Iowa Meets West Virginia Friday in Las Vegas

Nov. 26, 2008

• Iowa and the Big Ten Network

Complete Release in PDF Format

THE SETTING
Iowa (5-0) meets West Virginia (3-0) Friday, Nov. 28 in the semi-finals of the 2008 Las Vegas Classic. Game time is 8:05 p.m. CT at the Orleans Arena (7,500) in Las Vegas. In the first two rounds of the Las Vegas Invitational, Iowa defeated Oakland (66-57) and Southeast Missouri State (75-41). West Virginia defeated Longwood (86-54) and Delaware State (76-42) as part of the tournament. Iowa will meet either Kansas State or Kentucky in the final round Saturday, Nov. 30. Tip time will be either 6:30 or 9:30 p.m. CT.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. The network includes more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and include portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. 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: Mediacom Connections will televise the game on its cable network throughout the state of Iowa and the game can be seen in the West Virginia area on ESPN Regional. The game is also available online via ESPN360.com. Jim Barbar and Larry Conley will call the action.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,445 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,456-989 (.596). That includes a 916-316 (.744) record in home games, a 540-673 (.445) record in games away from Iowa City, a 690-677 (.504) mark in Big Ten games and a 322-90 (.782) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

IOWA IN CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa has compiled a 322-90 (.782) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since the facility opened in January, 1983. Iowa is 151-73 (.674) in Big Ten games and 171-17 (.910) in non-Big Ten games.

HAWKEYES ARE TOUGH AT HOME
Iowa has won 46 of its last 56 games (.821) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500) over the last three-plus seasons, including win streaks of 21 straight overall and 12 straight Big Ten Conference wins. Iowa has won 10 of its last 13 home games against ranked opponents. Iowa was a perfect 17-0 at home in 2006 and 14-2 in 2007 before posting a 10-8 home record a year ago. Iowa has compiled a 19-6 Big Ten Conference record in that time.

ABOUT THE LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL
Iowa and West Virginia both hosted the first two rounds of the Las Vegas Invitational, along with Kansas State and Kentucky. Iowa defeated Oakland (66-57) and SE Missouri State (75-41), while the Mountaineers defeated Longwood (86-54) and Delaware State (76-42). Kansas defeated eventual national champion Florida in the championship game of the tournament in 2006-07, while North Carolina won the event in 2007-08.

IOWA IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
Iowa has fared well while taking part in regular-season tournaments over the past 26 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.

THE SERIES
The teams have never met.

HEAD COACH Todd Lickliter
Todd Lickliter is in his second season as the head basketball coach at the University of Iowa and his eighth year overall as a college head coach. Lickliter spent six seasons (2001-07) as the head coach at Butler University. Lickliter holds a career mark of 149-80 (.649), including an 18-19 (.486) record at Iowa. Lickliter posted 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 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 West Virginia or Mountaineer Coach Bob Huggins.

WEST VIRGINIA COACH BOB HUGGINS
Bob Huggins is in his second year as the head coach at West Virginia, his alma mater, and his 27th season overall as a head coach. Huggins has led the Mountaineers to a 29-11 record and his career mark stands at 619-222. He led West Virginia to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen a year ago in his first season. He is the fifth winningest active coach in Division I. Huggins has been the head coach at Walsh College (71-26, 1980-83), Akron (97-46, 1984-89), Cincinnati (399-127, 1989-2005) and Kansas State (2006-07). He has led 23 of his 26 teams to post-season play and his teams have won 20 or more games in 22 seasons. He led Cincinnati to the 1992 Final Four. He was a three-year letterman for the Mountaineers and team MVP as a senior. Huggins is 1-0 vs. Iowa and has not coached against Hawkeye Coach Todd Lickliter.

