March 5, 2007
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THE SETTING
Iowa (17-13, 9-7) meets Purdue (20-10, 9-7) Friday, March 9 in the quarter-finals of the 2007 Big Ten Conference Tournament. Game time is 1:30 p.m. at the United Center (21,711) in Chicago.The Hawkeyes are the fourth seed and Purdue is the fifth seed. Iowa, Illinois and Purdue tied for fourth place during the regular season. Iowa defeated the Boilermakers 78-59 (Feb. 21) in Iowa City in the only meeting during the regular season. Iowa closed the season with a 60-53 home win over Illinois.Purdue has won three straight games since the loss in Iowa City, including a 73-50 win over Northwestern to close the regular season. The winner of the Iowa vs. Purdue game will play at 12:40 p.m. Saturday in the semi-finals.
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 will carry the game to a national cable audience. Dave O’Brien, Steve Lavin and Erin Andrews will call the action.
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,407 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,438-969 (.597). That includes a 902-308 (.745) record in home games, a 536-661 (.448) record in games away from Iowa City, a 684-665 (.507) mark in Big Ten games and a 308-82 (.790) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA ATTENDANCE IMCREASES
Iowa drew an average of 12,196 fans for its 16 home games during the 2006-07 season. That average ranks as an improvement over each of the last two seasons, as Iowa averaged 12,006 fans a year ago. Iowa has annually ranked among the top teams in the nation in home attendance.
HALUSKA CANDIDATE FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Adam Haluska is one of 10 final candidates for the 2007 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and Iowa fans can vote online on his behalf.To vote online, Hawkeye fans can visit the www.seniorclassaward.com website. Fan voting will continue through Friday, March 23. The award is presented annually to an NCAA Division I male and female senior basketball player who excel both on and off the court.Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the male and female recipients. Winners will be announced during the men’s and women’s respective Final Four weekends.An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season to honor the attributes of college basketball seniors who remain committed to their university and pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring. The award was conceived by sportscaster Dick Enberg, who continues to serve as Honorary Chairman.
IOWA AT THE UNITED CENTER
Iowa holds an 8-6 overall record at the United Center. Iowa is 7-5 while taking part in all seven Big Ten Tournaments held in Chicago. Iowa was 2-1 while advancing to the semi-finals of the 2005 tournament and won four-straight games to win the 2001 tournament. Iowa split two games in the 2000 event and lost its first game in the tournament in 1998, 1999 and 2003.Iowa has also played two non-conference games at the United Center. In 2002, Iowa dropped an 80-62 decision to top-ranked Duke as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Hawkeyes scored an 83-53 non-conference win over Texas Tech at the United Center in 2005.
HAWKEYES WITH TOURNAMENT RECORDS
Reggie Evans, in 2001 and 2002, set several single game, tournament and career records. Evans holds single game records for free throws (12, tie), free throw attempts (17) and rebounds (18, twice). He also holds the record for rebounds in a tournament (51) and career tournament rebounds (95).Dean Oliver holds the record for free throw attempts (35) in a tournament (2001), Kyle Galloway in 2000 set a single-game and tournament record for free throw percentage (11-11, 100%) and Luke Recker holds tournament records for field goals (30) and total points (91), both set in 2002.
IOWA IN TEAM RECORDS
As a team, Iowa is involved in several high water marks, for both single game and tournament performances. For single game, Iowa ranks first in free throws (36 vs. PSU, 2001) and free throw attempts (48 vs. PSU, 2001) and is tied for first in most points (94 vs. PSU, 2001). Iowa is second in free throws (31 vs. OSU, 2001), free throw attempts (45 vs. OSU, 2002) and tied for second in rebounds (48 vs. PSU, 2001).
For a tournament, Iowa is first in total points (304 in 2001), free throws (106 in 2001), free throw attempts (152 in 2001) and rebounds (162 in 2001). Iowa is second in field goals (91 in 2002), field goal attempts (201 in 2002), three-point field goals (25 in 2002) and free throws (64 in 2002). Iowa’s seven-game winning streak in the 2001 and 2002 events is also a tournament record.
CAREER TOURNAMENT LEADERS
Guard Dean Oliver ranks fifth in steals (14) and ninth in assists (34). Forward Reggie Evans is the career leader in rebounds (95) and he ranks seventh in scoring (111). Guard Luke Recker ranks fourth in scoring with 135 points. Jeff Horner ranks eighth in scoring (110) and third in assists (48). Greg Brunner is tied for seventh in rebounds (49) and fourth in blocked shots (12) while Erek Hansen ranks second in blocked shots (15).
HAWKEYES ARE FOURTH SEED
Iowa earned the No. 4 seed after finishing the Big Ten schedule with a 9-7 record. Iowa was the fourth seed in 2004, when the Hawkeyes were defeated by Michigan, 79-70 in the quarter-finals.
IOWA BY SEEDING IN THE TOURNAMENT
Iowa was seeded second in 2006, fourth in 2004, fifth in 1998 and 1999, sixth in 2001, seventh in 2000 and 2005 and ninth in 2002 and 2003.
