Iowa Hosts Hawkeye Challenge This Weekend

Nov. 30, 2006

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THE SETTING
Iowa (2-4) begins a four-game home stand Friday, Dec. 1 by hosting Texas-Pan American (5-1) in the first round of the Hawkeye Challenge. Game time is 8:11 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500). Iowa dropped a 69-65 contest at Virginia Tech Wednesday, suffering its fourth straight loss after opening the season with two wins. Texas-Pan American defeated Texas-Arlington 74-73 Monday in its most recent outing. The Broncs opened the season with four straight wins before splitting their last two games, both against Texas Arlington. LaSalle (3-0) meets Coppin State (1-5) in Friday’s first game. The consolation and championship games follow the same time format Saturday evening.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Gary Dolphin handles the play-by-play, along with color commentator Bob Hansen. The Hawkeye Radio Network coverage includes a 60-minute pre-game show.
Television: ESPN Regional will carry the game to a network of stations that includes KGAN Cedar Rapids, KDSM Des Moines, KWQC Quad Cities, KYOU Ottumwa, CSN-West in Sacramento, CA, MASN Baltimore, MD and cable systems in Council Bluffs-Omaha, Mason City, Sioux City and Providence, RI. The game is also part of ESPN’s Full Court package. Larry Morgan and Mac McCausland will call the action.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,383 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,423-960 (.597). That includes an 889-306 (.744) record in home games, a 534-654 (.449) 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.

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 293-173 (.629), including a 137-96 (.588) 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 42-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 is 1-0 vs. Texas-Pan American and has not coached against Bronc Coach Tom Schuberth.

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).

UTPA’S TOM SCHUBERTH
Tom Schuberth is in his first season as a college head coach, leading UTPA to a 5-1 mark. Although in his first season as a college head coach, Schuberth has 24 years of coaching experience as an assistant. He has been a part of 12 different 20-win programs and has coached 14 conference championship teams in five separate NCAA Division I conferences. Most recently, Schuberth was an assistant at Central Florida for four seasons, helping UCF post an 84-41 record and make two NCAA Tournament appearances. He was an assistant at Alabama-Birmingham in 2001-02 and an assistant at Southeast Missouri State from 1997-01. Schuberth was an assistant coach at Memphis for five seasons and an assistant at Louisiana-Monroe for nine seasons after beginning his coaching career at North Alabama. Schuberth, a native of Chicago, attended Mississippi State, where he was a three-time letterman and two-year starter. He ranked third in the Southeastern Conference in assists during the 1979-80 season. He attended Nevada-Las Vegas as a freshman, where he was a member of UNLV’s Final Four team in 1977. Schuberth has not coached against Iowa or Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford.

THE SERIES
Iowa holds a 2-0 series advantage over Texas-San Pan American. The Hawkeyes defeated the Broncs 110-64 in December, 1987 and 85-29 in December, 1992. Both previous meetings were regular season games and both were played in Iowa City.

IOWA/UTPA NOTES

  • Coach Steve Alford is 1-0 against Texas-Pan American, and it is likely a win he remembers. That victory was an 83-71 win for Southwest Missouri State over the Broncs on Nov. 25, 1995 is Alford’s first game on the Division I level after he had coached four seasons at Manchester College.
  • UTPA’s Tom Schuberth spent two years as a member of the California Chiefs, the opposing team of the Harlem Globetrotters. Schuberth served under Coach Kirk Speraw for four seasons at Central Florida. Speraw is a former Iowa basketball letterman.
  • UTPA’s Colin Lien, who averages 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, is a native of Waterloo. Lien is a senior at Texas-Pan American who attended Southeastern Community College in Burlington.
  • UTPA’s Larry Sheppard attended Iowa Western Community College before attending UTPA.
  • UTPA Athletic Director Scott Street is a former Iowa student trainer.
  • UTPA assistant Ben Johnson was a member of the Minnesota basketball team for two seasons (2003-04).

IOWA NOTES

  • Iowa recently completed a five-game road swing that saw the Hawkeyes travel nearly 8,000 miles while competing in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, along with playing single games at Arizona State and Virginia Tech. Including its opening game at home, Iowa has played in four different time zones (Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain) through its first six games. This marks the first time since early in the 2000-01 season that Iowa has played five straight games away from home. Like this season, that five-game stretch in 2000-01 also included three games at a neutral site (Rainbow Classic). Iowa’s longest consecutive road game streak under Steve Alford occurred in 1999-00 when the Hawkeyes played at Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Missouri and Drake, winning two of the four.
  • Six games into the season, Iowa has already played opponents from four of the stronger leagues in the nation, including the Southeastern (Alabama), Big East (Villanova), Pac-10 (Arizona State) and Atlantic Coast (Virginia Tech).
  • Senior guard Adam Haluska was recently named one of 50 candidates named to the pre-season Watch List for the Naismith Award, which goes annually to the Player of the Year.
  • With 18 points in Iowa’s loss to Villanova, senior Adam Haluska became the 39th Hawkeye player to surpass 1,000 career points. Haluska is in his third season at Iowa and has 1,050 points to rank 36th on Iowa’s career list. His career total, including one season at Iowa State, stands at 1,334.
  • Freshman Tyler Smith was named to the all-tournament team at the Paradise Jam. Smith scored in double figures in all three games. He led Iowa to its win over Toledo on the first round, collecting 28 points, six rebounds and five assists. Smith added 19 points in the loss to 10th-ranked Alabama and 13 points in the loss to Villanova.