IOWA, WEST VIRGINIA NOTES

• Iowa and West Virginia are in the same bracket of the Las Vegas Invitational as Kansas State and Kentucky. All four teams in the bracket are led by a coach in his second season at the school, including Iowa’s Todd Lickliter, West Virginia’s Bob Huggins, Kansas State’s Frank Martin and Kentucky’s Billy Gillispie. Coincidentally, Huggins previously served as the head coach at Kansas State before returning to West Virginia, his alma mater.
• Iowa junior guard Devan Bawinkel played his freshman season at West Virginia, averaging 1.9 points while seeing action in 20 games for the 2007 post-season NIT champions. Bawinkel attended Highland, IL CC last season.
• West Virginia Coach Bob Huggins was the head coach at Cincinnati when the Bearcats defeated Iowa 76-64 in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis.
• Iowa and West Virginia both participated in the Guardians Classic early in the 2005-06 season. Both advanced to the semi-finals in Kansas City, where Iowa defeated Kentucky to advance to the finals, while West Virginia lost to Texas. Texas won the event with a 68-59 win over the Hawkeyes.
• Iowa and West Virginia both participated in the 2006 NCAA Tournament at the Palace of Auburn Hills, where they could have met in the second round. Iowa, however, was upset in the first round on a three-point shot at the buzzer, while West Virginia won a pair of games to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
• WVU assistant Billy Hahn was the associate head coach at Maryland when the Terrapins defeated Iowa early in the 1999-00 season. He was also the head coach at LaSalle University in 2001-02 when LaSalle took part in Iowa’s Hawkeye Challenge, although LaSalle and Iowa did not meet in that event.
• Iowa holds an all-time record of 33-35 against the Big East Conference, having played at least one game against each of the current members. Iowa’s last contest against a team from the Big East was a loss to Villanova in the consolation championship of the Paradise Jam early in the 2006-07 campaign. Iowa’s most recent win over a Big East team was a 76-71 decision over Louisville in the first round of the 2004-05 Maui Invitational.
• Iowa and West Virginia played one common opponent a year ago, both claiming home wins over Maryland Eastern Shore. Iowa won by a 65-48 margin and West Virginia won 110-44.

HAWKEYES SHOOT PAST SE MISSOURI STATE
Iowa used a solid defensive effort to take control early in a 75-41 win over Southeast Missouri State in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes led 13-3 in the early going, holding the visitors to just one field goal in the first nine minutes of action. Iowa led 20-5 at the midway point in the first half and built the advantage to 35-19 by intermission. Southeast Missouri State scored the first three points of the second half, but was never able to get closer than 13. Iowa led by as many as 35 points in the late going, securing its most lopsided win since early in the 2006-07 season. Iowa held the Redhawks to 22.4% shooting from the field, as the visitors misfired on all 11 of their three-point attempts. SE Missouri State did connect on 19-25 (76%) free throws. Iowa also forced 11 turnovers and held a 41-33 rebounding advantage. Ten of the 12 Hawkeyes who saw action got into the scoring column, as freshmen Anthony Tucker (14) and Matt Gatens (12) led the scoring. Devan Bawinkel added nine points and Jeff Peterson scored eight. Tucker added 10 rebounds to collect his first career double-double, while David Palmer added six points and five rebounds. Peterson led the Hawkeyes with five assists. As a team Iowa shot 48.3% from the field, including 43.3% (13-30) from three-point range and 66.7% (6-9) from the foul line. Iowa collected 17 assists on its 28 field goals and was guilty of just seven turnovers.

WEST VIRGINIA TOPS DELAWARE STATE
West Virginia raced to its third straight lopsided win with a 76-42 decision over Delaware State. The Mountaineers started fast, shooting 57.1% from the field in building a 50-16 halftime advantage. Delaware State improved its shooting to 41.7% in the second half and stayed even on the scoreboard over the final 20 minutes (26-26), but the damage had been done. West Virginia forced 23 turnovers and scored 39 points following Delaware State mistakes. The Mountaineers collected 20 assists and 10 steals. Alex Ruoff led West Virginia with 25 points, hitting 7-12 three-point attempts. DaSean Butler added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while reserves Kevin Jones (11) and Darryl Bryant (10) also scored in double figures.

NO TREYS FOR OPPONENT
Iowa held Southeast Missouri State without a three-point basket in its most recent win, as the Redhawks missed all 11 attempts from behind the arc. SE Missouri State became the first Iowa opponent in 125 games not to make at least one trey. The last time that happened was Dec. 10, 2004 when Iowa State missed all six three-point attempts in Iowa’s 70-63 win in Iowa City.

IOWA SHOOTING IS ON TARGET
Iowa is shooting 51.7% from the field through five games, best among Big Ten Conference teams. The Hawkeyes have made over 50% of their field goal attempts in three of five games, with a best of 57.1% in the win over Texas-San Antonio. Iowa is also shooting 41.3% from three-point range, with a best of 52% (13-25) in the win at The Citadel. Iowa has made 13 three-point field goals in two games (13-30 vs. SE MO State and 13-25 at The Citadel). The 13 three-point field goals ties as the eighth most by an Iowa team in a single game. The Iowa record is 15, on two occasions. A year ago Iowa shot as well as 50% from the field in just four of 32 games, with a best of 57.5% at Penn State.