IOWA IN THE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Iowa has posted a 13-7 record while playing 20 games in the nine Big Ten Tournaments. Iowa has played nine different teams in the event, having met each team except Illinois at least once. Four of the 13 wins came on the way to the tournament title in 2001 and Iowa won three games while earning a return trip to the title game in 2002. The Hawkeyes also won three games en route to the 2006 tournament championship.The 13 wins rank as the second highest total among league teams, trailing Illinois’ 17 wins. Iowa’s .650 winning percentage also trails only that of Illinois (.696).Ohio State and Iowa have both played in three title games, with Iowa winning in 2001 and 2006 and OSU winning in 2002. Illinois has five appearances in the title game.Iowa lost in the first round in both 1998 and 1999 before winning its first game in the event in 2000. Iowa has been eliminated by the tournament champion in three of the nine tournaments, including Michigan in the 1998 quarter-finals, Michigan State in the 2000 quarter-finals and Ohio State in the 2002 title game.Iowa Coach Steve Alford holds a 13-5 record in the Big Ten Tournament. Alford ranks first among all Big Ten coaches in tournament wins and winning percentage (.722) winning percentage.
TOURNAMENT NOTES
The fourth-seeded team is 6-8 in the tournament. The fourth-seed has gone 3-0 to win the Big Ten Tournament once (Michigan, 1998) and has gone 2-1, advancing to the championship game twice (Illinois, 2000, Indiana, 2001). Iowa defeated No. 4 seed Indiana for the 2001 Big Ten Tournament title. The fourth-seeded team has lost in the first round each of the last four years. The top-seeded team in the tournament has lost four times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003) in the quarter-finals and holds a 13-8 record in the tournament. Michigan State in 1999 and Illinois in 2005 are the only top-seeded teams to win the event.
IOWA IN CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa has compiled a 308-82 (.790) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa is 147-68 (.684) in Big Ten games and 161-14 (.920) in non-Big Ten games. Iowa has drawn over 5.4 million fans for men’s basketball games since the arena opened in 1983. Iowa has posted a 100-27 (.787) home record under Coach Steve Alford, including a 58-5 (.920) mark in non-conference home games. Two of the five non-conference home losses came in the National Invitation Tournament.
HAWKEYES SET ARENA RECORD
Iowa recently set a Carver-Hawkeye Arena (opened in 1983) record with 12 consecutive Big Ten Conference home wins. The streak was snapped Jan. 28 when second-ranked Wisconsin won in Iowa City. Prior to the Badger loss, Iowa had not lost a Big Ten home game since a 75-65 loss to top-ranked Illinois on Feb. 19, 2005.Iowa’s record for consecutive home wins in league play is 14 straight. That mark was set during the 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons when home games were played at the Iowa Field House.
TOP HOME PERCENTAGE
Iowa has posted a 44-5 (.898) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena over the last three seasons. That mark ranks as Iowa’s best home court winning percentage over any three year period in which Iowa won at least 40 games.Iowa’s winning percentage in Big Ten home games (20-4, .833) over the last three seasons is also the best percentage since the conference began playing more than 14 league games in 1974.
HALUSKA LEADS IN SCORING
Senior guard Adam Haluska led the Big Ten Conference in scoring. Haluska scored 341 points (21.3) in league play, the most points by a scoring leader since A.J. Guyton scored 345 points in 2000. Wisconsin’s Alando Tucker (315) ranked second behind Haluska after leading the league in scoring in 2006. Haluska is averaging 20.8 point in all games, also best among conference players.Previously, Iowa had five players lead the Big Ten Conference in scoring for league games only. Murray Wier also led the nation in scoring in 1948 and Andre Woolridge in 1997 was the first player to lead the Big Ten in both scoring and assists.
HALUSKA TOP SCORER FOR THREE SEASONS
Senior Adam Haluska has totaled 1,564 points in his three-year career at Iowa, becoming Iowa’s all-time scoring leader for three seasons and moving to seventh on the career scoring list. With 30 points at Penn State, Haluska moved past Andre Woolridge (1,525) and Don Nelson (1,522) to take over the top spot among three year players. Including his freshman season at Iowa State, Haluska has scored 1,848 career points. His 623 points this season rank seventh best for a single season at Iowa.
HALUSKA EARNS NATIONAL ACADEMIC HONOR
Adam Haluska has been named the Academic All-American of the Year on the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Division I men’s basketball team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).Haluska earned first team academic all-America honors after earning third team honors as a junior. Haluska is the first men’s basketball player at Iowa to earn first team honors and the first to be named the Academic All-American of the Year. He is a finance and marketing major with a 3.5 grade point average.Haluska is also one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and he is one of 30 remaining candidates for the Naismith Award.
HALUSKA ON NABC TEAM
Adam Haluska has been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) all-District 12 first team. The NABC selects a first and second team in each of 15 districts, with those players becoming eligible for the NABC all-America team, which is announced at the conclusion of the season.Members of the District 12 first team, along with Haluska, are Nate Funk, Creighton; Brandon Rush and Julian Wright, Kansas; and Maio Boggan, Oklahoma State.
IOWA TOUGH AT HOME
Iowa has won 32 of its last 34 games in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa’s recent win streak included 21 straight overall wins and 12 straight Big Ten Conference wins. Iowa has won nine of its last 10 home games against ranked opponents. The Hawkeyes posted a 14-2 home record in 2006-07.
