Nov. 13, 2007
THE SETTING
Iowa hosts its second straight opponent from the Big Sky Conference when the Hawkeyes meet Northern Colorado Wednesday evening. Game time is 8:05 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500). Iowa opened the season with a 58-43 win over Idaho State last Friday, marking a successful Iowa debut for Coach Todd Lickliter. Northern Colorado is 1-1 after splitting games in the Air Force Classic last weekend.
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: The Big Ten Network will carry the game to a national cable audience. The game can also be viewed on Direct-TV and the Dish Network. Wayne Larrivee and Mac McCausland will call the action.
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,409 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,439-970 (.597). That includes a 903-308 (.745) record in home games, a 536-662 (.447) record in games away from Iowa City, a 684-665 (.507) mark in Big Ten games and a 309-82 (.790) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA IN CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa has compiled a 309-82 (.790) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa is 147-68 (.684) in Big Ten games and 162-14 (.920) in non-Big Ten games.
IOWA ADDS TO SEASON OPENING STREAK
Iowa has now won 30 consecutive season-opening games, dating back to 1978, when it lost a road game to start the season. The Hawkeyes have won 45 straight home openers, dating back to a 62-54 loss to Ohio University to begin the 1962-63 season. Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter improved to 6-1 in season-opening games as a college head coach. Iowa’s 21 head coaches have posted an 18-3 record in their first game as Hawkeye head coach.
THE SERIES
This marks the first meeting between the two schools in men’s basketball.
UNC COACH TAD BOYLE
Tad Boyle is in his second season as the head coach at Northern Colorado. Boyle guided his team to a 4-24 record a year ago in his first season as a college head coach and he now stands at 5-25. Boyle joined the Northern Colorado staff after serving as associate head coach at Wichita State from 2000-06. The Shockers won the Missouri Valley title and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament in 2005-06. He has also served as an assistant at Jacksonville State (1998-00), Tennessee (1997-98) and Oregon (1994-97). Boyle began his coaching career at the high school level, coaching preps in Colorado for six seasons. Boyle is a native of Greeley, CO, where he led his team to the state title and was named Colorado Player of the Year as a senior in 1981. He played college basketball at Kansas and was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams (1984 & 1985). Boyle has not coached against Iowa or Hawkeye Coach Todd Lickliter.
GAME NOTES
- Iowa holds an all-time record of 5-0 against current members of the Big Sky Conference, including a 58-43 win over Idaho State last week in the opening game of the season. Iowa has also played Eastern Washington (1-0), Montana State (2-0) and Weber State (1-0).
- Iowa and Northern Colorado played two common opponents a year ago. Both teams lost at Arizona State, Iowa by a 67-64 score and Northern Colorado by a 66-51 margin. Northern Colorado also dropped a 90-58 decision at Purdue, while Iowa defeated Purdue 78-59 in Iowa City before losing to the Boilermakers 74-55 in the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
- Northern Colorado assistant Coach B.J. Hill is a 1996 graduate of Grand View College in Des Moines. Hill is in his first season at Northern Colorado after serving as an assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, IA during the 2005-06 season. He also was an assistant at North Iowa Area CC in Mason City during the 1997-98 season. He is a native of Cedar Hills, IA and played college basketball at both North Iowa and Grand View.
- Northern Colorado players Robert Palacios and Jabril Banks, both juniors, attended Indian Hills CC in Ottumwa before joining the Bears program.
- Northern Colorado is eligible for post-season play for the first time at the Division I level, having just completed its transition to Division I basketball.
IOWA OPENS WITH WIN OVER IDAHO STATE
The Todd Lickliter era at Iowa began with a victory as Iowa opened the season with a 58-43 win over Idaho State last Friday. Trailing 4-2 in the opening minutes, Iowa used an 11-0 scoring run over the next four minutes to gain control. The Hawkeyes shot 52.4% from the field in building a 31-16 halftime advantage. Iowa shot 45.7% in the game, including 47.6% from three-point range. The Iowa defense was impressive, holding Idaho State to 32.7% shooting in the game. The Bengals made just 1-20 (0.5%) from three-point range and Iowa held a 38-29 rebounding advantage. Senior Justin Johnson led Iowa’s scoring with a career-best 21 points, as he hit 7-12 three-point attempts. The seven treys rank as the third highest total at Iowa in a single game. Johnson added four rebounds and two blocked shots. Freshman guard Jeff Peterson was responsible for getting the ball to Johnson, collecting nine assists and no turnovers while playing 38 minutes in his first college game. Peterson added 12 points and four rebounds. Senior Kurt Looby led the Hawkeyes with 10 rebounds and Dan Bohall added five points and six assists.
