Men's Hoops Travels to Compete in Battle 4 Atlantis

Nov. 25, 2013

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Iowa Game Notes

THE SETTING
Iowa (5-0) travels to the Bahamas this week to participate in the eight-team Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. The Hawkeyes will face Xavier (5-0) from the Big East Conference in the quarterfinals Thursday at 6 p.m. (CT). Iowa will face either Tennessee or UTEP on Friday and an opponent to be determined on Saturday. All games will take place in Imperial Arena, located at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. This will be the first time that the Iowa men’s basketball team will travel to the Bahamas.

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 night’s first-round Battle 4 Atlantis game will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network (HD). Terry Gannon, Stan Van Gundy, and Kenny Rice will call the action.

BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS STORYLINES
? The Hawkeyes have won four of their first five contests by margins of 30 points or more.
? Iowa has scored 80-plus points in each of its first five games for the fourth time in school history (also 1986-87, 1994-95 & 1997-98).
? Iowa leads the nation in field goal percentage defense (.312), and ranks second in scoring margin (+38.0) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.164).
? Roy Devyn Marble is two assists shy of becoming only the third Hawkeye to amass 1200+ points, 300+ assists and 350+ rebounds (Dean Oliver and Jeff Horner).
? Iowa is ranked No. 23 in both the USA Today/Coaches and Associated Press polls this week.
? Roy Devyn Marble’s 27 points against Abilene Christian vaulted the senior past seven former Hawkeyes in the all-time scoring chart. Marble went from 26th to 19th in one game.
? Sophomore Jarrod Uthoff is averaging 11.8 points (56.3 field goal percentage) and 6.8 rebounds off the bench. Uthoff poured in a game-high 19 points in Iowa’s win over Penn.
? Junior Gabriel Olaseni has blocked at least three shots in 3-of-5 games this season.
? Junior Aaron White, who will be playing in the fifth country in five months this week, is one of three Big Ten players to average better than 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked No. 23 in both the USA Today/Coaches and Associated Press rankings this week. Iowa was ranked in a couple preseason publications and other college basketball insiders: No. 17 in Lindy’s Sports; No. 23 by The Sporting News; No. 24 by Blue Ribbon.

HAWKEYES RANK HIGH IN STATISTICS
Iowa leads the Big Ten in seven statistical categories: scoring (92.6), scoring margin (+38.0), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.164), defensive rebounds (33.0), steals (9.4), turnover margin (+6.8), and field goal percentage defense (.312). The Hawkeyes also rank second in the conference in total rebounds (48.4), blocks (7.0), and assists (18.2). Iowa ranks first in the nation in field goal percentage defense (.312); second in scoring margin (+38.0) and 3-pt field goal percentage defense (.164); and fourth in fewest fouls (14.0). Individually, Mike Gesell ranks 10th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (5.3) and Roy Devyn Marble ranks 13th in steals (3.2).

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Thursday will be the third contest between Iowa and Xavier with each school winning one game in previous meetings. The Muskateers won the most recent matchup, 86-73, at the 2010 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Iowa holds a 2-1 advantage in games played against Tennessee and is tied 2-2 against UTEP. The Hawkeyes are 1-3 against Villanova, 5-2 versus USC, 7-3 against Kansas, and 0-4 versus Wake Forest.

HAWKEYES CRUISE PAST PENN
? Iowa’s bench scored 45 of its 86 points en route to an 86-55 triumph over Penn in Iowa City. The game was played in front of Iowa’s first sellout of the season (15,400).
? The Hawkeyes attempted 40 free throws (made 28), while the Quakers shot only 16 foul shots (made 10).
? Sophomore Jarrod Uthoff led all scorers with 19 points, while senior Roy Devyn Marble contributed 13 points and sophomore Mike Gesell had 10. Uthoff missed only one shot, making 6-of-7 from the field and sinking all six free throw attempts. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, ranks eighth in Big Ten field goal percentage (.563).
? Junior Gabriel Olaseni tallied eight points, blocked a game-high three shots and cleared six boards.
? The Hawkeyes forced a season-high 25 turnovers, while collecting 14 steals. The 14 thefts are the second-most during the Fran McCaffery era. Roy Devyn Marble had six of the 14 steals, a career high. The six steals are the most by a Hawkeye since Jarryd Cole had five at Michigan State on March 2, 2011.

