Men's Hoops Hosts Illinois on Tuesday

March 4, 2013

• Read the March issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
• Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPad/iPhone app!
• Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
• Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
• 24 Hawkeyes to Watch

Iowa Game Notes

THE SETTING
Iowa (18-11, 7-9) returns home to host the final two regular season games, its first and only time during the Big Ten schedule where it will be playing back-to-back home contests. The Hawkeyes will host Illinois (21-9, 8-8) on Tuesday at 6:06 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Tickets are $22 for adults, and $10 for youth and UI students. Free trading cards will be distributed to the first 1,000 fans in attendance.

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: Tuesday night’s game will be televised on BTN (BTN2GO). Dave Revsine and Jim Jackson will call the action.

GAME #30 STORYLINES
? Roy Devyn Marble has averaged 19 points the last six games, which is the fourth-best scoring average in the Big Ten since Feb. 9. Marble is 23 points from becoming the 41st Hawkeye to score 1,000 career points and become the first Big Ten father/son duo to amass 1,000+ points.
? Tuesday will be the only regular season meeting between Iowa and Illinois. The two teams are fighting for Big Ten positioning, along with Minnesota and Purdue, for spots 6-9 in the standings.
? Illinois ranks 31st in the country in 3-pointers made (7.9), while Iowa ranks sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.285).
? Six of Iowa’s eight Big Ten losses have come by margins of four points or less, including three by three points or less. Two of those three defeats came in overtime (one in double overtime).
? Iowa is the first team since Penn State in 1998-99 to play six Big Ten games decided by six points or less.
? Aaron White is one of only three Big Ten players to average 13.5 points and 6.2 or more rebounds. The other two are Cody Zeller of Indiana and Deshaun Thomas of Ohio State.
? The Hawkeyes are 9-1 this season when Aaron White scores 16 points or more.
? The last three seasons, Iowa is 16-2 when scoring 80 points or more and 25-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points.

HAWKEYES FALL AT TOP-RANKED INDIANA
? No. 1 Indiana beat Iowa, 73-60, last Saturday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
? Junior Roy Devyn Marble scored a team-high 20 points, reaching the 20-point plateau for the sixth time this season and eighth time in his career. Marble has now scored in double figures 50 times in his career.
? Senior Eric May scored 12 points and tied a season-high with seven boards. He has scored in double figures three times in the past four games.
? Sophomore Aaron White had 14 points, scoring in double figures for the fourth straight game. White also had seven rebounds and matched a season best with four steals.
? Iowa held an advantage in the glass, out-rebounding Indiana, 38-37.
? The Hawkeyes were whistled for a season-high 27 fouls, which sent the Hoosiers to the line a season-high 42 times for an Iowa opponent. Iowa was 17-of-24 (71 percent) from the charity stripe.
? Freshman Mike Gesell missed his second consecutive contest with an injury to his right foot. The point guard, who started the first 27 games of the season, is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season. Iowa is hopeful he will return for the Big Ten Tournament, March 13-17.
? Both teams struggled from 3-point territory. Iowa shot 1-of-13 (.077), while Indiana, the Big Ten’s top 3-point shooting team, was held to 2-of-14 (.143).

ALL-TIME SERIES
Illinois holds an 81-67 advantage in the series that began with a 46-36 Iowa win in 1908. The Illini have won nine of the last 11 against the Hawkeyes. The two teams split last year’s two meetings. Illinois won in Champaign (65-54), while Iowa was victorious in Indianapolis in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament (64-61). Iowa holds a 52-20 advantage in games played in Iowa City, including a 17-10 margin in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Illinois has won in Iowa City in its last three visits. Tuesday will be the Illini’s first visit to Carver-Hawkeye Arena since an 87-77 win on Dec. 29, 2010.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS
? Illinois started its season 13-0, followed by a 3-8 mark the next 11 games, and have since gone 6-1 in its last seven contests.
? Illinois is 5-4 in true road games and 9-5 in games away from Champaign. The Fighting Illini finish their season with two-straight road games, at Iowa (Tuesday) and Ohio State (Sunday).
? Illinois ranks 31st in the country in 3-pointers made (7.9) and 43rd in fewest turnovers (11.6). The Illini (238) have made 86 more 3-pointers than Iowa (152) this season.
? The Illini rank first in the Big Ten in 3-pointers (7.9) and turnover margin (+2.7); third in free throw percentage (718); and fifth in steals (7.8). Brandon Paul ranks fourth in the league in scoring (16.1), while D.J, Richardson ranks second in free throw percentage (.825) and third in 3-pointers (2.4).
? Illinois has drained seven or 3-pointers in 10 of its 16 Big Ten games. Illinois is 1-5 in Big Ten games in which it makes six or fewer 3-pointers.
? The Illini have three players average in double figures: Brandon Paul (16.1), D.J. Richardson (12.8), and Tracy Abrams (10.8).
? Illinois won its last game over Nebraska on “Senior Day” last Saturday, 72-65. Five Illini netted double figures, led by Tracy Abrams (16) and Brandon Paul (14). Illinois outrebounded Nebraska by nine (35-26) and outscored the Huskers 15-6 at the foul line.
? D.J. Richardson averaged 11.5 points and three rebounds in two games against Iowa last season. Brandon Paul averaged 10.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, while Tracy Abrams averaged three points in two boards against the Hawkeyes a year ago.
? John Groce is in his first season as a Illinois’ head coach. Groce is one of two new head coaches in the league this year (Tim Miles, Nebraska).
? Illinois has played and won one overtime contest this season, at Hawai’i (78-77) on Nov. 16.
? Illinois’ roster is comprised of 14 student-athletes. The roster consists of four seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and two freshmen (one redshirt). Ten players hail from Illinois, and one each from Alabama, Florida, Missouri and Mali.
? Iowa and Illinois are two of the five Big Ten teams that have won more than one Big Ten Conference Tournament. Iowa claimed the title in 2001 and 2006, and lost in the title game in 2002. Illinois earned the title in 2003 and 2005. The Fighting Illini were also the title game in 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2008.