HAWKEYES HOT FROM THE LINE
Iowa made 20-22 free throw attempts (90.9%) in a win over Texas-San Antonio, including 6-7 in the first half and 14-15 in the second half. Iowa made its last 14 attempts over the final 13 minutes of the game. The streak ended when the Hawkeyes missed their first free throw attempt at The Citadel. Iowa is shooting 72.7% from the line through five games. The 90.9% shooting from the line is the best for an Iowa team since Nov. 19, 2004 when the Hawkeyes established a school record by hitting all 20 of their free throw attempts in a win over Western Illinois. Jermain Davis led Iowa vs. UTSA, making all 10 of his attempts. He becomes the 24th Iowa player ever to shoot 100% from the free throw line in a game, with a minimum of 10 attempts. Davis is the seventh player (sixth Hawkeye) to make as many as 10 free throws in a game without a miss, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

IOWA SOLID ON DEFENSE
Iowa has been solid on defense through its first five games. The Hawkeyes are allowing just 52.2 points per game, holding three opponents to less than 50 points. Iowa opponents are shooting 38% from the field and 30.2% from three-point range. Iowa ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense last season (58.0) and held opponents under 50 points in nine games. Iowa opponents shot 40.4% from the field.

BALANCED SCORING LEADS IOWA
Iowa has used a balanced scoring attack in its five wins, with at least three players scoring in double figures in three games and four reaching 10 points or more in the 73-67 win over Texas-San Antonio. Three different Hawkeyes have led the team in scoring and five are averaging over eight points per game. Senior Cyrus Tate is shooting 77.8% from the field and 75% from the free throw line. Tate shot 66.7% from the field last season, including 70.2% in Big Ten games. Freshman Anthony Tucker led Iowa with 21 points in the win at The Citadel, as he hit 7-11 three-point shots. He added 19 points vs. Oakland and 14 vs. SE Missouri State. Tucker is shooting 49.1% from the field and 43.5% from three-point range. The seven three-pointers by Tucker at The Citadel match the fifth best total in school history. Chris Kingsbury twice made nine treys, while Justin Johnson had eight three-pointers in two games.

PILING ON THE MILES
Iowa is currently in the midst of a 13-day period that has the Hawkeyes playing in South Carolina (70-48 win at The Citadel), Las Vegas and Boston. Iowa traveled to Charleston (1,097 miles) Nov. 20, travels to Las Vegas (1,535) for the Las Vegas Invitational (Nov. 28-29) and plays at Boston College (1,188) Dec. 1 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. During the 13-day stretch the Hawkeyes will travel roughly 7,640 miles to play four games, along with hosting games in Iowa City on Nov. 23 (Oakland) and Nov. 25 (SE Missouri State).

HAWKEYE GAMES NOTES

• Iowa is 5-0 when controlling the opening tip, although the Hawkeyes trailed 7-0 in the early going of the 68-48 win over Charleston Southern.
• Iowa had four players score in double figures in a win over Texas San Antonio and three players reach double figures vs. Charleston Southern, The Citadel and Oakland. Iowa is 0-0 when five players reach double figures, 1-0 when four reach double figures, 3-0 when three score in double figures and 1-0 when two score 10 or more points.
• In 32 games last season, Iowa had more than three players score in double figures just four times.
• Iowa was guilty of six turnovers in the win at The Citadel, none by any of the Hawkeye guards. The six turnovers are a low for the Hawkeyes in 36 games under Coach Todd Lickliter. Iowa had seven in wins over Charleston Southern and SE Missouri State, matching the season low of last season (vs. Utah State), but were guilty of 19 turnovers against Texas-San Antonio and 16 vs. Oakland. The Hawkeyes had less than 10 turnovers in just two of 32 games a year ago and had 20 or more turnovers in seven games.
• Iowa is 3-0 when scoring between 70-80 points and 2-0 when scoring between 60-70 points.
• Iowa is 3-0 when holding its opponent to less than 50 points, 1-0 when the opponent scores between 50-60 points and 1-0 when the opponent scores between 60-70 points.
• Iowa is 5-0 when collecting more assists than the opponent.
• Iowa is 3-0 when having fewer turnovers than its opponent and 2-0 when the opponent has fewer turnovers.
• Iowa is 3-0 when collecting more steals than its opponent and 2-0 when the opponent has more steals. Iowa allowed The Citadel no steals in taking the 70-48 road win.
• Iowa is 5-0 when leading at halftime.
• Iowa is 2-0 in games decided by 10 points or less.