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 308-182 (.629), including a 152-105 (.591) 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 third among Iowa’s head basketball coaches in career wins. Alford’s 308 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 61-67 (.477) in Big Ten games. He led Iowa to a second place finish (11-5) in 2006 and a fourth place finish (9-7) this 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 seven 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 three times. 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 and are once again eligible for post-season play.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 9-5 against Purdue and 2-0 vs. Boilermaker Coach Matt Painter.
ALFORD THIRD IN CAREER WINS
Coach Steve Alford has 308 career wins and 152 victories as Iowa’s head coach. With Iowa’s win over Iowa State earlier this season, Alford moved past Rollie Williams (139) for third place on Iowa’s career win list behind Tom Davis (269) and Lute Olson (168). Iowa’s 62-60 win over 24th-ranked Michigan State was win No. 300 for the Hawkeye head coach and he earned victory No. 150 at Iowa with a 66-58 win over Northwestern.Davis coached the Hawkeyes from 1987-99, Olson was the Iowa coach from 1975-83 and Williams coached the Hawkeyes from 1930-42 and in 1950-51.
PURDUE COACH MATT PAINTER
Matt Painter, a former Boilermaker player under Gene Keady, is in his second season as the head coach at Purdue after serving as associate head coach for one season. Painter holds a 29-29 record at Purdue. He is in his third season as a head coach with a 54-34 record. He led Purdue to a 9-18 mark in his first season after posting a 25-5 record in one season at Southern Illinois. Painter was the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2004, leading the Salukis to a 17-1 league record and a No. 15 national ranking. He previously served as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois (1995-98) and Southern Illinois (1998-2003).Painter was a four-year (1990-93) letterman at Purdue and served as a team captain as a senior. He earned all-Big Ten honorable mention recognition and helped Purdue earn four straight post-season invitations, including three NCAA Tournament invitations.Painter is 0-2 vs. Iowa and Coach Steve Alford.
THE SERIES
Purdue holds a 75-70 advantage in the series that began with a 17-11 Boilermaker win in 1909. Iowa defeated the Boilermakers 78-59 (Feb. 21) in Iowa City in the only meeting this season, marking Iowa’s sixth win in the last seven meetings. Iowa scored a 77-68 win at Purdue in the only meeting in 2006. Iowa won two of three meetings in 2005 and both meetings in 2004, while Purdue won the only meeting in 2003.Iowa and Purdue have met three times at a neutral site, with two of the three meetings taking place in the Big Ten Tournament and two of the three taking place in Indianapolis. Iowa defeated the Boilermakers 71-52 in the 2005 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago and 87-72 in the 2002 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.In addition, the Hawkeyes and Boilermakers both advanced to the 1980 Final Four at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, and both lost in the semi-finals. A consolation game was played at that time and Purdue defeated Iowa 75-58.The Boilermakers hold a 51-21 advantage in games played in West Lafayette. Iowa scored a 63-62 win in 2004 and has won three of the last five meetings in Mackey Arena.Iowa holds a 47-23 advantage in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have won seven of the last nine meetings in Iowa City and hold a 13-8 advantage in games played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA, PURDUE NOTES
The Iowa roster includes Indiana natives J.R. Angle (Franklin) and Drew Adams (Bloomington), along with Coach Steve Alford, an Indiana native who played at Indiana, and Associate Head Coach Craig Neal, a native of Washington, IN who played at Georgia Tech. Adams and Angle are both sophomores. Indiana posted a 3-5 record vs. Purdue during the career of Iowa Coach Steve Alford 1984-87. Purdue posted a 4-3 record vs. Iowa during the playing career of Boilermaker Coach Matt Painter (1990-93). Purdue Assistant Coach Paul Lusk began his college career at Iowa. Lusk, who had followed his uncle’s footsteps to Iowa, suffered a broken leg early in his Iowa career and completed his career at Southern Illinois. Lusk scored over 1,000 points in his three seasons at Southern Illinois. Lusk was also the head coach at the University of Dubuque for one season (2002-03). Purdue assistant Cuonzo Martin (1992-95) played at Purdue, helping the Boilermakers post a 5-1 record vs. Iowa. Purdue assistant Rick Ray attended Grand View College in Des Moines. Iowa’s Justin Johnson and Purdue’s David Teague rank as two of the top three-point shooters in the Big Ten. Johnson ranks second in the league for all games and third in Big Ten games only. Teague ranks fourth in Big Ten games and fifth overall.
IOWA WON ONLY MEETING WITH PURDUE
Iowa scored the first seven points of the game and never trailed in taking a 78-59 home win over Purdue (Feb. 21) in the only meeting of the year with the Boilermakers.The Hawkeyes started fast, shooting 59.3% from the field while building a 44-34 halftime advantage. Iowa led by as many as 13 while controlling the action in the opening 20 minutes, despite the fact that Purdue shot 48.1% from the field and 50% from three-point range.Iowa turned up its defense in the second half, allowing Purdue to shoot just 30.4% from the field. The Boilermakers closed the gap to six points with 14 minutes to play before Iowa scored 10 straight over the next five minutes to regain control. The Boilermakers were never closer than 13 points in the final 10 minutes.Iowa shot 55.6% from the field for the game and 69.7% from the foul line. The Hawkeyes held a 36-28 rebounding advantage and collected 21 assists and 10 steals. Along with its cold field goal shooting in the second half, Purdue made just 13-27 (48.1%) of its free throws in the game.Iowa had five players score in double figures for the first time in 28 games. Tyler Smith led the scoring with 18 points and he added seven assists and four rebounds. Tony Freeman added 14 points, Adam Haluska and Cyrus Tate scored 11 and Mike Henderson added 10. Tate added 10 rebounds and Haluska had five assists and four steals.Chris Kramer led Purdue with 19 points, David Teague added 13, Gordon Watt scored 13 and Carl Landry added nine points and six rebounds.