HAWKEYE TIDBITS

  • Three Hawkeye opponents, Alabama, Villanova and Arizona State, have all shot better than 50% from the field. In 34 games a year ago, Iowa allowed just three opponents to shoot as well as 50% from the field. Those were road games at Michigan State, Purdue and Minnesota, with Iowa losing two of the three. Iowa is 4-11 over the past four seasons when its opponent shoots 50% or better from the field.
  • Iowa is 0-0 when scoring 80 points or more, 2-0 when scoring between 70-80 points, 0-4 when scoring between 60-70 points and 0-0 when scoring less than 60 points.
  • Iowa is 1-0 when holding its opponent to less than 60 points, 1-2 when holding its opponent between 60-70 points and 0-2 when the opponent scores over 70 points.
  • Iowa is 1-1 when collecting more assists than the opponent and 1-3 when the opponent has more assists.
  • Iowa is 1-2 when having fewer turnovers than its opponent and 1-2 when the opponent has fewer turnovers.
  • Iowa is 0-2 when collecting more steals than its opponent, 1-2 when the opponent has more steals and 1-0 when steals are equal.
  • Iowa has had four players score in double figures in one game (Toledo) and three players score in double figures in three games. Iowa is 1-0 when four reach double figures, and 0-3 with three score in double figures and 0-2 with two players in double figures.
  • Iowa is 2-1 when leading at halftime and 0-3 when trailing at intermission.
  • Iowa is 2-2 when controlling the opening tip and 0-2 when not controlling the tip.
  • Iowa is 0-1 in games decided by 10 points or less and 0-2 in games decided by five points or less.

IOWA RALLYS IS SHORT AT VA TECH
Iowa rallied in the closing minutes at Virginia Tech, only to see the effort come up short in a 69-65 loss to the Hokies Wednesday night in Blacksburg, VA. VA Tech used a 10- 0 scoring run late in the first half to break an 18-18 tie and take a 30-21 at halftime. The Hokies increased the advantage to as many as 16 points in the second half and led by 15 points with 4:43 before rallied. Taking advantage of missed free throws by VA Tech, Iowa cut the margin to five points with 55 seconds left and to four with 33 seconds to play. The Hokies made just enough free throws to hold on for the win. Iowa shot 42.6% from the field, including 45% from three-point range and added 10-13 (76.9%) free throws. The Hawkeyes also won the rebounding battle by a 37-31 margin. Turnovers proved to be the difference in the game. Virginia Tech forced 19 Iowa turnovers and scored 25 points off those mistakes. The Hokies had just eight turnovers and Iowa scored just six points following those errors. Senior Adam Haluska once again led Iowa’s scoring with 24 points, and he connected in 9-17 field goals overall and 5-10 three-pointers before leaving the game with 39 seconds remaining with a sprained ankle. Tony Freeman added 11 points and Justin Johnson scored nine, all on three-point baskets. Freshman Tyler Smith and sophomore Cyrus Tate led Iowa on the boards, as each collected seven rebounds. Smith also added five assists and two steals, while Johnson added six rebounds and junior center Seth Gorney had five.

TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN DEFEATS ARLINGTON
Texas-Pan American earned a measure of revenge with a 74-73 home win Monday evening over Texas-Arlington, avenging its only loss of the young season. Texas-Pan American trailed 58-47 with 10 minutes remaining before rallying for the win. The Broncs tied the game at 69-69 with 3:29 remaining and again at 73-73 in the final minute. UTPA’s Zach Trader hit a free throw with less than a second remaining to provide the winning margin after being fouled while grabbing a defensive rebound. Brian Burrell led the Broncs with 26 points, connecting on 10-15 field goals. He also added six rebounds and five assists. Trader collected 12 points and Colin Lien added 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

IOWA HOME 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.

HENDERSON NEAR RETURN TO ACTION
Senior guard Mike Henderson, who has been out of action since suffering a hand injury in practice on Oct. 30, is close to his return. Henderson suffered a fracture to the pinkie finger on his right hand and underwent surgery two days later. Henderson had the cast removed on Monday, Nov. 27. Henderson could see limited action this weekend. Henderson (6-3, 200), a Waterloo, IA native, started all 34 games a year ago. He averaged 7.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per outing while shooting 46.4% from three-point range. He earned the team “Most Improved Award” at the conclusion of the season. As a junior Henderson scored in double figures in 11 games. He matched a career-high with 17 points in a win at Purdue and scored 16 points vs. Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament and in a home win over Penn State. Henderson added 15 points and seven rebounds in an early season win over ninth-ranked Kentucky as Iowa was 11-0 when he scored in double figures.