VALUABLE POSSESSIONS
Through the first five games of the season, Iowa is averaging 16.2 assists and 11 turnovers per game. Through five games last season those averages were 14 assists and 17.8 turnovers per game.

IOWA PROGRAM REACHES 1,400 WINS
The Iowa basketball program reached 1,400 wins (now at 1,456) 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.

HAWKEYES FEATURE YOUNG LINE-UP
Iowa’s starting line-up in the first five games has included three true freshmen, including forward Aaron Fuller and guards Matt Gatens and Anthony Tucker. Iowa’s starting line-up in four games last season included freshmen Jarryd Cole, Jeff Peterson and Jake Kelly. Cole later missed the final 19 games due to injury. Kelly started 25 games and Peterson 11. The three combined for 42 starts. Iowa had not started three freshmen in a game since the 2000-01 season. That season, Brody Boyd, Jared Reiner and Glen Worley started in a game at Illinois. Boyd, Worley and Sean Sonderleiter started in a game at Michigan State and Boyd, Worley and Cortney Scott started in a game at Michigan.

NEWCOMERS CONTRIBUTE
With seven new players on a 13-man roster, Iowa will rely on newcomers throughout the year. In the opening win over Charleston Southern, Iowa newcomers contributed 37 of 68 points, 12 of 32 rebounds, eight of 14 assists and two of three steals, while playing 118 of the 200 minutes. Three newcomers, all freshmen, were part of the starting line-up. Freshman Matt Gatens led the newcomers with 15 points in the opening game and freshman Anthony Tucker has led Iowa’s scoring in three games. Gatens’ total matches the most points scored by a freshman in their first game since Jeff Horner had 15 points in the first game of the 2002-03 season. Tucker scored 21 points at The Citadel and 19 vs. Oakland and Gatens led Iowa in assists the first three games.

HOME, AWAY COMPARISONS
In its four home games, Iowa has outscored its opponents by a 17.3 margin, shooting 52.4% from the field while holding its opponent to 36.1% shooting. Iowa holds a 33.0-27.8 rebounding advantage. In one game away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa outscored its opponent 70-48. The Hawkeyes shot 49% from the field while the opponent shot 47.5%. Iowa held a 28-23 rebounding margin.

OFF THE BENCH
The Iowa reserves are averaging 19.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, compared to 10 points and seven rebounds by the opponent reserves. Iowa is 4-0 when the reserves outscore the opponent reserves and 1-0 when the opponent reserves score more points. Iowa is 4-0 when the Hawkeye reserves have more rebounds than the opponent reserves and 1-0 when the opponent reserves have more rebounds.

OVERCOMING DEFICITS
The biggest deficit Iowa overcame to earn a victory was 14 points last season. Iowa trailed by 14 in the first half of a 57-50 win over Southeastern Louisiana and by 14 in the second half of a 53-51 win over Northwestern, with both of those games in Iowa City. Iowa largest deficit this season (seven points) occurred vs. Charleston Southern. The biggest deficit overcome by an Iowa opponent was 16. Louisiana-Monroe rallied for a 72-67 overtime win and Michigan won 60-52, both in Iowa City.

SCORING BY HALVES
Iowa has outscored its opponents 166-116 in the first half and 186-145 in the second half. Iowa has led at halftime in all five games, but was outscored in the second half by Texas-San Antonio.

IOWA FROM THE FREE THROW LINE
Iowa made over 70% of its free throws in each of its first two games, including 90.9% (20-22) vs. Texas-San Antonio. Iowa made at least 70% of its free throws in 12 games last season, with a season-best 88.9% (8-9) at Northern Iowa. Iowa posted a 6-6 record when shooting at least 70% from the free throw line a year ago.

CRUNCH TIME FREE THROWS
Iowa is 18-21 (.857) from the free throw line in the final four minutes of its two games that have been decided by 10 points or less. Iowa’s opponent in those games have made 4-6 (.667) free throw attempts in the final four minutes. Iowa is 2-0 in games decided by 10 points or less.