UNC SPLITS AT AIR FORCE CLASSIC
Northern Colorado opened the season by splitting games last weekend at the Air Force Classic. The Bears opened the season with a 104-97 win over VMI before losing to Air Force 71-62 in the championship game. The Bears shot 68% from the field in the win over VMI, including 73.1% (19-26) in the second half after holding a 52-49 halftime advantage. Three Northern players scored over 20 points in the game, including guard Sean Taibi (22) forward Jabril Banks (21) and reserve Will Figures (20). Jefferson Mason added 14 and Robert Palacios added 13. Against Air Force, the Bears trailed 36-23 at halftime and couldn’t get all the way back. Northern Colorado shot just 25% from the field in the first half before hitting 48.1% in the second half. After being outrebounded in the opening game, the Bears had a 38-26 rebounding advantage vs. Air Force. Figures came off the bench to lead the Bears with 19 points, while T. Panagiotakopoulos added 14, Taibi scored 10 and reserve Kirk Archibeque added eight points and 11 rebounds.
IOWA SEEKS EIGHTH STRAIGHT
Iowa begins the 2007-08 season seeking its eighth straight winning campaign, which would establish a school record. Iowa’s current streak began with a 23-12 record in 2000-01 and includes three seasons of more than 20 wins and six post-seasons appearances (three NCAA, three NIT). 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.
JOHNSON AMONG SINGLE GAME LEADERS
Senior guard Justin Johnson connected on seven three-point field goals in Iowa’s opening win over Idaho State. Johnson’s 21 points marked a career high as he hit 7-12 three-point attempts. He did not make a two point field goal or attempt any free throws. The seven three-pointers ties as the third best total for a single game at Iowa. Chris Kingsbury holds the record, hitting nine treys in two different games. Johnson joins Kingsbury (three times), Jeff Horner and Jeff Moe with seven three-pointers in a game.
TOP HOME PERCENTAGE
Iowa posted a 44-5 (.896) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena over the last three seasons (2005-07. 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.
IOWA TOUGH AT HOME
Iowa has won 33 of its last 35 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 after a perfect 17-0 mark in 2006.
HEAD COACH Todd Lickliter
Todd Lickliter is in his first season as the head basketball coach at the University of Iowa. Lickliter spent the last six seasons as the head coach at Butler University. Lickliter holds a career mark of 132-61 (.000) after posting a 131-61 (.682) record as Butler’s head coach. He led Butler to four post-season tournament berths, including trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2003 and 2007. Lickliter was named the 2006-07 Division I Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and was recognized as the High-Major Coach of the Year by collegehoops.net. He was also named 2007 Horizon League Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year after guiding the Bulldogs to a school and league-record 29 victories. He led Butler to the regular season co-championship in the Horizon League in 2007. The Bulldogs advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Florida (65-57). Butler during the 2006-07 season won three games over top 25 opponents (Tennessee, Gonzaga, Maryland) and recorded eight victories over teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament. Butler averaged 22 wins per year under Lickliter, winning league titles in 2002, 2003 and 2007 while winning at least 20 games in four of six seasons. Lickliter led the Bulldogs to an unbeaten home record (12-0) in 2002-03, and mentored Butler to a 70-12 (.854) home mark in his six seasons. His Bulldog teams were 6-5 against teams ranked in the “Top 25” and compiled four of the top 10 winning streaks in Butler history. In his first season as Butler’s head coach, Lickliter guided the Bulldogs to a then school-record 26 victories and a third consecutive Horizon League regular season title. Lickliter guided the 2003 Bulldogs to an even more impressive season in his second year as head coach. He led Butler to a 27-6 record, breaking the single-season mark for victories for a second consecutive year. Lickliter served as an assistant coach at Butler and Eastern Michigan and was a high school head coach in Indianapolis and Danville, IL. In his final two seasons as a Butler assistant coach, the Bulldogs compiled a 47-16 record, including “Top 25” wins over 10th-ranked Wisconsin and 23rd-ranked Wake Forest. The win over the Demon Deacons in the 2001 NCAA Tournament was Butler’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 39 years. Lickliter has had a presence in Indiana basketball dating back to his days as a three-year starting guard at North Central High School in Indianapolis, where he played for his father, Arlan. Lickliter played his final two collegiate seasons at Butler, where he earned a B.S degree in secondary education in 1979. Lickliter has not coached against Northern Colorado or Coach Tad Boyle.
