Men's Hoops to Host South Carolina State Wednesday

Dec. 18, 2012

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Iowa Game Notes

THE SETTING
Iowa (9-2), who has won four-straight games, returns home to host South Carolina State (4-7) on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 8:06 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $14 for adults, and $5 for youth and UI students. Tickets are also good for the women’s game against Missouri State, which tips off at 5:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT PROMOTIONS
? “Family Four Pack Night” — any group of four can purchase four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $45 (advance purchase required).
? “UI Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night” — free admission for UI faculty and staff with a valid ID (or pre-ordered) and $5 admission for any of their guests.
? Bring a new toy to donate to the UI Children’s Hospital to receive a $5 discount off your ticket.
? Santa will be on the south end of the concourse to take photos with kids until 8 p.m.

GAME #12 QUICK HITS
? Iowa has won a season-best four straight contests and has its best start since the 2008-09 season. A win Wednesday would give Iowa its best start since 2004-05.
? Iowa has three players average in double digits the last three games: Roy Devyn Marble (16.7), Mike Gesell (15.3) and Aaron White (15.3). White also averages 7.3 boards the last three games.
? Iowa’s first 10 games have been decided by seven points or more. Four of the Hawkeyes’ nine victories have come by a margin of 20 points or more.
? Aaron White leads the team in rebounding (6.7), and free throws made (59) and attempted (76), and ranks second in scoring (13.5).
? The Hawkeyes have attempted 20 or more free throws in eight of their 11 games, including attempting 39 (made 31) against Wichita State and attempting 37 (made 26) versus UNI.
? Iowa is 14-2 when scoring 80 points or more, the last three seasons. The Hawkeyes are 19-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points, the last three years.
? Iowa has won 12 of its last 13 home games, including all seven this season, dating back to Feb. 1.
? The Hawkeyes have shot the 3-ball better on the road (.378, 28-of-74 in four games) than at home (.295, 39-of-132 in seven outings).

ON THE AIR
Radio: All 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: Wednesday’s game will be televised on BTN. Kevin Kugler, Shon Morris and Shelley Till will call the action. The game is also available online, and on your phone or tablet at BTN2GO.

HAWKEYES TOP UNI AT HY-VEE BIG 4 CLASSIC
? Roy Devyn Marble and Mike Gesell combined to score 53 of Iowa’s 80 points in an 80-73 win over UNI last Saturday in Des Moines during the inaugural Hy-Vee Big 4 Classic.
? Roy Devyn Marble’s 30 points are a season high and one shy of his career best of 31. The 30 points is a new Wells Fargo Arena record for a Division I men’s basketball player.
? Marble went 14-of-19 from the free throw line, which are also both arena records for Division I men’s games. Additionally, the 19 free-throw attempts ties for the 10th most by a Hawkeye in a single game.
? Freshman Mike Gesell scored a personal-high 23 points, making 4-of-6 treys.
? Iowa made 12 triples, which ranks as the second most by an Iowa team in McCaffery’s tenure. The Hawkeyes held UNI to 3-of-16 (.188) shooting from long distance.
? Senior Eric May had a career-high seven assists in 24 minutes off the bench.
? Iowa assisted on 18 of its 21 field goals, and only had two second-half turnovers after committing 13 in the first stanza.