HALUSKA NAMED CAPTAIN
Senior Adam Haluska will serve as Iowa’s 2006-07 team captain. Haluska is a native of Carroll, IA who has started every game for the Hawkeyes over the past three seasons. A year ago he earned third team all-Big Ten recognition. Haluska averaged 13.9 points and 4.7 rebounds last season. He has scored 1,310 career points, including 1,026 with the Hawkeyes. He was named to the Guardians Classic all-tournament team a year ago and was an all-tournament selection in Iowa’s Hawkeye Challenge.

PRE-SEASON HONORS FOR HALUSKA
Senior guard Adam Haluska has earned pre-season recognition for his action on and off the floor. Following are Haluska’s pre-season honors:

  • Named the recipient of the 2006-07 Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete Award. The award is presented by Playboy Magazine and recognizes a student-athlete who excels in the classroom and on the court. The magazine will donate $5,000 to the University of Iowa general scholarship fund.
  • Named to pre-season all-Big Ten team, as selected by vote of media representatives attending Big Ten Conference Basketball Media Day.
  • One of 50 players named to the pre-season Watch List for the John R. Wooden all-America team.
  • One of 50 players named to the pre-season Watch List for the Naismith Award, which goes each year to the national Player of the Year.

Haluska earned academic all-America honors last season and is a two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree. He earned third team all-Big Ten honors a year ago after averaging 13.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He ranks among Iowa’s career leaders in three-point field goals and three point attempts.

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 1,334 points in his career, with 1,050 of those coming with the Hawkeyes. His 185 three-point field goals attempts last season rank sixth best at Iowa. He ranks sixth in career three-point field goals (140) and career attempts (389). 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 and 18 points vs. Villanova. Haluska increased his consecutive free throw streak to 21 (including three last season) before missing his final attempt vs. Villanova. He added 24 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals vs. Arizona State and had 24 points at Virginia Tech, hitting 9-17 field goals (5-10 treys). 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 104 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. Smith had another solid outing in the loss to Alabama, collecting 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 37 minutes. Against Villanova, he added 12 points and three rebounds and he added 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals at Arizona State. Smith had seven points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in a loss at Virginia Tech. He was named to the Paradise Jam all-tournament team and through six games is averaging 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

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 and added 16 points, four rebounds and three assists against Alabama. He led Iowa with five assists vs. Villanova and added 11 points (4-5 FGs, 2-2 FTs) against Virginia Tech. 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 is averaging 7.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

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. Looby added 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots vs. Villanova and he added six points, four rebounds and three blocked shots vs. Virginia Tech. He leads Iowa in rebounding (6.3) and blocked shots (2.1) and is scoring seven points per game. He is a native of St. John’s Antigua. His mother, Olivet, was able to visit the Virgin Islands to attend the Paradise Jam, seeing her son play college basketball for the first time.

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 and he had 10 points and three assists in the loss to Alabama. He added four points and five rebounds vs. Virginia Tech. 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) and he played 28 minutes vs. Alabama.

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 Hawkeye. 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 collected four points, seven rebounds and two assists at Virginia Tech. He is shooting 60.9% from the field and averaging 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Tate attended junior college one season before joining the Iowa program.

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.

IOWA PROGRAM REACHES 1,400 WINS
The Iowa basketball program reached 1,400 wins (now at 1,423) with a 79-46 victory over Texas-San Antonio on Nov. 26, 2005. Iowa is one of 37 NCAA Division I programs with as many as 1,400 wins. Iowa’s basketball history includes 72 winning seasons and 24 years in which the Hawkeyes have won 20 or more games. Iowa (with 22) is one of 31 programs to earn more than 20 invitations into the NCAA Tournament.

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 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.

IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa made its 22nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2006, falling to Northwestern State in the opening round at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Iowa earned the Big Ten Conference’s automatic bid by virtue of claiming the league’s tournament title. The Hawkeyes hold an overall record of 27-24 in the tournament, advancing to the Final Four in 1955 (fourth), 1956 (second) and 1980 (fourth). Iowa reached the regional championship in 1987 and lost in the regional semi-final in 1988 and 1999.

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: December 4, 11 and 18; January 8, 17, 22 and 29; February 5, 12, 19 and 28; March 5 and 12.

COMING UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes play Saturday evening in the final round of the Hawkeye Challenge against LaSalle or Coppin State. The Hawkeyes host Northern Iowa (Dec. 5) and Iowa State (Dec. 8) next week before finals week. Overall eight of Iowa’s next nine games are in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with the lone road game a Dec. 16 contest vs. Drake in Des Moines.