Men's Hoops Hosts Notre Dame on Tuesday

Dec. 2, 2013

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Iowa Game Notes

THE SETTING
Iowa (7-1) returns home to play its fourth game in six nights when the Hawkeyes entertain Notre Dame (5-1) on Tuesday in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game is slated to tipoff at 8:15 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Fighting Irish are in their first season competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Approximately 200 tickets remain: $25 for adults and $15 for youth and UI students.

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: Tuesday night’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge contest will be televised nationally on ESPN2 (WatchESPN). Joe Tessitore and Sean Farnham will call the action.

BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE STORYLINES
? Fans are encouraged to wear black clothing on Tuesday for a “Blackout”.
? Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame for 11 seasons (1988-99). McCaffery worked on the staffs of Digger Phelps and John MacLeod.
? The Hawkeyes have won five of their first eight contests by margins of 30 points or more.
? Tuesday will be Notre Dame’s first road game of the year after starting the season with six consecutive home contests (5-1).
? Iowa is 2-10 in the Challenge games. The Hawkeyes did not take part in the event in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Iowa’s last win in the Challenge came vs. NC State (45-42), in Iowa City, in 2005.
? Junior Aaron White is 19 points from reaching 1,000 for his career.
? Roy Devyn Marble, is only the third Hawkeye to amass 1,200+ points, 300+ assists and 350+ rebounds (Dean Oliver and Jeff Horner).
? 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.
? Zach McCabe & Roy Devyn Marble were named to the Battle 4 Atlantis all-tournament team.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked No. 23 in Associated Press rankings and 24th in the USA Today/Coaches poll this week. Notre Dame is receiving votes in the coaches poll. 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 FINISH RUNNERS-UP AT BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS
Iowa won its first two games over Xavier (77-74 in overtime) and UTEP (89-53) before being edged by Villanova in the championship game (88-83 in overtime) at the Battle 4 Atlantis holiday tournament held at Paradise Island in the Bahamas. The Hawkeyes rallied from a 15-point deficit in their first contest against Xavier to win, but surrendered a 15-point first-half advantage to Villanova in the championship. Both contests went to overtime. Iowa cruised to a 36-point victory over UTEP in the semifinals. Seniors Roy Devyn Marble and Zach McCabe were honored on the all-tournament team. Marble led all scorers averaging 20.3 points, while also averaging 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the three games. His 61 points in the three contests tie the tournament record with Minnesota’s Andre Hollins (2012), while his 24 points against Villanova are the most by a player in the championship game in the three-year history of the tournament. McCabe averaged 13 points, shooting 50 percent from the field (14-of-28) and 3-point territory (8-of-16).

HAWKEYES RANK HIGH IN STATISTICS
Iowa leads the Big Ten in five statistical categories: scoring (89.0), scoring margin (+28.0), turnover margin (+5.8), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.218), and field goal percentage defense (.340). The Hawkeyes also rank second in the conference in total rebounds (46.1), blocks (6.6), and assists (18.5). Iowa ranks first in the country in field goal percentage defense (.340); second in scoring margin (+28.0); fourth in 3-pt field goal percentage defense (.218); seventh in free throw attempts (255); ninth in assists (18.5); ninth in turnover margin (+5.8); 11th in scoring offense (89.0); 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.66); and 21st in scoring defense (61.0). Individually, Mike Gesell ranks third in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (7.0); Roy Devyn Marble ranks 21st in steals (2.6); and Jarrod Uthoff ranks 30th in free throw percentage (.920).

BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS TIP-INS
? Iowa’s win over UTEP was the team’s seventh consecutive to start the season. The last time a Hawkeye team won seven straight to start a year was the 2000-01; that team won its first nine.
? Iowa’s 249 points and 19.0 assists average, in three games, are a Battle 4 Atlantis tournament records.
? After making 29 triples in its first five games combined, the Hawkeyes drained 26 in their three contests at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Iowa made a season-high 11 in the championship game against Villanova.
? Junior Gabriel Olaseni posted his first career double-double when he collected 10 points and a season-high 11 rebounds versus Xavier. Olaseni averaged eight rebounds and 5.3 points in the three tournament games off the bench.
? Iowa’s overtime win over Xavier marked its first overtime victory since March 7, 2009 (versus Penn State — double overtime). The Hawkeyes had lost five straight overtime games before last week’s win over Xavier.
? The Hawkeyes did not lead the entire regulation versus Xavier and took their first lead of the contest at the 4:06 mark of overtime.
? Iowa played overtime games two days apart (Xavier and Villanova) for the third time in program history. The Hawkeyes plated five extra minutes against Maryland (Dec. 25, 1984) and Cornell (Dec. 27, 1984), and Michigan (Jan. 9, 1992) and Illinois (Jan. 11, 1992).
? Jarrod Uthoff grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds against UTEP, reaching double-digit rebounds for the second time this season (11 vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore).
? Aaron White averaged 12 points and shot 15-of-17 (.882) from the foul line in the three games.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Notre Dame leads the all-time series, 8-5. The Fighting Irish won the first four meetings between 1923-27, while the Hawkeyes have won four of the last five between 1944-70. Notre Dame won the last meeting, 77-66, in South Bend, Ind., on Nov. 17, 1990, in the preseason NIT. Fran McCaffery was on Notre Dame’s staff for that game. Tuesday will be the first meeting between the two schools in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Notre Dame’s first visit to Iowa City since 1950.

