Nov. 3, 2009
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch (2009-10 Season)
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
Complete Release in PDF Format
THE SETTING
The University of Iowa men’s basketball team opens the 2009-10 season with an exhibition contest against Marian University Sunday, Nov. 8. Game time is slated for 12:35 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. (15,500). Sunday’s game is the annual Miracle Game presented by the Children’s Miracle Network to benefit the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
Tickets to Sunday’s exhibition game is $5 (good for both the men’s and women’s game – the women host Washburn at 3 p.m.). Fans who show their Northwestern football ticket stub will receive free admission to Sunday’s men’s and women’s exhibition contests. UI students will receive free admission when they show their ID at the door.
Iowa posted a 15-17 record a year ago in its second season under Coach Todd Lickliter. Marian University, an NAIA program, went 11-15 last year. The Hawkeyes open the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 15, when they host Texas-San Antonio (5:05 p.m.) in a preliminary round game of the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic.
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 pregame show.
Television: Mediacom Connections will televise the exhibition contest on the Mediacom cable network throughout the state of Iowa. Streaming video of the game also can be viewed via the Big Ten Network website, bigtennetwork.com. The cost to watch the exhibition game online is $2.99. Rob Brooks and Mac McCausland will call the action.
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,472 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Overall Iowa’s record is 1,466-1,006 (.593). That includes a 925-320 (.743) record in home games, a 541-686 (.441) record in games away from Iowa City, a 695-690 (.502) mark in Big Ten games and a 331-94 (.779) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA IN CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa has compiled a 331-94 (.779) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since the facility opened in January, 1983. Iowa is 156-77 (.670) in Big Ten games and 175-17 (.911) in non-Big Ten games.
HAWKEYES ARE TOUGH AT HOME
Iowa has won 55 of its 68 games (.809) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500) over the last four seasons, including win streaks of 21 straight overall and 12 straight Big Ten Conference wins. Iowa has won 10 of its last 16 home games against ranked opponents and was 13-4 at home in 2008-09. Three of Iowa’s four home losses were to ranked opponents and by four points or less. Iowa was a perfect 17-0 at home in 2006, 14-2 in 2007, 10-8 in 2008 and 13-4 a year ago. Iowa has compiled a 24-10 Big Ten Conference record in that time.
BAWINKEL, COLE NAMED CAPTAINS
Senior guard Devan Bawinkel and junior forward Jarryd Cole have been named Iowa’s captains for the 2009-10 season. Bawinkel averaged 4.8 points and 1.6 rebounds a year ago while starting nine of the 32 contests he played in. He became one of only three players in school history to make eight three-pointers in a single-game when he drained 8-of-13 vs. Ohio State last season. Cole, a two-time co-captain, shot a team-best 67.6% from the field for the season, including 69.6% in Big Ten games.
ARCHIE SIDELINED AFTER SUSTAINING INJURY IN PRACTICE
Junior transfer Devon Archie is expected to be sidelined four-to-seven weeks after sustaining an injury to his left shoulder during Iowa’s second practice, Oct. 17. The 6-9, 215-pounder is expected to bolster the Hawkeye front court after playing the last two seasons at Vincennes Community College. A two-time team captain at Vincennes, he averaged 6.8 points, six rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots, starting 19 of 30 games last season as a sophomore.
THE RETURNING CAST
Iowa returns four starters and six lettermen from a year ago. The returning starters include senior guard Devan Bawinkel (6-5, 210), junior center Jarryd Cole (6-7, 250), sophomore forward Aaron Fuller (6-6, 210) and sophomore guard Matt Gatens (6-5, 215). Bawinkel started nine games as a junior, averaging 4.8 points and 1.6 rebounds. Cole also started nine games, averaging 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds. Gatens started all 32 outings, averaging 10.8 points and 3.8 rebounds, shooting at a 40% clip from 3-point range. Additionally, Gatens was a Big Ten all-Freshman and collegehoops.net fourth team Freshman all-America honoree a year ago. Fuller started 19 games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds. The additional lettermen returning are sophomore guard Anthony Tucker (6-4, 200) and sophomore forward Andrew Brommer (6-9, 235). Tucker averaged 10.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14 games, while Brommer played in 20 games, averaging 1.2 points and 1.2 rebounds. Iowa’s returning players, last season, played 43.2% of all minutes in 32 games, scoring 41.3% of Iowa’s points and grabbing 35.6% of Iowa’s rebounds. The group also had 33.6% of the steals and 39.8% of the assists last season. They combined to shoot 40.3% from the field, 37.8% from 3-point range and 70.4% from the free throw line.