WHITE HOT
Junior Aaron White leads the team in rebounding (7.6) and is second in scoring (13.6). The junior is one of only three Big Ten players to average better than 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds or more (Northwestern’s Drew Crawford: 16.6 ppg and 8.0 rpg and Michigan State’s Adreian Payne: 17.2 ppg and 8.0 rpg). Aaron White scored 42 combined points against Nebraska-Omaha (Nov. 10) and Maryland Eastern Shore (Nov. 14), netting 20 versus Omaha and 22 against Maryland Eastern Shore. It marked the second time in his career that the junior posted 20-plus points in back-to-back outings (also final two games of his rookie year). White ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage (.649).

INJURY UPDATES
Junior Josh Oglesby broke a bone in his right foot during practice on Nov. 6. The shooting guard had surgery on Nov. 8 and is expected to miss approximately six weeks. Oglesby (6-foot-5, 208 pounds) played in 37 contests, including two starts, a year ago. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, scored 126 of his 165 points from 3-point territory his sophomore campaign. Redshirt junior Darius Stokes, injured his foot in practice the weekend of Nov. 16. He missed Iowa’s game against Abilene Christian, but returned to action in the Hawkeyes’ last outing against Penn.

BENCH SQUAD
Iowa’s reserves played a large role in Iowa’s five victories. Iowa’s bench is averaging 46.6 points and 23.4 rebounds through five contests.

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Iowa is getting 12.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game from their center position of Adam Woodbury and Gabriel Olaseni.

BASABE MOVING ON UP
Senior Melsahn Basabe has had a solid start to the 2013-14 season. The native of Glen Cove, N.Y., is averaging 7.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in only 16.8 minutes of action. Since the start of the year, Basabe has moved past Ryan Bowen for fourth place on Iowa’s career blocks list with 125. Basabe, who’s 602 career rebounds are the most among active Big Ten players, has 1,000 career points in his sights. Basabe enters Thursday’s contest against Xavier with 924 points.

SCOUTING XAVIER
? Like Iowa, Xavier played its first five games at home, winning all five.
? Xavier beat Tennessee, 67-63, in the second game of the season at home. The Muskateers and Volunteers can potential meet again on Friday depending on the results of Thursday’s games at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
? The Muskateers won their last game Monday night over Abilene Christian, 93-65. Four players scored in double figures in the win: Semaj Christon (17), Myles Davis (15), James Farr (14), and Jalen Reynolds (11). Xavier shot 58 percent (33-of-57) and outrebounded the Wildcats by 24 (45-21) in the win.
? Semaj Christon leads Xavier in scoring (16.4) and assists (25), while Matt Stainbrook paces the squad in rebounding (9.2) and blocks (13), and ranks second in scoring (10.2).
? This marks Xavier’s first season in the Big East Conference.
? Xavier is coached by Chris Mack, who is in his fifth season on the Muskateer sidelines. Mack is a 1992 graduate of Xavier. The Muskateers missed the postseason last year after three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2012 and 2010.

LAST TIME VERSUS XAVIER…
Iowa fell 86-73 on Nov. 19, 2010, in the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Seniors Melsahn Basabe, Roy Devyn Marble and Zach McCabe are the only players on either roster to compete in that game. Basabe started and scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 2-2 from the foul line. McCabe netted seven points off the bench, while Marble was held scoreless in 11 minutes of action.

MARBLES RISING AMONG FATHER-SON SCORING COMBOS
Iowa’s Roy Marble (1986-89) and Roy Devyn Marble (2011-present) are rising among the leading father-son scoring duo in collegiate history. Currently, the Marble’s (3,310) rank third among father-son combos, playing at the same school ,behind the Burtt’s of Iona (4,568) and the Perry’s of Holy Cross (3,506). Overall, the Marble’s are ninth.

COACHING EXPERIENCE
Fran McCaffery has one of the most experienced coaching staffs in the country. The Iowa men’s basketball staff has 65 years of combined collegiate head coaching experience and more than 130 years of collegiate coaching under their belts.

WORLD TRAVELERS
Iowa traveled to France and the United Kingdom in August to compete in six exhibition games. The Hawkeyes posted a 5-1 record against professional teams, boasting a +22.0 scoring margin. Aaron White led the team, averaging 13.6 points, followed by Peter Jok (13.3), Melsahn Basabe (12.6) and Roy Devyn Marble (11.2). Prior to traveling with his teammates to Europe in August, White also competed for Team USA at the World University Games in Russia in July. The Hawkeye junior will play in five countries in five months: Russia (July), England (August), France (August), United States (November), and Bahamas (November).

