Last season Gorney had 10 points in an early season win over Maryland-Eastern Shore before scoring just 17 points the rest of the season while averaging four minutes per game. His 25 minutes of action in each of Iowa’s first two games more than doubled his previous high (12 minutes vs. Penn State).

TATE ON TARGET IN FIRST ACTION
Sophomore forward Cyrus Tate connected on 6-7 field goal attempts to score 13 points vs. The Citadel in his first action as a Hawkeyes. It was more of the same in Iowa’s win over Toledo as Tate hit 3-5 field goals and 3-4 free throws, collecting nine points, seven rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes. Tate attended junior college one season before joining the Iowa program.

IOWA VS. RANKED FOES
Steve Alford has posted a 28-34 record against ranked opponents as Iowa’s head coach, including a 10-4 mark in 2005-06. The Hawkeyes defeated seventh-ranked Kentucky (67-63), 21st-ranked North Carolina State (45-42), sixth-ranked Illinois (63-48), 11th-ranked Indiana (73-60), 16th-ranked Ohio State (67-62), 20th-ranked Michigan (94-66), 21st-ranked Indiana (70-67), 16th-ranked Michigan State (66-54), 25th-ranked Wisconsin (59-44) and seventh-ranked Ohio State (67-62). Iowa dropped a 68-59 decision to second-ranked Texas, fell 66-52 at 24th-ranked Wisconsin, was defeated 85-55 at 11th-ranked Michigan State and lost at eighth-ranked Illinois, 71-59. Alford’s Hawkeye teams are 9-14 when playing teams ranked in the top 10, including wins over top-ranked Connecticut (70-68 in 1999-00), second-ranked Missouri (83-65 in 2001-02), fifth-ranked Ohio State (67-64 in 1999-00), sixth-ranked Illinois (63-48 in 2006), seventh-ranked Ohio State (67-60 in 2005-06), seventh-ranked Kentucky (67-63 in 2005-06), seventh-ranked Illinois (78-62 in 2000-01), eighth-ranked Illinois (68-61 in 2002-03) and 10th-ranked Michigan State (71-69 in 2005). The 14 losses to top 10 teams have been three times to No. 1 (Duke, 2001-02 and Illinois twice in 2004-05), once to second-ranked (Texas, 2005-06), once to third-ranked (Illinois, 2000-01), twice to fourth-ranked (Michigan State, 1999-00 and 2000-01), twice to fifth-ranked (Tennessee, 2000-01 and Missouri, 2001-02), once to eighth-ranked Illinois, 2005-06), once to ninth-ranked (Kentucky, 2000-01) and three times to 10th-ranked (Michigan State, 2000, Illinois, 2002 and Michigan State, 2005). In the 62 games against ranked teams, Alford and his Iowa team are 13-9 in home games, 11-11 at neutral sites and 4-14 when playing ranked teams in their home arena.

IOWA ON THE TUBE
Nearly every Iowa game throughout the 2006-07 season will be televised, with the only exception being the Paradise Jam tournament in November. Iowa’s opening round game was not televised. Fox Sports will televise the semi-finals, third place game and championship game of the eight-team tournament. The majority of Iowa’s non-conference games will be televised on ESPN Regional. Games at Drake and Virginia Tech will be aired on ESPNU and the contest at Arizona State can be seen on Fox Sports. During the Big Ten season, Iowa games vs. Michigan State, Indiana (twice), at Wisconsin and at Penn State will be televised on ESPN. Iowa’s home game with Wisconsin can be seen on CBS and the home finale against Illinois could appear on either CBS or ESPN. All other conference games will be on ESPN Regional, 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.

IOWA INTRODUCES SOLDIERS FIRST PROGRAM
Coach Steve Alford and the Iowa Hawkeyes have introduced a new program that thanks active members of the U.S. Military for their service to the country by providing them the opportunity to enjoy a home game of the Iowa Hawkeyes with their family and/or friends. The “Soldiers First” program offers five men or women who are on “active duty” with any branch of the U.S. Military the opportunity to cheer Alford’s 2006-07 Iowa squad with three guests. Ticket requests will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible servicemen and servicewomen can call the UI Sports Marketing Office at (319) 335-9431 to learn more about the “Soldier’s First” program. Information and a registration form are also on the home page for men’s basketball at hawkeyesports.com, the official world wide web site of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

BASKETBALL TICKETS AVAILABLE
The following is information on Iowa basketball tickets.

Season tickets are available for 2006-07, including general public ($300), UI faculty and staff ($243) and UI students ($85). Single game tickets are available for $20 and $25, depending on the date of the game. UI students can purchase single game tickets for $15 on the day of the game, when available. There are several options available for fans interested in purchasing tickets for selected games:

• A three-game package is available for $57 that includes games vs. Northern Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana.
• The Big Ten mid-week package is available for $68 and includes games vs. Michigan State, Penn State, Northwestern and Purdue.
• The Big Ten weekend package includes games vs. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois and is available for $100.
• The pre-Big Ten season package includes both nights of the Hawkeye Challenge and games vs. Iowa State, Texas Southern and Cornell, for $80.
• The Holiday Special package, which includes games vs. Cornell, Michigan State and Minnesota, is $54.
• Tickets for the two nights of the Hawkeye Challenge are $36.
• “Youth Basketball Nights” have been set for both nights of the Hawkeye Challenge and games vs. Georgia State, Texas Southern, Cornell, Penn State, Northwestern and Purdue. Tickets for students high school age or younger are $10 for these games.
• Discounted tickets to select home games, earmarked for purchase by groups of 20 or more, are also available for purchase. For information about group ticket packages, fans should call the UI Sports Marketing Office at (319) 335-9431.

Fans interested in obtaining men’s basketball tickets can do so at the UI Athletic Ticket Office, located in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, by calling the ticket office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or by visiting the UI website at hawkeyesports.com.

HAWKEYES LOOKING FOR HEROES
Is there a hero among you, your friends, your family? Coach Steve Alford and the Iowa Hawkeyes are looking for heroes, people who have gone above and beyond to help others. “There are wonderful things being done each day in every community across the state of Iowa by outstanding people,” said Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford. “Our basketball staff feels the “Heroes Among Us” program is an easy way to salute the friends and neighbors of ours who are making a different in the lives of their friends and neighbors.” Nomination forms for the “Heroes Among Us” program are available online at hawkeyesports.com, the official web site of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Fans can print their nomination form by visiting the men’s basketball home page and clicking on the “Heroes Among Us” line under the “Features” heading. The UI will select one here to be saluted at each Hawkeye home game throughout the remainder of the season. The hero, and the individual who nominated them, will be provided pairs of tickets to the game and a $10 gift certificate to the Official Iowa Hawk Shop. The hero will also be recognized when they are in attendance. This marks the second year of the “Heroes Among Us” program, as 15 Iowans were recognized at home games a year ago.

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 6 to 7:30 p.m. The show will take place on the following dates: November 27; December 4, 11 and 18; January 8, 17, 22 and 29; February 5, 12, 19 and 28; March 5 and 12.

COMING UP NEXT
Iowa will continue action in the Paradise Jam with a final game on Monday. The consolation game is at 5 p.m. CT and the championship game will follow at 7:30 p.m. CT The Hawkeyes play at Arizona State Nov. 25 and at Virginia Tech Nov. 29 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Iowa’s next home contest is Friday, Dec. 1 against Texas-Pan American in the first round of the Hawkeye Challenge.