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
? Iowa’s RPI was ranked 174 on Dec. 16, 2011. A year later, the Hawkeyes are ranked 70 in the RPI after starting their season 9-2.
? Iowa has scored 80 points in each of its last two victories.
? The Hawkeyes have played 10 players or more in 10 of their 11 games. The only contest in which it did not play 10 players was Iowa State (nine players). Iowa has nine players who average 16 minutes or more of action.
? Aaron White is attacking the rim, averaging a team-best 6.9 free-throw attempts per game. He is averaging 5.4 free-throw makes per outing. His 59 makes and 76 attempts are tops in the Big Ten, both ranking first by a wide margin.
? Iowa has made (209) more free throws than its opponents have attempted (193), which is a staple of Fran McCaffery-coached teams.
? The Hawkeyes have four players who have made 10 or more triples: Oglesby (17), Gesell (15), Marble (14), and McCabe (11).
? Iowa has three players with 34 assists or more: Roy Devyn Marble (35), and Mike Gesell (35), and Anthony Clemmons (34).
? Iowa has had an attendance figure of 10,500 fans or greater at all seven home contests, including a season-high of 15,127 against Iowa State on Dec. 7.
? Iowa blocked 10 shots vs. UT-Pan American in its season opener, the most by an Iowa team since Nov. 14, 2005 (Md.-Eastern Shore).
? Roy Devyn Marble scored a season-high 30 points vs. UNI. It marked the second time in his career the junior reached the 30-point plateau (31 vs. Oregon as a sophomore).
? The Hawkeyes will not leave the state of Iowa until Jan. 6 when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face nationally-ranked Michigan.
? Iowa’s 12 triples vs. UNI are the second most by a Fran McCaffery-coached Iowa team. Roy Devyn Marble’s 30 points and 14 free throws made rank third and first, respectively, the last three seasons under Fran McCaffery.

MARBLE, GESELL EARN WEEKLY HONORS
Roy Devyn Marble was recognized by College Sports Madness as its Big Ten Player of the Week on Dec. 17 for his 30-point performance against Northern Iowa last weekend. The 30 points are a season high and Wells Fargo Arena record. He also posted personal bests in free throws made (14) and attempted (19). Mike Gesell was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week and ESPN National Freshman of the Weekend. He posted personal bests in scoring (23), 3-pointers made (4), and free throws made (7) and attempted (9) against Northern Iowa. Gesell shot 66.7 percent from the floor (6-of-9), including 66.7 percent from 3-point range (4-of-6).

`TIS THE SEASON FOR GIVING
Iowa has done an outstanding job sharing the basketball this season. The Hawkeyes have assisted on 63.8 percent of its field goal makes (177 assists on 277 field goals). This time last year, the Hawkeyes assisted on 55.6 percent (163 assists on 293 field goals). Iowa has assisted on 71 percent of its field goal makes the last four games (81 assists on 114 made field goals). The Hawkeyes assisted on 85.7 percent of their field goals in their last game versus UNI (18 assists on 21 field goals).

CLEMMONS PROVIDING SPARK
Since Anthony Clemmons was first inserted into the Hawkeye starting lineup (Dec. 1), he has provided a spark. The native of Lansing, Mich., had a personal-best 14 points, including making two key buckets in the later stages of the second half, against Iowa State. Clemmons has registered 21 assists to only four turnovers in his four starts.

HAWKEYE DEFENSE IMPROVING
Last year, Iowa allowed opponents 72.5 points per contest. Through 11 games in 2012, Iowa is yielding 63.5 points. Iowa held Howard to 36 points on Nov. 15, which were the fewest points a Hawkeye team allowed since a 61-36 win over Bryant on Dec. 5, 2008.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Iowa is 1-0 all-time against South Carolina State, beating the Bulldogs 82-69 on Dec. 21, 2009, in Iowa City. South Carolina State is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Hawkeyes are 11-0 all-time against current teams from that conference, including beating Howard (66-36) earlier this season. Iowa’s next opponent, Coppin State, is also a member of the MEAC.

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
? Wednesday will be the fourth contest of a seven-game road trip for South Carolina State. The Bulldogs lost Monday night at Missouri, 102-51. After Wednesday, South Carolina State will visit Clemson, South Carolina and Morgan State.
? The Bulldogs enter Wednesday’s game on a four-game losing streak. Their last victory came against Jacksonville (74-72) on Nov. 28.
? South Carolina State is 2-2 in games decided by six points or less. Iowa has not played a game decided by six points or less yet this season.
? The Bulldogs have three players average in double figures: Khalif Toombs (13.5), Adama Adams (13.3), and Matthew Hezekiah (12.4). Hezekiah leads the squad in rebounding (8.4).
? South Carolina State has seven players average 18 minutes or more, including three that average 31 minutes or more.

