Men's Hoops Hosts Howard on Thursday

Nov. 13, 2012

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Iowa Game Notes

THE SETTING
Iowa will play its third game in seven days when it hosts Howard on Thursday. Tip-off is slated for 7:07 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Thursday’s game is a Cancun Challenge preliminary game. Tickets are $14 for adults, $5 for youths and free for UI students (with valid student ID). Thursday is also “Family Four Pack Night”. Fans can get four tickets, four hot dogs, and four cokes for $45 (advance purchase required).

GAME #3 QUICK HITS
? Thursday is the first of two Cancun Challenge preliminary games.
? Iowa has started the year 2-0 for the second straight season.
? Iowa has won seven of its last eight home games, dating back to Feb. 1.
? Iowa blocked 10 shots vs. UT-Pan American on Friday, the most by an Iowa team since Nov. 14, 2005 (Md.-Eastern Shore).
? Aaron White leads the team in scoring (15.0), rebounding (7.0), steals (2.5), and free throws made (11) and attempted (15).
? On Nov. 9, 2011, Iowa’s No. 25 ranked recruiting class signed with Iowa. One year later the class helped the Hawkeyes post their first victory of the 2012-13 season.
? This marks the second time in three years under Fran McCaffery that the Hawkeye head coach has started two freshmen in the season opener (Basabe and McCabe in 2010).
? Iowa is 10-2 when scoring 80 points or more, the last three seasons. The Hawkeyes are 15-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points, the last two years.
? Iowa’s average starting lineup height is 6-foot-6. The Hawkeye starting lineup consists of two freshmen, one sophomore, and two juniors.

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 network includes more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and include portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Hawkeye Radio Network coverage includes a 60-minute pregame show.
Television: Thursday’s game will be televised in the state of Iowa on Mediacom’s MC22 channel. Rob Brooks and Mac McCausland will call the action. Fans can also access the game online on hawkeyesports.com via the BTN Digital Network. Hawkeye All-Access subscribers can watch live video streams of UI events on the BTN Digital Network at no extra charge. Fans can also access the game via video.BTN.com.

SEASON TICKETS AND MINI PACKAGES ON SALE
Hawkeye fans can purchase a season ticket for $320. UI Faculty and staff can purchase tickets for $270, while the price is only $80 for UI students. There are also two mini-season ticket packages. There is a six-game weekday package ($120) and a six-game weekend package ($125). Single-game tickets to home non-conference games are also on sale. Fans can purchase tickets at the UI Ticket Office, calling 1-800-IAHAWKS or online at hawkeyesports.com.

HAWKEYES TOP CENTRAL MICHIGAN
? Iowa beat Central Michigan, 73-61, Monday night on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Aaron White was one rebound from notching a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
? Mike Gesell scored 15 points, bolstered by his three triples, and dished out five assists.
? The Hawkeyes sank seven 3-pointers for the second straight game.
? Roy Devyn Marble tallied 18 points, tying the fourth-best scoring output of his career.

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
? Iowa has averaged 33 paint points and 16.5 second-chance points its first two outings.
? The Hawkeyes have played 10 players or more in each of the first two games.
? Iowa averages 10 steals and 19 forced turnovers.
? Freshmen guards Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons have accounted for seven of Iowa’s 14 triples.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK — 3
Three of Iowa’s starters are from the Sioux City area. Junior Zach McCabe and freshman Adam Woodbury hail from Sioux City, Iowa, while freshman Mike Gesell is a native of South Sioux City, Neb. Gesell celebrated his 19th birthday last Friday with an Iowa win.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Thursday will be the first meeting between Iowa and Howard. The Hawkeyes are 10-0 all-time against current teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

SCOUTING HOWARD
? Howard lost its opener 68-62 to Lincoln University last week. Calvin Thompson scored a team-high 21 points, while Anton Dickerson added 14 off the bench. Mike Phillips just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds.
? Howard made 22-of-26 (.846) attempts from the foul line in its opening loss to Lincoln.
? The Bison are coming off a 10-21 season.
? Howard will play 12 games away from home in November and December.
? Seniors Calvin Thompson and Mike Phillips, along with junior center Alphonso Leary, sophomore guard Simuel Frazier and sophomore forward Prince Okoroh are Howard’s starting five.
? Howard travels to Wichita State next for a game against the Shockers on Saturday.