IOWA TOPS ILLINOIS IN HOME FINALE
Iowa used an 11-4 scoring run over the final four minutes to take a 60-53 win over Illinois in the regular season finale. The win clinched a school-record seventh straight winning season and allowed the Hawkeyes to earn a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten.The score was tied for the 11th and final time at 49 when Tony Freeman connected on a three-point basket to give Iowa the lead with 3:30 remaining. Freeman added another three-pointer with 2:13 to play to give Iowa its biggest lead of the day.Illinois hit four free throws to close the margin to 55-53 with 59 seconds to play when senior Mike Henderson took control. Henderson scored on a drive to the basket with 31 seconds remaining and added a free throw to make it a three-point play. He added two more free throws with 16 seconds remaining to seal the win.Illinois led by as many as six points in the early going before the first half ended with the Illini holding a 28-27 advantage. Neither team led by more than four until Henderson’s final free throws ended the scoring.Iowa shot 42.2% from the field and held Illinois to 36.4% shooting. Illinois won the rebounding battle, 39-29, but Iowa was guilty of just 11 turnovers and shot 43.8% from three-point range and 75% from the free throw line.Adam Haluska, who led the Big Ten Conference in scoring, led the Hawkeyes with 21 points. Freeman added 13 points and five assists and Henderson scored 11 points. Kurt Looby and Cyrus Tate led Iowa with seven rebounds each, while Looby matched his season-high with five blocked shots.
SCORING 30 OR MORE FOR THE HAWKEYES
Iowa senior Adam Haluska has scored 30 or more points in five games this season. Prior to this season his scoring high was 29 points in a 2006 win at Penn State. Following are some notes on Iowa players scoring 30 or more points:
Adam Haluska is the first Iowa player to score 30 or more points in consecutive games since Roy Marble scored 30 at Michigan on March 4, 1989 and 37 at Illinois on March 8, 1989. Iowa lost both games, but Michigan won the national title that year after defeating Illinois in the national semi-finals. Adam Haluska is the first Iowa player to score 30 or more points more than once in a season since Andre Woolridge scored 30 or more three times during the 1996-97 season. Adam Haluska is the first Big Ten Conference player to record 30 or more points in consecutive league games since Minnesota’s Vincent Grier had 32 points in back-to-back games vs. Wisconsin and Northwestern in February, 2005. The last time Iowa had any player scored 30 or more points in consecutive games came at the end of the 2000 season. Rob Griffin scored 36 points vs. Penn State in the final regular season game, Kyle Galloway scored 30 points in a win over Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament and Dean Oliver followed with 30 points in a loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. Adam Haluska is the first Iowa player to score 30 or more points in more than four games in a season since Fred Brown scored 30 or more in 10 games in 1970-71. John Johnson scored 30 or more points in 13 games during the 1969-70 Big Ten championship season. In the Big Ten Conference this season, a player has scored 30 or more points 10 times. Iowa’s Adam Haluska is the only Big Ten player to score over 30 points in more than one game this season.
HALUSKA EARNS NATIONAL HONORS
Iowa senior Adam Haluska was named national Player of the Week by The Sporting News and Big Ten Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 5 for his play in wins over Michigan and Indiana. Haluska averaged 25 points and 7.5 rebounds. He recorded the third double-double of his career with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the 69-62 win at Michigan.Against Indiana he added 33 points and five rebounds in Iowa’s 81-75 win. The 33 points marked a career-high in Big Ten play until he scored 34 points in a win at Minnesota. He also had eight assists against the Gophers. With one of those assists leading to a three-point basket, Haluska was responsible for 51 of Iowa’s 91 points.Haluska also earned the league honor Dec. 26 and was recognized once during the 2005-06 season.
SMITH AMONG FRESHMAN LEADERS
Iowa’s Tyler Smith ranks high among freshmen in the Big Ten in nearly all statistical categories. He leads all freshmen in minutes per game (33.6), ranks second in scoring (14.8) and assists (3.7), fourth in steals (1.5), fifth in rebounds (4.9), eighth in free throw percentage (.742), 15th in field goal percentage (.437) and 17th in three-point field goal percentage (.258).
SMITH LEADING THE TEAM
Freshman Tyler Smith has taken over the team lead in rebounds (4.9) and steals (1.5) and he is second in assists (3.7). Since Iowa began keeping season leaders in assists in 1975, no Hawkeye player has ever led the team in both rebounds and assists. Smith is also second on the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game.
SMITH JOINS ELITE COMPANY
Tyler Smith is just the third freshman in Iowa basketball history, and the eighth Iowa player ever, to record over 200 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season. Smith currently has 444 points, 146 rebounds and 110 assists. He ranks second on the team in scoring (14.8), leads the team in rebounds (4.9) and is second in assists (3.7).Smith joins Jeff Horner (2003) and Pierre Pierce (2002) as the only Iowa players to surpass the century mark in all three categories as freshmen. Horner is the only player in Iowa basketball history to surpass those totals in four different seasons.