IOWA ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK
The majority of Iowa games throughout the 2008-09 season can be seen on the Big Ten Network, a national cable television network that now reaches over 70 million homes in its second year. The Big Ten Network is available on Mediacom, which provides cable service to over 400,000 customers throughout Iowa and the Midwest. Iowa games telecast on the Big Ten Network are also available through the nation’s two satellite television companies, DirectTV and Dish Network. Mediacom Connections will televise Iowa’s game against West Virginia (Jan. 28, 8:05 p.m. CT) in Las Vegas. That game can be viewed throughout the state of Iowa on Mediacom cable.

TATE & COLE ARE IOWA CAPTAINS
Senior forward Cyrus Tate and sophomore forward Jarryd Cole will serve as Iowa’s captains in 2008-09. Tate averaged 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds a year ago while starting 19 of the 31 games he appeared in. Tate shot 66.7% from the field for the season and 70.2% in Big Ten games. He led the conference in field goal percentage and was third in rebounding in conference games. Cole started six of the 13 games he played before a knee injury in Iowa’s final non-conference game forced him to miss the final 19 games. Cole averaged 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field.

LICKLITER TO REDSHIRT
Freshman guard John Lickliter, who joined the Iowa program as a walk-on to play for his father, Coach Todd Lickliter, plans to use the 2008-09 season to redshirt. Lickliter started every game at year ago at Iowa City High, helping the Little Hawks claim the Class 4-A state title.

THE RETURNING CAST
Iowa returns two starters and six lettermen from a year ago. The returning starters include senior forward Cyrus Tate (6-8, 255) and sophomore guard Jake Kelly (6-6, 185). Tate started 19 games as a junior, averaging 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds. Kelly started 25 of 32 games in his first season, averaging 7.3 points while shooting 43.5% from three-point range. The four additional returning lettermen include junior center David Palmer (6-9, 240), senior guard J.R. Angle (6-7, 215), sophomore guard Jeff Peterson (6-0, 192) and sophomore forward Jarryd Cole (6-7, 250). Iowa’s returning players, last season, played 44.9% of all minutes in 32 games, scoring 44.9% of Iowa’s points and grabbing 37.3% of Iowa’s rebounds. The group also had 45.5% of the assists and 50% of the steals last season. They combined to shoot 45.8% from the field, 35.7% from three-point range and 63.1% from the free throw line.

A YOUNG SQUAD
Iowa’s roster of 13 players includes five freshmen, three sophomores, three juniors and two seniors. The sophomores are Jarryd Cole, Jake Kelly and Jeff Peterson. The freshmen include forward Andrew Brommer (6-9, 235), forward Aaron Fuller (6-6, 210), guard Matt Gatens (6-5, 215), guard John Lickliter (5-11, 175) and guard Anthony Tucker (6-4, 200). In addition, junior guards Devan Bawinkel (6-5, 210) and Jermain Davis (6-4, 200) are both in their first year at Iowa after attending junior colleges a year ago. Along with two players from the state of Iowa, the roster includes two players from Illinois and Indiana, three from Minnesota, two from Missouri and one from Arizona and Tennessee.

HAWKEYE SCHEDULE NOTES

• Along with an opening win over Charleston Southern, Iowa traveled to The Citadel on Nov. 20. Both Charleston Southern and The Citadel are located in Charleston, South Carolina.
• Iowa’s schedule includes 17 home games, including nine Big Ten Conference games and home dates with in-state opponents Northern Iowa and Iowa State. In conference play, Iowa does not play at Illinois, while Minnesota does not visit Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• Iowa’s Big Ten schedule includes five weekend home dates and four games during the week.
• After playing a number of games a year ago with a start time of 8 p.m., Iowa has just two home games this season that start as late as 7:30 p.m., a non-conference game vs. Bryant University and a Big Ten contest against Wisconsin.
• Iowa’s schedule includes at least three neutral site games, including two games in the Las Vegas Invitational. Iowa could play between one and four neutral site games while taking part in the Big Ten Conference Tournament in Indianapolis, IN at the end of the season.