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter was named the 2007 Division I national Coach of the Year by the National Basketball Coaches (NABC) after leading Butler to 29 wins and a spot in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. With Iowa football Coach Kirk Ferentz earning national Coach of the Year in 2002, Iowa is one of three Division I institutions to have a former football and men’s basketball national Coach of the Year currently coaching their respective team. The others are Florida (Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan) and Tennessee (Phillip Fulmer and Bruce Pearl).
IOWA ON THE TUBE
Nearly every Iowa game throughout the 2007-08 season will be televised, with the only possible exception possibly being the final round of the South Padre Island Invitational in November. The majority of Iowa’s non-conference games are scheduled for the Big Ten Network. Iowa’s home game with Wake Forest will be televised on ESPN2. The contest at Northern Iowa will air on FOX, the game at Iowa State will appear on ESPNU and CSTV will televise the Bradley game in the South Padre Island tournament.
IOWA ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK
A majority of Iowa’s games throughout the 2007-08 season will appear on national cable television via the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network is available on the basic level of service offered by 67 locally-owned and locally-operated cable television systems across the state of Iowa. It is also available through the nation’s two satellite television companies, DirectTV and Dish Network. Currently, more than 50 percent of the homes in Iowa have access to the Big Ten Network, as do more than 30 million homes nationwide. The Big Ten Network is the fastest growing television network in television history, reaching 30 million homes in its first 30 days of existence.
IOWA PROGRAM REACHES 1,400 WINS
The Iowa basketball program reached 1,400 wins (now at 1,439) with a 79-46 victory over Texas-San Antonio on Nov. 26, 2005. Iowa ranks 34th on the all-time list for victories and is one of 41 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.
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE FOR 2007-08
- Season tickets are available for 2007-08, including general public ($336), UI faculty and staff ($272) and UI students ($95).
- Tickets for Iowa’s Nov. 18 game against Florida Gulf Coast (1:05 p.m., BTN) can be purchased for $10. Fans who show their football ticket to the Western Michigan game (Nov. 17) can purchase a discount ticket to the Florida Gulf Coast basketball game.
- Weekend package tickets for four Big Ten Conference home games are on sale for $100. The package includes games vs. Michigan State (Jan. 12), Penn State (Jan. 26), Ohio State (Feb. 2) and Illinois (Mar. 1-2).
- Single game tickets are available for $20 for all games except Big Ten Conference weekend games, Wisconsin, Drake and the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (Wake Forest). Tickets for those games are $25. UI students can purchase single game tickets for $15 on the day of the game, when available.
- A $10 youth ticket (age 18 and below) is available for games vs. Northern Colorado, Florida Gulf Coast, Maryland Eastern Shore, Southeastern Louisiana and both nights of the Hawkeye Challenge.
- 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 SET ARENA RECORD
Iowa set a Carver-Hawkeye Arena (opened in 1983) record with 12 consecutive Big Ten Conference home wins over the course of the 2006 and 2007 seasons. The streak was snapped Jan. 28 when second-ranked Wisconsin won in Iowa City. Following the loss to Wisconsin the Hawkeyes concluded the 2007 season by winning their final four home games, improving to 15-1 in Big Ten games and 31-2 overall over the past two seasons in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 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.
HAWKEYES TO HOST BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE
Iowa will host Wake Forest on Monday, Nov. 26 as part of the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game has a 6:05 p.m. start time and will be televised to a national cable audience on ESPN2 as the initial game in the 2007 series of games. Iowa holds a 2-4 record in the event, including a 2-0 home record and an 0-2 mark in road games and neutral site games. Iowa lost at Virginia Tech 69-65 a year ago. Iowa lost to Maryland in Baltimore in 2000 before defeating Georgia Tech in Iowa City in 2001. Iowa lost to Duke at the United Center in Chicago in 2002 and lost at Florida State in 2003. The Hawkeyes defeated North Carolina State in Iowa City in 2006 after not participating in the event in 2004 and 2005.
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND INVITATIONAL
Iowa will take part in the South Padre Invitational in November. The Hawkeyes will host preliminary round games against Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 18) and Maryland Eastern Shore (Nov. 20) before traveling to South Padre Island. Once on the island, Iowa will meet Bradley on Nov. 23 and either Vanderbilt or Utah State on Nov. 24.