IOWA NOTES
Senior Adam Haluska is 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 and he was honorable mention as a sophomore. Haluska ranks among Big Ten leaders in five statistical categories, including scoring (1st), three-point field goals per game (2nd), free throw percentage (2nd), minutes per game (4th) and steals (8th). As a team, Iowa leads the Big Ten Conference and ranks 15th in the nation in free throw percentage, making 75.4% (436-578) of its attempts. In individual statistics, Adam Haluska ranks 19th nationally in scoring (20.8) and free throw percentage (87.6%, 162-185). Haluska had 135 attempts in 34 games a year ago. Iowa completed a five-game road swing in November 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. Iowa has played in four different time zones (Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain). 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. Iowa shot a season-best 89.2% (33-37) from the free throw line in a win over Texas Southern. The made free throws and the free throw attempts are the most for Iowa since the Hawkeyes converted 32-42 in a home loss to Michigan State on 2/5/05. Iowa added 32-37 (86.5%) free throws in a home win over 25th-ranked Indiana. Iowa, in non-conference action, played seven opponents from six of the stronger leagues in the nation, including the Atlantic Coast (Virginia Tech), Big East (Villanova), Big 12 (Iowa State), Missouri Valley (Drake & Northern Iowa), Pac-10 (Arizona State) and Southeastern (Alabama). Senior guard Adam Haluska has started all 128 games in his career, a streak that ranks as the longest in the nation among current players. With 18 points in Iowa’s loss to Villanova, Adam Haluska became the 39th Hawkeye player to surpass 1,000 career points. Haluska is in his third season at Iowa and has 1,564 points to rank seventh on Iowa’s career list. Haluska’s point total ranks first at Iowa among players who played just three seasons. His career total, including one season at Iowa State, stands at 1,848. 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.
IT’S BEEN AWHILE
Iowa’s 69-62 win at Michigan marks the first time the Hawkeyes have won consecutive games in Ann Arbor since posting wins there in 1967 and 1968. Iowa, which won at Michigan in overtime in 2005, has never won three straight in Ann Arbor. The Hawkeyes did not play at Michigan a year ago.In the win over the Wolverines, Iowa trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half and by 11 at halftime. The rally marks the first time since a win at Ohio State on Feb. 25, 2003 that Iowa has won after trailing by 10 or more points at halftime. In that game, Iowa trailed 27-17 in Columbus before outscoring the Buckeyes 54-37 over the final 20 minutes.Iowa followed the win at Michigan with a win at Minnesota, giving the Hawkeyes back-to-back road wins in Big Ten play for the first time since the final two conference road games during the 2004-05 season when they won at Michigan and at Purdue.
HAWKEYES SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Two Hawkeye players have recorded scoring and rebounding double-doubles this season. Senior guard Adam Haluska recorded his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Michigan. Haluska recorded his first double-double at Iowa a year ago, collecting 20 points and 10 rebounds in a home win over Indiana.Haluska has three career double-doubles, as he had 10 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Iowa State as a freshman.Sophomore Cyrus Tate recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Purdue. Earlier this season Tate had 14 points and nine rebounds in a home win over Michigan State.
HAWKEYE TIDBITS
Eight Hawkeye opponents (Alabama, Villanova, Arizona State, Drake, Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota-second, Michigan State-second) have shot better than 50% from the field and Iowa is 1-7 in those games. 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 5-15 over the past four seasons when its opponent shoots 50% or better from the field. Iowa has held 12 opponents to 40% or less shooting from the field, including a season low 33.9% by The Citadel and Minnesota. Iowa won 11 of the 12 games, with the only loss a two-point decision to Northern Iowa. Iowa owns two wins over Minnesota, 60-49 in Iowa City and 91-78 in Minneapolis. The Gophers shot just 33.9% from the field in Iowa City, matching the lowest percentage for an opponent this season. Minnesota shot 63.3% in the most recent meeting, the best field goal percentage by an Iowa opponent this season. Iowa’s field goal percentage (28.1%, 16-57) in a Jan. 28 loss to Wisconsin matches the lowest field goal percentage for a Steve Alford-coached Iowa team. Iowa was also 16-57 from the field in a 75-53 home loss to Michigan State on Jan. 8, 2000. Under Steve Alford, Iowa is 44-6 when shooting at least 50% from the field, including 11-0 over the past two seasons. Iowa is 30-38 vs. ranked teams under Coach Steve Alford. That includes a 15-10 home record, an 11-12 record at neutral sites and 4-16 mark in road games. Iowa is 2-4 vs. ranked opponents in 2006-07, with all four losses to teams ranked in the top 10. Iowa is 5-0 when scoring 80 points or more, 5-2 when scoring between 70-80 points, 7-7 when scoring between 60-70 points and 0-4 when scoring less than 60 points. Iowa is 9-2 when holding its opponent to less than 60 points, 6-3 when holding its opponent between 60-70 points and 2-9 when the opponent scores over 70 points.
vIowa is 10-3 when collecting more assists than the opponent, 6-10 when the opponent has more assists and 1-0 when assists are even. Iowa is 13-7 when having fewer turnovers than its opponent and 4-6 when the opponent has fewer turnovers. Iowa is 9-6 when collecting more steals than its opponent, 4-6 when the opponent has more steals and 4-1 when steals are equal. Iowa had five players score in double figures in a home win over Purdue. Iowa has had four players score in double figures in two games (Toledo & at Minnesota) and three players score in double figures in 16 games. Iowa is 1-0 when five reach double figures; 2-0 when four reach double figures; 9-7 when three score in double figures, 4-4 with two players in double figures and 1-2 when one scores in double figures. Last season Iowa had five players score in double figures in wins over Maryland-Eastern Shore and Michigan. Iowa is 13-4 when leading at halftime, 2-9 when trailing at intermission and 2-0 when tied at halftime. Iowa is 10-7 when controlling the opening tip and 7-6 when not controlling the tip. Iowa is 5-6 in games decided by 10 points, including a 1-5 record in games decided by five points or less.