A YOUNG SQUAD
Iowa’s roster of 12 players includes four freshmen, one redshirt freshman, four sophomores, two juniors and one senior. The freshmen are forward Brennan Cougill (6-9, 260), guard/forward Eric May (6-5, 225), guard Nick Neari (6-2, 185) and guard Cully Payne (6-1, 190). The redshirt freshman is John Lickliter. The sophomores are Andrew Brommer, Aaron Fuller, Matt Gatens and Anthony Tucker. In addition, junior forward Devan Archie (6-9, 215) is in his first year at Iowa after attending a junior college in Indianapolis.
IOWA-MARIAN UNIVERSITY TIES
Iowa Graduate Manager Garrett Lickliter played basketball at Marian University. Lickliter graduated from Marian with a degree in sports management in 2007.
SCOUTING MARIAN UNIVERSITY
Marian University returns its top seven scorers from a team that went 11-15 last season. The Knights are led by juniors Jordan Tucker and Anthony Furlin. Tucker averaged a team-best 15.8 points, while Furlin averaged 11.8 points in 2008-09. Jameson Wheeler dished out a team-best 117 assists as a freshman last year. Tucker and Wheeler were both recognized on the preseason all-Mid-Central College Conference Team. Sixteen of Marian’s 17-player roster hails from the state of Indiana. John Grimes, who enters his 34th season as the Knights’ head coach, won his 500th career game last season. He has been tabbed the MCC Coach of the Year five times and has led Marian to three MCC regular season titles and two MCC Tournament championships. His career record of 506-356 includes three appearances in the NAIA Division II national championships. The 2000-01 team earned a berth in the NAIA Division II Elite Eight.
IOWA IN EXHIBITIONS
Iowa is 15-1 in exhibition games since the 1999-00 season. The only setback was a 79-76 loss to the Harlem Globetrotters prior to the 2002 season. The Hawkeyes played just one exhibition contest the last two seasons.
FIVE STATE CHAMPS
Iowa’s roster of 12 players includes five players who won state titles. Matt Gatens and John Lickliter won a state title for Iowa City HS in 2008. Eric May won a state title for Dubuque Wahlert HS in 2008. Brennan Cougill’s Bishop Heelan HS captured the state title in 2009, while Anthony Tucker won a state title his senior year at Minnetonka HS.
HAWKEYES HOST SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE IN CLOSED SCRIMMAGE
On Thursday afternoon, the Iowa Hawkeyes will host the University of Illinois at Springfield in a closed scrimmage in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Prairie Stars are coached by former Hawkeye Kevin Gamble, who lettered at Iowa in 1986-87. The Springfield native enters his eighth season as the program’s only head coach.
A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE
Iowa’s schedule in 2009-10 includes a minimum of 31 games, with 18 of those games slated for Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Following the exhibition game against Marian, the Hawkeyes open the regular season by hosting Texas-San Antonio on Sunday, Nov. 15. The home schedule also includes dates with Virginia Tech (Dec. 1) and Drake (Dec. 19).
IOWA IN CBE CLASSIC
Iowa will play four games while competing in the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. Home games against Texas-San Antonio (Nov. 15) and Duquesne (Nov. 17) are preliminary round games. This will mark the second-straight year Iowa will play Texas-San Antonio (Iowa downed UTSA, 73-67 a year ago). Once in Kansas City, Iowa will meet Texas on Monday, Nov. 23 and face either Pittsburgh or Wichita State the following evening. Texas and Pittsburgh participated in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, while Wichita State competed in the College Basketball Invitational. The 2009 event will take place Nov. 23-24, 2009 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. Iowa competed in the inaugural CBE Classic, which was called the Guardians Classic, in 2001. Syracuse defeated Kansas in overtime in the championship game of the tournament a year ago, while UCLA won the event in 2007. Iowa reached the championship game in the 2005 and 2001 tournaments. The Hawkeyes beat Kentucky before falling to Texas in the championship game.
IOWA PART OF COLLEGE HOOPS MARATHON
Iowa’s contest against Duquesne on Nov. 17 will be part of ESPNs second annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, celebrating 24 consecutive hours of college basketball coverage. The marathon will be highlighted by 12 live games in 24 consecutive hours on the ESPN family of networks. Combined, the networks will televise at least 38 total hours of coverage with 19 games – 17 men’s and two women’s – in a minimum of 25-and-a-half hours.