HOME COOKIN’
The Hawkeyes posted a school-record 18 home wins last season (18-2), the most since posting 17 home victories in 2006. Iowa’s two losses came by less than four points to nationally-ranked teams (Michigan State and Indiana). Iowa was 11-0 against nonconference opponents a year ago at home. Iowa has won 23-straight home games against unranked opponents, dating back to the Dayton game on March 13, 2012 — the third-longest active streak in the Big Ten. Iowa has also won 20 straight at home against nonconference opponents, dating back to 2011.

BLOCK PARTY
Junior Gabriel Olaseni has blocked at least one shot in all five games. His 13 blocks through five games rank fourth in the Big Ten (2.6 average). The center rejected five shots in the season opener against UNC Wilmington.

IOWA FASTBREAKS
? Iowa has made (132) nearly twice as many free throws as its opponents have attempted (72).
? Iowa is 22-2 when scoring 80 points or more, the last four seasons. The Hawkeyes are 34-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last four seasons.
? The Hawkeyes erupted for 100-plus points for consecutive contests (Maryland-Eastern Shore and Abilene Christian) for the first time since the beginning of the 1997-98 campaign where Iowa topped the century mark three straight games (105 vs Chicago State; 112 vs. North Texas; 101 vs. Long Island).
? Iowa’s attendance has increased each season since Fran McCaffery’s arrival in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes averaged 11,635 in 16 games in 2011; 11,908 fans in 19 contests in 2012; and 13,625 in 20 games last season. Iowa’s attendance boost from 2012 to 2013 ranked as the eighth-largest in the country.
? Iowa made 22-of-56 (39 percent) from 3-point range the last three games.
? Iowa’s average starting lineup height is 6-foot-6. The Hawkeye lineup consists of two sophomores, one junior, and two seniors.
? Aaron White is the first Hawkeye since Jared Reiner (2002-03) to score at least 20 points and grab 15 or more rebounds in a game. White had 20 points and 15 rebounds in Iowa’s win over Nebraska-Omaha.
? In Iowa’s season opener, Jarrod Uthoff (14 points, seven rebounds, four blocks) became only the second Big Ten player since the 1996-97 season to register 14-plus points, seven-plus rebounds and four-plus blocks in his first career game (Ohio State’s Greg Oden, 2006-07).
? Three of Iowa’s four games have had margins of victory of 43 points or more. Iowa’s 62-point win over Abilene Christian equaled the fourth-largest in school history; Iowa’s 46-point triumph over Maryland Eastern Shore matched the 31st-largest, while its 43-point win over UNC Wilmington tied the 38th-largest in program history.
? Iowa pulled down 57 rebounds against Maryland Eastern Shore, which are the most by a Hawkeye team under Fran McCaffery. Iowa also had 56 boards against UNC Wilmington (Nov. 8). The Hawkeyes have out-rebounded all five of their opponents.
? Iowa’s five turnovers against Abilene Christian are its fewest in a game since five against Boise State on Dec. 22, 2011.
? The Hawkeyes blocked 12 shots versus UNC Wilmington, one shy of the school record of 13 set last season against Illinois. Junior Gabriel Olaseni rejected five shots, all in the first half.
? Iowa’s 36-point halftime advantage over vs. UNC Wilmington is its largest under Fran McCaffery.
? Iowa’s season opener against UNC Wilmington was the 500th all-time men’s basketball game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Fran McCaffery has guided Iowa to win improvements in each of his first three seasons, going from 11 wins, to 18, to 25 last year. McCaffery’s highest win total as a head coach is when he coached Siena to back-to-back 27-win seasons in 2009 and 2010.
? Roy Devyn Marble and Aaron White have each increased their scoring output each season in an Iowa uniform. Marble averaged 5.7 points as a freshman, to 11.5 his sophomore campaign and 15.0 points last season as a junior. White averaged 11.1 points as a rookie and 12.8 points last year as a sophomore.
? Roy Devyn Marble averaged 20.6 points, 2.4 steals, 4.6 assists and four rebounds in five NIT games last season.
? Darius Stokes earned a scholarship after being a walk-on the last three years. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native is a redshirt junior.
? Okey Ukah has been added to the roster as a walk-on. The Iowa City native is a junior.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will have a short turnaround as it will host Notre Dame in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Tuesday, Dec. 3; that will be Iowa’s fourth game in six days.