HALUSKA HITS HIS FREE THROWS
Senior Adam Haluska recorded career-high marks in free throws made (16) and attempted (18) in a win over Northwestern. Haluska made three of his first five attempts before connecting on his final 13, including all 10 in the second half.The 16 made free throws matches the fourth best single game total in school history. The 16 made are also the most for an Iowa player since Reggie Evans made 16-22 attempts vs. Purdue on Feb. 21, 2001.
HOME, AWAY COMPARISONS
In its 16 home games, Iowa has outscored its opponents by a 71.2-58.0 margin, shooting 44.1% from the field while holding its opponent to 38.9% shooting. Iowa holds a 35.4-35.3 rebounding advantage.In 14 games away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena (three neutral site games), Iowa has been outscored 73.8-66.1. The Hawkeyes are shooting 43.8% from the field while opponents are shooting 49.5%. The opponents hold a 32.4-30.8 rebounding margin.
HALUSKA EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Senior guard Adam Haluska has earned national recognition for his actions on and off the floor. Following are Haluska’s honors:
Named the academic all-American of the Year on the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine academic all-America team. He is the first Hawkeye basketball player to earn first team academic all-America honors. One of 30 players named to the mid-season Watch List for the Naismith Award, which goes each year to the national Player of the Year. One of 10 semi-final candidates for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award. Named to the NABC first all-District 12 team. Named national Player of the Week by The Sporting News and Big Ten Player of the Week after leading Iowa to wins over Michigan and Indiana. After scoring 16 points in a loss to Wisconsin to start the week, Haluska had 17 points and 10 rebounds for his third career double-double in the win at Michigan. Haluska led Iowa in a win over 25th-Indiana, collecting 33 points, five rebounds and two steals. Named 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. Named Most Valuable Player in Iowa’s Hawkeye Challenge, collecting 31 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the title game. He had eight points, five rebounds, four rebounds and three steals in an opening round win over Texas-Pan American. Named Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 28.5 points per game in two Iowa wins. He shot 57.1% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 90% from the free throw line in wins over Georgia State and Texas Southern. Named Iowa’s Chevrolet Player of the Game (16 points, seven rebounds, four assists) during CBS telecast of Wisconsin game in Iowa City.
Haluska earned third team academic all-America honors last season and is a two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree. He earned third team all-Big Ten honors as a junior after averaging 13.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and he was honorable mention as a sophomore. He ranks among Iowa’s season and career leaders in three-point field goals and three point attempts.
CRUNCH TIME FREE THROWS
Iowa is 42-55 (.764) from the free throw line in the final four minutes of its 11 games that have been decided by 10 points or less, including 15-16 attempts vs. Indiana, 7-9 vs. Northwestern and 3-4 vs. Illinois. Iowa’s opponents in those games have made 50-73 (.685) free throw attempts in the final four minutes. Iowa is 5-6 in games decided by 10 points or less. Following are Iowa’s individual attempts:
IOWA VS. RANKED FOES
Steve Alford has posted a 30-38 record against ranked opponents as Iowa’s head coach, including a 2-4 record this season and a 10-4 mark in 2005-06. Iowa, this season, defeated 24th-ranked Michigan State (62-60) and 25th-ranked Indiana 81-75, both in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have lost to 10th-ranked Alabama (72-60) on a neutral court, seventh-ranked Ohio State (82-63) in Columbus, second-ranked Wisconsin (57-46) in Iowa City and fourth-ranked Wisconsin (74-62) in Madison.Alford’s Hawkeye teams are 9-18 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 18 losses to top 10 teams have been three times to No. 1 (Duke, 2001-02 and Illinois twice in 2004-05), twice to second-ranked (Texas, 2005-06 and Wisconsin, 2006-07), once to third-ranked (Illinois, 2000-01), three times to fourth-ranked (Michigan State, 1999-00 and 2000-01; Wisconsin, 2007), twice to fifth-ranked (Tennessee, 2000-01 and Missouri, 2001-02), once to seventh-ranked (Ohio State, 2006-07), once to eighth-ranked (Illinois, 2005-06), once to ninth-ranked (Kentucky, 2000-01) and four times to 10th-ranked (Michigan State, 2000, Illinois, 2002, Michigan State, 2005 and Alabama, 2006-07).In the 68 games against ranked teams, Alford and his Iowa team are 15-10 in home games, 11-12 at neutral sites and 4-16 when playing ranked teams in their home arena.