HOME COOKIN’
Iowa posted 14 home wins last season (14-6), the most since collecting 14 home victories in 2007. Five of the Hawkeyes’ 14 home victories came in league play.

MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN YEAR TWO
Fran McCaffery guided Iowa to 18 wins (18-17) in his second season as head coach of the Hawkeyes, with four of the 18 victories coming against top 20 opponents. McCaffery was one of only four Big Ten coaches to record four or more wins over ranked opponents, and the only coach to do so with an unranked team. McCaffery’s seven-win improvement in his second season, ties Pops Harrison (1943-44) for the fourth best improvement following his second year as Iowa head coach. Steve Alford (2000-01) and Lute Olsen (1975-76) rank first (+9), while George Raveling (1984-85) is third (+8). Furthermore, the seven-win improvement ranked third-best in the Big Ten in 2012 behind Indiana (+12) and Michigan State (+10). Iowa improved by four wins in conference play from 2011 (four) to 2012 (eight), its best improvement since 1994-95. Tom Davis’ 1994 team won five, while his 1995 squad collected nine victories.

WHITE, WOODBURY RECEIVE PRESEASON RECOGNITION
Sophomore Aaron White has been named preseason third team All-Big Ten by the website College Sports Madness, while Adam Woodbury was named by CBSSports.com as a top 30 freshman to make an impact. White, who was named to the 2012 Kyle Macy Freshman All-America team, averaged 11.1 points and a team-best 5.7 rebounds a year ago. White’s 389 points rank as the fifth-most by a Hawkeye freshman, while his 199 rebounds rank fourth and 23 blocks rank eighth. Woodbury, is a three-time All-State honoree, and was tabbed MVP of the NBA Top 100 Camp in 2011. The 7-foot-1 center topped 1,000 career points and rebounds in his prep career for Sioux City East High School.

COACHING EXPERIENCE
Fran McCaffery has assembled one of the most experienced coaching staffs in the country. Assistant coaches Kirk Speraw, Sherman Dillard and Andrew Francis have over six decades of combined coaching experience. Furthermore, the entire coaching staff combines for 48 years of head coaching experience. Director of Basketball Operations Jerry Strom is in his 32nd season as a member of the Iowa basketball staff. Additionally, Iowa’s video coordinator, Al Seibert, has 18 years of collegiate coaching experience.

WELCOME FRESHMEN
Iowa welcomes five newcomers to the fold for 2012-13. The newest Hawkeyes include guards Anthony Clemmons, Pat Ingram and Mike Gesell; forward Kyle Meyer and center Adam Woodbury. The class ranks 25th in the nation by ESPN.com.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,661 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,597-1,064 (.600). That includes a 958-353 (.731) record in home games, a 549-721 (.432) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 711-728 (.494) mark in Big Ten games and a 364-117 (.757) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

HAWKEYEBASKETBALL.COM
Check out the Iowa basketball team’s new website, HawkeyeBasketball.com, devoted to everything on-and-off-the-court surrounding the program. HawkeyeBasketball.com, allows fans a chance to go behind the scenes with the Hawkeye basketball program on and off the court. The site is complete with exclusive videos, photo galleries and content featuring the basketball program. HawkeyeBasketball.com will be updated throughout the year with exclusive videos, including and game highlights, along with news stories and other content.

HY-VEE BIG 4 CLASSIC TICKETS ON SALE
The state of Iowa’s four NCAA Division I institutions will host the inaugural Hy-Vee Big Four Classic, a men’s college basketball doubleheader at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Dec. 15. Tickets, priced at $25, $50 and $70, can be purchased at dahlstickets.com, the Wells Fargo Arena Ticket Office, all Dahl’s Foods Locations and by calling 866-55-DAHLS.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa remains home for its third game in six days when it hosts Gardner-Webb on Saturday at 7 p.m. Saturday’s contest is another Cancun Challenge preliminary game. Iowa will depart for Mexico on Sunday morning for next week’s Cancun Challenge (Nov. 21-22).