MARBLE IN THE ZONE
After scoring only one basket in two three-point losses at Minnesota and Wisconsin, including one in double overtime, Roy Devyn Marble has regained his form. Iowa has won four of its last six games and during that streak, Marble led or shared the team lead in scoring in each of the six games averaging 19 points. During the stretch, Marble is shooting 49 percent (37-of-76) from the field and 88.6 percent (31-of-35) from the free throw line. The 19-point average the last six outings, ranks as the fourth-best Big Ten scoring average since Feb. 9. Marble is 23 points from becoming the 41st player in Hawkeye history to score 1,000 points and 29th Hawkeye to accomplish the feat in three years or less. Marble’s father, Roy, is Iowa’s all-time leading scorer with 2,116 points. The Marbles are believed to become the first father-son duo to join the 1,000-point club in Big Ten history.

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
? Fran McCaffery is two victories from notching career victory No. 300.
? Iowa concludes the regular season playing 3-of-4 at home, including two-straight this week. Iowa and Ohio State are the only Big Ten teams finishing with 3-of-4 at home.
? Iowa has won 19 of its last 22 home games, including 14-of-16 this season, dating back to Feb. 1, 2012. The Hawkeyes’ two losses this season have come to nationally ranked teams (Indiana and Michigan State).
? The Hawkeyes have won each of their last 27 games when holding opponents to 61 or fewer points, the longest active streak in the Big Ten.
? Iowa is 13-2 when scoring 70 points or more; 15-1 when having a higher field goal percentage than its opponents; 15-3 when recording more rebounds than its opponents.
? Iowa ranks sixth in the country in free throws made (17.7) and 10th in attempts (24.6).
? Hawkeye reserves are averaging 24.3 points per game. The Hawkeyes have played 10 players or more in all but one game this season (played nine vs. Iowa State on Dec. 7).
? Roy Devyn Marble averages 15.6 points in Hawkeye wins this year and 11.7 in losses.
? Roy Devyn Marble (397) and Aaron White (396) are separated by only one point after 29 games played. Marble has played one less game that White; Marble did not play in the Michigan State game on Jan. 10 due to injury.
? Iowa shoots 31 percent (97-of-311) from 3-point territory in its victories, but 28 percent (55-of-199) from long distance in losses this season.
? For the second time in the last two decades, the men’s basketball team has nine players logging 16 minutes or more per game, and 10 players averaging 9.6 minutes or more. Iowa’s 1998-99 team, that advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament, had 10 players average 17 minutes or more.
? Co-captain Eric May has posted his best offensive rebound average, assist rate, turnover rate, and free throw percentage of his career this season. May has led or shared the team lead in rebounding in two of the last four contests.
? Seven of the 12 Big Ten teams enter this week’s with eight or more losses in league play. The Big Ten is the No. 1 rated conference by the RPI.
? Last season, Iowa had eight different players post double digits in one game or more. This year, 11 different players have scored double figures for the Hawkeyes.
? Iowa has made (514) nearly more free throws than its foes have attempted (521).

CLOSE CALLS
Iowa has lost six Big Ten games by four points or less for the first time since 1984. Four of the six defeats (MSU, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) have come with the Hawkeyes having a late with under two minutes left. Iowa is the first team since Penn State in 1998-99 to play six Big Ten games decided by six points or less. In total, Iowa has played a Big Ten-leading eight games decided by four points or less (2-6).

