April 15, 2008
IOWA CITY – – Iowa’s men’s basketball team will travel to meet Boston College Tuesday, Dec. 2 as part of the 2008 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Game times and television information have not been released.
Iowa is 2-5 in the Challenge after a 56-47 loss to Wake Forest this past season in Iowa City. Iowa lost to Maryland, in Baltimore, in 2000, defeated Georgia Tech in 2001 in Iowa City, lost at Florida State in 2003 and lost to Duke, in Chicago, in 2002. Iowa did not take part in the event in 2003-04 and 2004-05.
“We knew we would be on the road this season as part of the event,” said Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter. “Anytime you play a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference on the road, you know you have a tough assignment. Coach Skinner has done a great job at Boston College and throughout his career.”
Boston College won the only previous meeting between the two programs, claiming an 86-81 victory in the consolation round of the Far West Classic on Dec. 30, 1974. Iowa and the Eagles played two common foes this past season. Boston College won at Michigan, while Iowa was 1-2 against the Wolverines. The Eagles defeated Wake Forest 112-73 at home and Wake Forest won 56-47 in Iowa City.
Boston College posted a 14-17 record this past season, including a 4-12 mark in league play. The Eagles are coached by Al Skinner, who has posted a 210-137 record in 11 seasons at Boston College. Boston College is 2-0 in the Challenge, defeating Michigan State at home in 2006-07 and defeating Michigan last season in Ann Arbor. The Eagles play their home games at the Silvio O. Conte Forum (8,606).
The Eagles expect to return three starters and six lettermen from their 2008 squad. Guard Tyrese Rice, who will be a senior, averaged 21 points per game to rank second in the conference in scoring. Sophomore-to-be Rakim Sanders, a 6-5 guard, averaged 11.3 points while starting all 31 games.
Iowa posted a 13-18 overall record in its first season under Lickliter. The Hawkeyes placed eighth in the Big Ten Conference with a 6-12 record. Iowa’s conference season was highlighted by home wins over Michigan State and NIT post-season champion Ohio State.
Iowa’s line-up at the end of the season included two seniors in guard Justin Johnson and forward Seth Gorney. Johnson averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds while starting all 32 games. Gorney averaged 4.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest. Center Kurt Looby (3.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) was the only other senior on Iowa’s 2008 roster.
For the fourth straight year, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge includes 11 games over a three-day period. There is just one neutral site game, as North Carolina will face Michigan State at Ford Field in Detroit, the site of the 2009 Final Four. Here is the schedule:
Monday, Dec. 1
Wisconsin at Virginia
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Iowa at Boston College
Ohio State at Miami, FL
Clemson at Illinois
Duke at Purdue
Virginia at Minnesota
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Indiana at Wake Forest
Penn State at Georgia Tech
North Carolina vs. Michigan State (Ford Field)
Florida State at Northwestern
Michigan at Maryland
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