HAWKEYES HOST CHALLENGE
Iowa will host the 26th annual Hawkeye Challenge Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Iowa will meet Louisiana-Monroe in the first round, while Rice will face Eastern Illinois in the opening game Friday evening. Rice participated in the event early in the 1997-98 season, while Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Illinois will take part for the first time. Iowa was won four previous meetings with Eastern Illinois and all three meetings against Louisiana-Monroe when that school was named Northeast Louisiana. Iowa’s only meeting with Rice resulted in an 81-52 Hawkeye win in the Hawkeye Challenge.
IOWA IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
Iowa has fared well while taking part in regular-season tournaments over the past 25 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.
HAWKEYE SCHEDULE NOTES
- Iowa’s schedule includes 19 home games. This marks the third straight season Iowa has opened with an exhibition contest against a member of the Iowa Conference.
- Iowa will host Florida Gulf Coast and Maryland Eastern Shore in preliminary round games of the South Padre Island Invitational. All teams advance to the final rounds on South Padre Island, where Iowa will meet Bradley University. The Braves are one of three teams from the Missouri Valley Conference on the Iowa schedule, joining in-state rivals Drake and Northern Iowa.
- For the first time since 1997, Iowa will host nine Big Ten Conference games, as the league has expanded the schedule to include 18 league games. Iowa does not play at Illinois this season, while Minnesota does not visit Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
- Iowa will host Wake Forest Nov. 26 as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Iowa is 2-4 while participating in the event, winning two home games while losing two road games and two neutral site games.
- Iowa will meet Louisiana-Monroe in the first round of the Hawkeye Challenge. The Hawkeyes own a 3-0 series advantage of the school that was previously known as Northeast Louisiana University. In the 1993 NCAA Tournament, Iowa played both Louisiana-Monroe (W, 82-69) and Wake Forest (L, 78-84).
IOWA IN LAS VEGAS NEXT SEASON
Iowa will take part in the Las Vegas Invitational during the early portion of the 2008-09 season. The 2008 event will take place Nov. 28-29, 2008 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Iowa’s bracket of opponents in Las Vegas will include Kentucky, Kansas State and West Virginia. Similar to the South Padre Island Invitational this season, Iowa will have two home games in the event before traveling to Las Vegas for two games. Possible first and second round opponents include Southeast Missouri State, Oakland University, Delaware State and Longwood University. Kansas defeated eventual national champion Florida in the championship game of the tournament a year ago, while North Carolina and Louisville highlight the field this year. Participating schools will each have their share of tickets available to sell after this season in completed. The general public will have a chance to purchase a limited number of tickets for the final rounds in Las Vegas beginning Saturday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. EST at the Orleans Arena. For ticket information, please contact the Orleans Arena at (702) 284-7777 or on the web at www.orleansarena.com.
POST-SEASON OPPONENTS
Iowa’s 2007-08 schedule includes 15 games against teams that advanced to post-season play a year ago. Iowa will play 11 games against six Big Ten opponents that appeared in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, including two games with national runner-up Ohio State. The Hawkeyes have three games against teams that were in the NIT a year ago, including Michigan and Bradley. Iowa’s final game in the South Padre Invitational will be against either Vanderbilt (NCAA) or Utah State (NIT).
IOWA VS. THE FIELD
Iowa posted a 6-10 record while playing 11 teams that advanced to post-season play last season. That included a 4-9 record against eight teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament and a 2-1 record against three teams that were in the NIT.
IOWA ATTENDANCE IMPROVES AGAIN
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 in 2006. Iowa annually ranks among the top teams in the nation in home attendance.
HALK TALK WITH Todd Lickliter
Fans of the University of Iowa basketball program may join Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter and radio announcer Gary Dolphin each week during the season for the “Hawk Talk with Todd Lickliter” radio call-in show. The show takes place each week at Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Café in Iowa City from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The dates are Nov. 19 and 27; Dec. 3, 10 and 17; Jan. 7, 14, 21 and 28; Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25; and Mar. 3 and 10.
COMING UP NEXT
Iowa returns to action Sunday afternoon when the Hawkeyes host Florida Gulf Coast. Game time is 1:05 p.m. for the contest that is part of the South Padre Island Invitational. Iowa will host Maryland Eastern Shore (Nov. 20, 8:05 p.m., BTN) before heading to South Padre Island for the conclusion of the tournament.
Complete Release in PDF Format
Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.