BASABE… SPICY!
Melsahn Basabe’s play has been so good the last month that he was moved to the starting lineup in Iowa’s vs. Penn State (Jan. 31). The junior has averaged 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in his last 13 games. Basabe posted his first double-double of the season in Iowa’s win over Penn State (10 points and 10 rebounds) on Jan. 31. Overall, Basabe ranks fourth in team scoring (7.0), first in blocks (1.2) and third in rebounding (4.5). He grabbed career rebound No. 500 in Iowa’s win over Purdue on Feb. 27.

DISHING THE ROCK
The Hawkeyes have assisted on 63.2 percent of their field goal makes (439 assists on 695 field goals), a rate that is 18th-best in the country.

ON THE RISE…
Iowa’s win over Purdue on Wednesday gives the Hawkeyes their 18th win of the season. The 18 victories matches last season’s total (18-17). The last time Iowa had 18 or more wins in back-to-back seasons was 2005-06.

WHITE HOT!
Aaron White has averaged 14 points and 6.2 rebounds the last 10 games. The sophomore is averaging almost a double-double the last three games played (15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds). White scored a career-high 27 points against Penn State (Jan. 31), moving to the small forward position. The sophomore is one of just three Big Ten players to average better than 13.5 points and six rebounds this season, with the other two being Cody Zeller of Indiana and Ohio State’s Deshaun Thomas. White has scored 39 percent (155/396) of his points from the free throw line, which ranks second best in the country. White leads the team in rebounding and is seeking to become the first Hawkeye to lead the team in rebounding both his freshman and sophomore seasons since Michael Payne in 1981-82 (7.4 rpg) and 1982-83 (7.5 rpg). White led Iowa last season (5.7 rpg) and ranks first this year (6.2 rpg). Iowa is 9-1 this season when White scores 16 points or more.

FANS FLOCKING TO CHA
Iowa has had an attendance figure of 10,500 fans or greater in all 16 home contests, including sellouts of 15,400 against Indiana on Dec. 31, Wisconsin on Jan. 19, and Minnesota on Feb. 17. Iowa averages 13,233 fans this season, which is its best average attendance figure since the 2002-03 season (13,235). Iowa has two remaining home contests to boast its average.

DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT
Last year, Iowa allowed opponents 72.5 points per contest. Through 29 games in 2012-13, Iowa is yielding 63.5 points. Also, Iowa is holding its opponents to a much lower field goal percentage this season, compared to a year ago. Hawkeye opponents are shooting at a 39 percent clip this season, compared to 46 percent last season. The 39 field goal percentage defense is the best the Hawkeyes have held their opponents since the 2006 season (38 percent, 732-of-1924).

DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT, PART 2
Iowa has improved its 3-point field goal percentage defense by six percent this season compared to last. That improvement is tops in the Big Ten.

IN NATIONAL STATISTICS…
Iowa ranks sixth in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.285); 36th in assists (15.1); and 37th in field goal percentage defense (.391).

FREEBIES
Iowa has attempted 25 or more free throws eight times during Big Ten play and 16 times total this season. The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the country in free throws made (17.7) and 10th in attempts (24.6). Aaron White, who ranks 14th in the country and first in the Big Ten in free throw attempts (7.31), has attempted double-digit foul shots in seven games this season, including two of the last three games. White is 155-of-212 (.731) from the foul line, which is the most makes and attempts by a Hawkeye sophomore in school history. The 212 attempts rank overall as the 11th-most by a Hawkeye in a single-season.

HAWKEYES ARE TOUGH AT HOME
Iowa has won 98 of its 137 games (.715) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,400) over the last eight seasons, including win streaks of 21 straight overall and 12 straight Big Ten Conference wins. Iowa is 14-2 at home this season, marking the most home victories in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since 2007 (14-2). Iowa has won 10 of its last 20 home games against ranked opponents. Iowa was a perfect 17-0 at home in 2006, 14-2 in 2007, 10-8 in 2008, 13-4 in 2009, 9-9 in 2010, 8-8 in 2011 and 13-6 in 2012.

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.

“HAWK TALK WITH Fran McCaffery”
University of Iowa basketball fans may join Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery and radio announcer Gary Dolphin for the “Hawk Talk with Fran McCaffery” radio call-in show. The next show will take place Monday (March 4) at Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe in Iowa City from 7-8:30 p.m. Fans can call in and ask the coach a question by calling 1-877-464-2957.

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.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa concludes the regular season with its second consecutive home game, hosting Nebraska on Saturday (1:21 p.m, BTN). Hawkeye seniors Eric May and Christopher Rickert will be honored before the game.