HALUSKA OVER 1,800 POINTS
Senior guard Adam Haluska ranks 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 two-time academic all-American.Haluska has scored 20 or more points in 17 games this season, including nine of 16 Big Ten games and 13 of the last 19 overall. He has scored 30 points or more in five games, including Georgia State (36), Coppin State (31), Indiana (33), Minnesota (34) and Penn State (30) and he had 29 in a win over Northwestern.Haluska ranks seventh in career scoring with 1,564 points in his three years at Iowa. His career total stands at 1,848.Against Cornell, he scored 29 points while connecting on 10-13 field goal attempts, including 6-9 three-pointers. He made all seven of his field goal attempts in the second half and ended the game hitting nine straight overall, including his last five three-pointers. He made 10-14 attempts in a win at Minnesota, including 6-10 treys.Other highlights include 25 points at Illinois, including 12 straight free throw attempts. He has made as many as 21 consecutive free throw attempts and he has two streaks of 18 in a row. He is shooting 87.6% from the foul line.He collected his third career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Michigan. Haluska led Iowa with 33 points in a home win over Indiana, scoring a career-high in Big Ten play.Haluska made 64-185 three-point field goals in 34 games a year ago and he has made 89-243 this year. He ranks third in career three-point attempts (577) and fourth in three-point field goals (211).Haluska has started all 128 games he has played in his career. His consecutive starts streak ranks as the longest in the nation 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 missed the first seven games this season with a hand injury before returning to action. Henderson suffered a fracture to the pinkie finger on his right hand and underwent surgery two days later. Henderson had the cast removed Nov. 27 before playing eight minutes vs. Coppin State and 11 minutes vs. Northern Iowa.He scored eight points in 15 minutes in the win over Iowa State and played 26 minutes at Drake in working his way back. He returned to the starting line-up in a win over Georgia State and Iowa won seven of 11 games with Henderson in the starting line-up. He scored eight points while collecting a career-best nine assists in a season-best 30 minutes of action vs. Georgia State. He added nine assists in a win over Texas Southern and six points.Henderson connected on 5-6 free throws in the final 40 seconds to secure a home win over Michigan State. He scored a season-high 12 points in a win over Penn State and added three assists, two steals and just one turnover in 32 minutes. Henderson connected on 3-4 free throws in the final two minutes of a win over Indiana and collected five assists. At Minnesota he scored 11 points, hitting four of six field goals. He scored 10 points (4-5 FGs) and had four assists in a home win over Purdue.In the recent 60-53 win over Illinois, Henderson scored Iowa’s final five points in the last minute of action, including connecting on three straight free throw attempts.Henderson started all 34 games as a junior, averaging 7.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. 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.
SMITH STEPS FORWARD IN PARADISE
Freshman Tyler Smith, who had just two points in his first college game, led Iowa with 28 points in a win over Toledo in the first round of the Paradise Jam. He has scored in double figures in 22 games, including 19 points vs. Alabama and 12 vs. Villanova while earning all-tournament recognition in the Paradise Jam.Smith led Iowa with 20 points (9-15 FGs) vs. Northern Iowa and he added 16 points and six assists in the win over Iowa State. He scored 25 points (4-5 treys, 5-5 FTs) and had five assists in a win over Texas Southern and added 18 points, six rebounds and four assists in a win over Cornell.Smith has scored 15 points or more in 17 games and he scored in double figures in 12 of 16 conference games. Along with ranking second on the team in scoring (14.8), he leads the team in rebounds (4.9) and steals (1.5) and is second in assists (3.7). He is shooting 43.7% from the field and 74.2% from the free throw line. Smith has led Iowa in scoring in seven games, in rebounding nine times, in assists 12 times and steals in 17 games.He had 21 points, four rebounds and five assists at Ohio State. He led Iowa’s scoring with 22 points in the win at Michigan, while adding eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.Smith played a key role in Iowa’s win over Indiana. Along with 18 points, he recorded career-best in rebounds (nine) and assists (seven). Smith hit 10-10 free throws, including 6-6 in the final four minutes. He added 18 points and seven assists in a key win over Purdue.Smith was named to the Paradise Jam all-tournament team and the Hawkeye Challenge all-tournament team.Among all Iowa freshmen, Smith currently ranks third in scoring (444) and steals (44) and fourth in assists (110).
PERFECT FROM THE LINE
Freshman Tyler Smith made all 10 of his free throw attempts in the home win over Indiana, scoring 18 points. Six of his attempts came in the final four minutes of the 81-75 victory.With a minimum of 10 attempts, Smith is the first Hawkeye player to make all of his free throw attempts in a game since Luke Recker connected on all 11 attempts vs. Minnesota in February, 2002.
FREEMAN SOLID IN GUARD COURT
Guard Tony Freeman has enjoyed a consistent sophomore season while starting 15 games. He began the season with a career-high 11 assists and six rebounds in the opening game. He leads the team lead in assists (3.7) and ranks third in scoring (7.4).Freeman had 16 points vs. Alabama and 11 points vs. Virginia Tech. He added a career-best nine rebounds in a home win over Minnesota and he had eight rebounds in a win over Toledo. He had 11 points against both Northern Iowa and Iowa State.He played a solid all-around game in Iowa’s win at Michigan, collecting 14 points and seven rebounds, including a key three-point play in the final minute to secure the win. He added 11 points and six assists in the win at Minnesota, six assists vs. Northwestern, 14 points in a key win over Purdue and 11 points and five assists at Penn State.Freeman connected on two three-point baskets late in the win over Illinois, first breaking a 49-49 tie and then expanding Iowa’s advantage to 55-49. He had 13 points and five assists vs. the Fighting Illini.