HAWKEYES IN ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE
Iowa will host Virginia Tech Dec. 1 (8:35 p.m. CT, ESPN2) as part of the 2009 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. All 11 games in the Challenge will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Iowa is 2-6 in the Challenge after a narrow 57-55 defeat at Boston College last season. 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 2003-04 and 2004-05. The Hawkeyes beat NC State in 2005-06. Virginia Tech won the only previous meeting between the two programs, claiming a 69-65 victory in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge played in Blacksburg, VA on Nov. 29, 2006. Virginia Tech posted a 19-15 record in 2008, including a 7-9 mark in league play. The Hokies advanced to the second round of the NIT, ending the season with a loss to Baylor. Virginia Tech is coached by Seth Greenberg, who has posted a 107-85 record in six years at the school.
HAWKEYE SCHEDULE NOTES
? Iowa’s schedule includes 18 regular season home games.
? Thirteen of Iowa’s first 18 games will be played in the friendly confines of Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with two other contests being played on a neutral floor.
? The Black and Gold will play two of its three in-state rivalry games on the road, visiting Iowa State and Northern Iowa, while playing Drake at home. The Hawkeyes will also host a Big Ten/ACC Challenge game this season, facing Virginia Tech in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Within the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes play two games against four of the top six teams in the league a year ago. Iowa meets Penn State (home) and Wisconsin (away) just once. Iowa opens Big Ten play with four of five games at home, while it concludes the conference slate with three of four on the road. The Big Ten Tournament is held in Indianapolis.
? Iowa’s Big Ten opener vs. Purdue (Dec. 29) is its earliest conference opener since the 1952 season. That year the Hawkeyes opened with Michigan Dec. 13 in an 18-game league schedule.
? Iowa’s Big Ten slate includes four weekend home dates and five games during the week.
POST-SEASON OPPONENTS
Twenty-two of Iowa’s 31 games during the regular season are against teams that advanced to post-season play last season. That includes 15 games, and possibly 16, against teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament. During the non-conference portion of the schedule Iowa will meet teams from the Big 12, ACC and Missouri Valley, along with a possible Big East opponent. Iowa will participate in the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic, challenging Texas and either Pittsburgh or Wichita State, in Kansas City. Iowa, in 2008-09, played 22 of 32 games against teams that advanced to post-season play. That included 10 teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament (3-12), three opponents who competed in the NIT (2-2) and three opponents who participated in the CBI Tournament (2-1).
IOWA ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK
The majority of Iowa games can be seen on the Big Ten Network, a national cable television network that now reaches over 70 million homes in its third year. The Big Ten Network is available on Mediacom, which provides cable service to over 400,000 customers throughout Iowa and the Midwest. The Big Ten Network has agreements with more than 250 affiliates, including DirectTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse, Comcast, Cox, Insight, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS.
IOWA ON THE TUBE
All 31 Iowa regular-season games this season are slated to be televised. The Hawkeyes will appear on the ESPN family of networks six times, 20 times on the Big Ten Network, three times on Mediacom Connections, and the Cyclone Television Network and Panther Sports Network once.
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. Four current Big Ten Conference head coaches have earned national Coach of the Year honors.
NO THREE-POINTERS
Since the 3-point shot became part of the college game, Iowa has played 14 games in which it has failed to make a 3-point attempt. Iowa had made at least one 3-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 3-point basket in 182 straight games.
STRENGTH OF THE BIG TEN
The Big Ten Conference has a league-best six teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25 and ranks second with five squads ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. In the AP, Michigan State is ranked second, followed by Purdue (7), Michigan (15), Ohio State (16), Illinois (23) and Minnesota (25). In the Coaches poll, Michigan State ranks second, followed by Purdue (7), Mihcigan (15), Ohio State (17) and Minnesota (18).
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.
IOWA IN TOURNAMENT PLAY
Iowa has fared well while taking part in regular-season tournaments over the past 27 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.
TICKETS ON SALE FOR 2009-10
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. Season tickets are available for 2009-10, including general public ($278), UI faculty and staff ($238) and UI students ($80, includes two games free). General public single-game tickets are also on sale ranging from $12, $20, or $25 depending on the game desired. UI student single-game tickets are $15 the day of the game only (if available). The “Weekday” package includes Iowa’s games against Virginia Tech (Dec. 1) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Purdue (Dec. 29), Ohio State (Jan. 27), Illinois (Feb. 3), Northwestern (Feb. 10) and Michigan (Feb. 16). The cost of this package per ticket is $90 and includes the choice of a free ticket to Iowa’s game against Duquesne (Nov. 17) or South Carolina State (Dec. 21). The “Weekend” package includes the Hawkeyes’ games with Drake (Dec. 19), Minnesota (Jan. 2), Michigan State (Jan. 9), Penn State (Jan. 16) and Indiana (Feb. 18). That package costs $120 per ticket and includes a free ticket to the Hawkeyes’ game with Texas-San Antonio (Nov. 15), North Carolina Central (Nov. 28) or Prairie View A&M (Dec. 5). Discounted tickets to select home games, earmarked for purchase by groups of 20 or more, are also available for purchase. For more information about group ticket packages, fans should call the UI Sports Marketing Office at (319) 335-9431.