WHITE HOT
Aaron White has been white-hot the last five games. During that stretch, he is averaging 14.6 points, shooting 54.3 percent from the floor (25-of-46) and 84 percent from the foul line (21-of-25), and grabbing seven rebounds per contest.

BASABE, MAY, OGLESBY LEADING HAWKEYE RESERVES
Junior Melsahn Basabe, sophomore Josh Oglesby, and senior Eric May have been Iowa’s leaders off the bench. Basabe is averaging 7.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. He also has rejected a team-best 16 shots, blocking four shots in two games (Central Michigan and Western Kentucky). May is averaging 4.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. His scoring numbers have been aided by his ability to attack the basket and get to the free throw line in the early stages of the season. May is 18-of-23 (.783) from the charity stripe through 11 games. Last season, May was 15-of-24 (.610) from the foul line in 33 contests. Seventeen of Oglesby’s 20 field goals have come from beyond the arc (80 percent of his scoring). The sophomore averages 5.8 points in the early stages of the season. Oglesby has made two or more triples in five of the last six outings.

BLOCK PARTY
Last season, Iowa amassed 199 blocks in 35 games (3.4 per game). So far this season, the Hawkeyes have been credited with 58 rejections (5.3 per contest), which rank second in the conference. Melsahn Basabe leads the team with 16 blocked shots, sophomore Gabriel Olaseni has 12, while freshman Adam Woodbury has 11.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK — 3
Iowa started three freshmen in its last four outings: Anthony Clemmons, Mike Gesell and Adam Woodbury. The last time the Hawkeyes started three rookies (Aaron Fuller, Matt Gatens and Anthony Tucker) was on Dec. 2, 2008 at Boston College.

IOWA POSTS LARGEST COMEBACK IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Iowa trailed Gardner-Webb by 23 points (38-15) with 13 seconds left in the first half on Nov. 17 in Iowa City. Sophomore Josh Oglesby drained three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt with one second remaining in the half to cut the deficit to 20 (38-18) at halftime. The Hawkeyes rallied in the second half and ultimately won by nine points (65-56), which is a 32-point swing. The comeback is believed to be the largest in school history. The last team in the country to overcome a 20+ halftime deficit was Harvard, which trailed Brown by 22 points (53-31) and won 85-78 on Feb. 12, 2011. The last Big Ten team to overcome a 20+ halftime deficit was Illinois, which trailed at Clemson by 20 points (47-27) and won 76-74 on Dec. 2, 2009.

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.

HAWKEYES SPLIT AT CANCUN CHALLENGE
Iowa split its two games at the Cancun Challenge. The Hawkeyes beat Western Kentucky 63-55 in the semifinals, but fell to Wichita State 75-63 in the championship. Aaron White and Roy Devyn Marble were named to the all-tournament team. The Hawkeyes had three players score 21 points each in the two games (10.5 avg.): Eric May, Mike Gesell and Marble. White tied the Cancun Challenge record for most free throws made in the four tournament games with 28. White tied Ryan Thompson of Rider (2009). Iowa won preliminary round games against Howard and Gardner-Webb in Iowa City.

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. 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.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,670 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,604-1,066 (.601). That includes a 963-353 (.732) record in home games, a 551-723 (.433) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 711-728 (.494) mark in Big Ten games and a 369-117 (.759) 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.

IN NATIONAL STATISTICS…
Iowa ranks 32nd in the country in blocked shots (5.3); 37th in assists (16.1); and 38th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.282). Individually, Anthony Clemmons ranks 26th in assist/turnover ratio (3.1). South Carolina State ranks 40th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.369).

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will close out its nonconference portion of its schedule on Saturday when it hosts Coppin State. Tip-off is set for 12:06 p.m. on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.