POST-SEASON OPPONENTS
Fifteen of Iowa’s 31 games during the regular season are against teams that advanced to post-season play last season. That includes 11 games against teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament. Iowa will play eight games against four Big Ten opponents that appeared in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, along with a single game at Drake and games against West Virginia and either Kentucky or Kansas State. During the non-conference portion of the schedule Iowa will face teams from the Big East (West Virginia), Atlantic Coast (Boston College), Big 12 (Iowa State and possibly Kansas State) and Missouri Valley (Drake and Northern Iowa) conferences, along with a possible opponent (Kentucky) from the Southeastern Conference. Iowa, in 2007-08, played 14 of 32 games against teams that advanced to post-season play. That included five teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament (1-8), three opponents who competed in the NIT (1-3) and one opponent who participated in the initial College Basketball Invitational (0-1).

LICKLITER VS. RANKED TEAMS
Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter holds a 7-10 record when coaching against nationally ranked opponents, including a 1-5 mark at Iowa and a 6-5 record in six seasons at Butler. In 2007-08, Iowa defeated sixth-ranked Michigan State (43-36), while dropping decisions to 11th-ranked Indiana (76-79), 24th-ranked Wisconsin (51-64), seventh-ranked Indiana (43-65), eighth-ranked Wisconsin (54-60) and 17th-ranked Michigan State (52-66). Lickliter’s Butler teams defeated ranked opponents Louisville (14th), Maryland (18th), Mississippi State (20th), Ball State (21st), Tennessee (22nd) and Gonzaga (23rd). His teams are 0-3 vs. top five opponents, including losses to third-ranked Oklahoma in 2003, third-ranked Florida in 2007 and fifth-ranked Duke in 2003.

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 seven 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, Florida State, Kansas, Maryland, SMU and Tennessee. Four current Big Ten Conference head coaches have earned national Coach of the Year honors.

AMONG SINGLE SEASON BESTS
Iowa made 222 three-point field goals while attempting 640 three-point shots a year ago. Both of those figures rank second best at Iowa for a single season. The Hawkeyes set single season records in 1995 when they made 274 of 743 three-point attempts. Through five games this season, Iowa is averaging 10 made three-point field goals and 24.2 attempts, compared to 6.9 made treys last season on an average of 20 attempts.

NO THREE-POINTERS
Since the three-point shot became part of the college game, Iowa has played 14 games in which it has failed to make a three-point attempt. Iowa had made at least one three-point basket in 53 straight games before missing all five attempts in a 71-61 home win over Purdue in 2004. Iowa’s current streak includes at least one three-point basket in 155 straight games.

IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa made its 22nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2006. 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 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 6 to 7:30 p.m. The dates are Dec. 8, 15, 22; Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26; Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23; and March 2 and 9.

IOWA INFORMATION ON THE WEB
Iowa basketball information is available on the University of Iowa’s web site, hawkeyesports.com. Once you have entered the web site, you may obtain biographical information on Iowa players and coaches, game notes, game stories and box scores from all games throughout the season, plus team and individual cumulative stats and a pdf version of Iowa’s History and Record book. Members of the media who wish to have this information forwarded via e-mail throughout the season may do so by contacting the Iowa Sports Information office with your e-mail address.

IOWA ON THE TUBE
All but one remaining game throughout the 2008-09 season are scheduled to be televised. The only exception is possibly Iowa’s final contest in the Las Vegas Invitational. Saturday’s title game will be televised on ESPN2, but the consolation game will not. The majority of Iowa games will appear on the Big Ten Network. Iowa games against Boston College, Northern Iowa, Drake and Western Illinois will appear on ESPNU. Big Ten games against Minnesota (home) and Michigan State (away) will appear on ESPN/ESPN2 and all games in the Big Ten post-season tournament will be televised.

HAWKEYES IN ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE
Iowa will travel to Boston College Dec. 2 as part of the 2008 ACC/Big Ten Challenge (6:05 p.m. CT, ESPNU). All 11 games in the Challenge will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Iowa is 2-5 in the Challenge after a 56-47 loss to Wake Forest last 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. 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. Boston College posted a 14-17 record in 2008, 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. The Eagles play their home games at the Silvio O. Conte Forum (8,606). Boston College has posted a 2-0 record in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

AFTER THIS
Iowa will meet Kansas State or Kentucky Friday evening in the final round of the Las Vegas Invitational. The championship game of the tournament (9:30 p.m. CT) will be televised on ESPN2, while the consolation game (6:30 p.m.) will not be televised. The Hawkeyes play at Boston College on Dec. 2 (6 p.m. CT, ESPNU) and host Bryant University Friday, Dec. 5 (7:30 p.m., BTN).