CBE CLASSIC KANSAS CITY TICKETS AVAILABLE
The University of Iowa has a limited number of tickets available for the Hawkeyes’ appearance in the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic in Kansas City, MO, Nov. 23-24. The four-team field includes Iowa, Texas, Pittsburgh and Wichita State. The tickets are $130, which covers both nights of competition and two games per night. Seats are in section 115, rows 1-12. To purchase these tickets, call the UI Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS.
“HAWK TALK WITH Todd Lickliter”
University of Iowa basketball fans may join Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter and radio announcer Gary Dolphin 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 Cafe in Iowa City from 7-8:30 p.m. The tentative dates are: Nov. 30, Dec. 9, Dec. 14, Dec. 28, Jan. 6, Jan. 11, Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8, Feb. 15, Feb. 22, March 1 and March 8.
FORMER UI STANDOUT GIVES $100,000 FOR CHA RENOVATION
Ronnie Lester, former All-American basketball player at the University of Iowa, has made a $100,000 gift to the UI Foundation to support the Carver-Hawkeye Arena Enhancements Campaign. The assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, Lester is a member of the committee that is leading the fundraising effort to upgrade the 26-year-old facility. At the request of Lester, the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will name the training room at the remodeled Carver-Hawkeye Arena in honor of longtime UI athletic trainer John Streif. Streif, of Iowa City, and Lester, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., have been close friends since Lester’s playing days as an Iowa Hawkeye, beginning in the mid-1970s. “John Streif has been a terrific friend to me for more than 30 years. He has worked tirelessly to support me and numerous other athletes for over four decades now,” said Lester, a 1981 UI graduate who was a member of the Hawkeye men’s basketball team from 1977 to 1980. “His dedication to the Hawkeyes is legendary, and I’m honored to name the training room for him. “As a member of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena campaign committee, I am pleased to step forward to make this gift,” Lester continued. “Coach Lickliter has the program moving in the right direction, and I want to do my part to help this important project.” The goal of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena Enhancements Campaign is to raise at least $20 million to modernize the current facility, according to UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta. No state funding will be used for the project. “We are thrilled to receive this gift from Ronnie Lester. He is one of the all-time great basketball players at Iowa,” said Barta. “It’s always special to see former student-athletes reach back and support the Hawks. On top of his generosity, it is terrific that Ronnie has chosen to honor John Streif. I can’t think of anyone more deserving.”
GAME DAY BLOG
The Iowa Sports Information staff will conduct live blogs for the following November Iowa basketball games: Texas-San Antonio (Nov. 15), Texas (Nov. 23) and Pittsburgh/Wichita State (Nov. 24). The service gives Hawkeye fans the chance to be interactive by logging onto hawkeyesports.com. Fans will have the opportunity to submit questions and/or comments, answer quick polls and get up-to-the-minute information about the game and Hawkeyes.
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.
ALL-SESSION BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW
All-session tickets for the 2010 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is on sale to the general public. Tickets can be purchased at the UI Athletic Ticket Office, Conseco Fieldhouse box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is the site of the men’s tournament from March 11-14. For the men’s basketball tournament, all-session tickets for the lower and club level are available for $275 through the 11 Big Ten universities only. All-session tickets for the upper level are available for $220 or $165 (depending on seat location) through Ticketmaster or the Conseco Fieldhouse box office only. Orders will be limited to 12 all-session tickets. In addition, the men’s basketball tournament for the first time will also feature a special discounted rate of $50 for all-session tickets available only to students of the 11 Big Ten universities. Student section seating will be available in eight balcony sections and orders will be limited to four all-session tickets. The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will call Indianapolis and Conseco Fieldhouse home through 2012. The 2010 tournament marks the sixth time Indianapolis has hosted the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse.
ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will open the 2009-10 regular season with three home games, Nov. 15, Nov. 17 and Nov. 20. The Hawkeyes will entertain Texas-San Antonio (Nov. 15) and Duquesne (Nov. 17) in preliminary games of the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic in Carver-Hawkeye Arena before hosting Bowling Green (Nov. 20).