JOHNSON A THREE-POINT THREAT
Junior guard Justin Johnson is making his mark in his first season with the Hawkeye program, as he currently ranks second in the Big Ten in three-point field goal percentage for the entire season and third in Big Ten games only. Johnson has started seven games, averaging 5.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 45.9% (45-98) from three-point range. In Big Ten games he shot 46.2% from three-point range.Johnson, who did not attempt a free throw in Iowa’s first 11 games, has made 15-19 (78.9%) of his attempts this season. He scored 12 points at Drake (4-5 treys) and 11 (3-3 three-pointers) at Illinois and had a career-best eight rebounds in a home win over Minnesota.Johnson contributed nine points and six rebounds at Virginia Tech and he led the team with 14 points and five rebounds in a win over Texas-Pan American. He added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in Iowa’s win over Coppin State and was named to the Hawkeye Challenge all-tournament team.
A STITCH IN TIME
Junior Justin Johnson has taken over the team lead in stitches. Johnson was cut above the right eye in the late stages of the game at Drake and had to get three stitches.Freshman Tyler Smith had two stitches after suffering a cut during Iowa’s win over Coppin State in the Hawkeye Challenge. Junior center Seth Gorney was injured in the loss at Ohio State, missing the second half after requiring two stitches to the bridge of his nose.Senior Mike Henderson missed the first seven games of the season with a fractured pinkie finger on his right hand. Smith suffered a dislocated pinkie finger on his right hand in a loss at Wisconsin, but played the majority of the second half after suffering the injury late in the first half.
LOOBY HITS THE BOARDS
After sitting out last season as a redshirt, junior Kurt Looby is proving his hard work from a year ago is paying dividends. Looby led Iowa with 14 rebounds in the win over The Citadel in his first game. 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.Looby had 12 rebounds to go with six points, four blocked shots and two steals in the win over Georgia State and he led the team with six rebounds and two blocks in a win over Texas Southern. He led the team with six rebounds in a win over Iowa State and added five points and two steals. He collected five points, six rebounds and two steals in a win over Northwestern and added seven rebounds and five blocked shots in a win over Illinois.Looby is averaging 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots and is scoring 3.8 points per game. He also had five blocked shots in a win over Cornell.He is a native of St. John’s Antigua. His mother, Olivet, was able to visit the Virgin Islands to attend the Paradise Jam in November, 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. 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.Gorney scored 10 points vs. Texas Southern and a career-best 12 points at Indiana. Gorney hit 5-7 field goals at Indiana and grabbed five rebounds.He is averaging 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 58% from the field and 72.7% from the free throw line.
TATE ON TARGET IN FIRST SEASON
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 came up big in the first Big Ten game of his career in Iowa’s win over Michigan State. He scored a season-best 14 points (6-7 field goals) and matched his season-high with nine rebounds. Tate added a career-high 10 rebounds against Wisconsin and also had six points and two assists. He led Iowa with seven rebounds in wins over Northwestern and Illinois. Tate recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a home win over Purdue and he added a career-best three steals.Tate is averaging 4.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line. Tate attended junior college one season before joining the Iowa program.
OFF THE BENCH
The Iowa reserves scored 16 points had seven rebounds against Illinois, compared to two points and four rebounds for the Fighting Illini reserves.Iowa is 10-6 when the reserves outscore the opponent’s reserves and 7-7 when the opponent reserves score more points.Iowa is 13-6 when the Hawkeye reserves have more rebounds than the opponent reserves and 4-7 when the opponent reserves have more rebounds.
IOWA WINS HAWKEYE CHALLENGE
Iowa once again claimed the title of its own Hawkeye Challenge, defeating Texas-Pan American 62-46 in the first round and Coppin State 83-67 in the title game. Iowa has won its own invitational 24 times in the 25 year history of the event.Senior guard Adam Haluska claimed Most Valuable Player honors, while junior Justin Johnson and freshman Tyler Smith were also named to the all-tournament team.
IOWA RECORDS SEVENTH STRAIGHT
With a 17-13 regular season record, Iowa has clinched its seventh straight winning season, equaling the longest streak in Iowa basketball history. In addition, Coach Steve Alford is the only Iowa coach to guide seven straight Hawkeye teams to winning seasons.Iowa also had seven straight winning seasons 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 seven 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 1,438) 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 73 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.
ANOTHER STRONG SCHEDULE
Playing five of its first six games on the road, Iowa again faced a demanding schedule in 2006-07. After opening the season at home, Iowa participated in the Paradise Jam, defeating Toledo before falling to Alabama and Villanova.Iowa also played at Arizona State and Virginia Tech in November. The in-state series included home dates with Northern Iowa and Iowa State and a visit to Drake.Alabama was ranked 10th at the time of its win over Iowa, while Villanova and Virginia Tech were listed among teams receiving votes in the early season rankings.Iowa played 17 regular season games against teams that advanced to post-season play a year ago. That included 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), Michigan (NIT), Alabama (NCAA) and Villanova (NCAA).
IOWA AT NEUTRAL SITES
Iowa is 1-2 in neutral site games this season, with all three games in the Paradise Jam.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 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 24 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.
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 final two shows of the season are scheduled for March 5 and 12.
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