OGLESBY OUT 6 WEEKS
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.

BENCH MOB
Iowa’s reserves played a large role in Iowa’s five victories. Iowa’s bench is averaging 42.0 points, 25.3 rebounds and five blocks through eight contests.

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Iowa is getting 11.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game from their center position of Adam Woodbury and Gabriel Olaseni.

SCOUTING NOTRE DAME
? Notre Dame has notched wins over Miami (Ohio), Stetson, Army, Cornell and Santa Clara, while it lost to Indiana State — all games at home.
? The Fighting Irish have four starters average double figures: Jerian Grant (19.5); Eric Atkins (14.0); Garrick Sherman (11.5); Pat Connaughton (11.3).
? Notre Dame’s backcourt combo of Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant have combined for 25 3-pointers, 26 steals, 64 assists, and only 13 turnovers. Grant has missed only three free throws this season (24-of-27).
? Jerian Grant netted a game-high 20 points, including his 1,000th point of his career, in a 101-67 win over Cornell on Sunday in South Bend, Ind. All five starters scored in double figures in the 34-point victory.
? Sophomore Eric Katenda, who is injured and will not play Tuesday, played with Gabriel Olaseni at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Katenda is a native of Paris, while Olaseni is a native of London.
? Notre Dame ranks second in the country in assists (21.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.07); third in fewest fouls per game (14.3); 21st in 3-point field goal percentage (.426) and scoring margin (+18.7); and 26th in fewest turnovers (10.2). Individually, Eric Atkins ranks fifth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (6.2).
? The Fighting Irish shoot the ball extremely well, making 50 percent of their field goal attempts (182-of-363), including 42.6 percent from 3-point range (52-of-122), and 77.5 percent from the foul line (86-of-111).
? Notre Dame is coached by Mike Brey, who is in his 13th season on the Fighting Irish sidelines. Brey has guided Notre Dame to 13 20-win seasons and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.

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 (3,384) 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 eighth.

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.

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.

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 6.5 points and 6.1 rebounds in only 18 minutes per game of action. Since the start of the year, Basabe has moved past Ryan Bowen for fourth place on Iowa’s career blocks list with 127. Basabe, who’s 619 career rebounds are the most among active Big Ten players, has 1,000 career points in his sights. Basabe enters Tuesday’s contest against Notre Dame with 940 points.

WHITE HOT
Junior Aaron White ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.4) and scoring (13.0). The junior is one of only four Big Ten players to average better than 13 points and 6.4 rebounds or more (Northwestern’s Drew Crawford: 14.3 ppg and 6.9 rpg; Michigan State’s Adreian Payne: 15.9 ppg and 7.7 rpg; Penn State’s D.J. Newbill: 19.5 ppg and 6.9 rpg). White averaged 12 points and shot 15-of-17 (.882) from the foul line in the three games at Battle 4 Atlantis. 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 third in the conference in field goal percentage (.630).

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 played in five countries in five months: Russia (July), England (August), France (August), United States (November), and Bahamas (November).

BLOCK PARTY
Junior Gabriel Olaseni has blocked at least three shots in 5-of-8 games. His 20 blocks rank fourth in the Big Ten (2.5 average). The center rejected five shots in the season opener against UNC Wilmington. As a team, Iowa ranks second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally in rejections per game (6.6).

IOWA FASTBREAKS
? Iowa has scored 82-plus points in all but one game this season (77 against Xavier).
? Since moving to point guard in game No. 3 (Nov. 14) , Mike Gesell has posted 24 assists and only two turnovers (12.0 ratio).
? Jarrod Uthoff is averaging 9.1 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench. The sophomore has reached double digits in three games.
? Iowa 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 has made (187) more free throws than its opponents have attempted (151).
? Iowa is 23-3 when scoring 80 points or more, the last four seasons. The Hawkeyes are 35-1 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 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).
? Half (4-of-8) of Iowa’s games have had margins of victory greater than 35 points. Iowa’s 62-point win over Abilene Christian equaled the fourth-largest in school history; Iowa’s 46-point triumph over UMES matched the 31st-largest, while its 43-point win over UNC Wilmington tied the 38th-largest in program history. Iowa beat UTEP by 36 points (89-53) at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
? 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 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.
? 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.

MARBLE EARNS WEEKLY PRAISE
Senior Roy Devyn Marble poured in 61 points to tie the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament record, earning Big Ten Player of the Week accolades by College Sports Madness. Marble averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in the three games. Marble is the only Big Ten player and one of only five players nationally to average better than 16.5 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals. The Hawkeye senior averages 16.8 points, 4.0 assists and 2.6 steals. Marble passed Kenyon Murray (1993-96) and Jeff Moe (1985-88) on Iowa’s career scoring chart. Marble enters Tuesday’s game against the Fighting Irish 17th with 1,268 points, 75 points shy of James Moses (1,343).

ATTENDANCE ON THE RISE
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 averages 14,614 fans this season.

STAT LEADERS RETURN
Iowa returns its leading scorer, rebounder, shot blocker, distributor and thief from a year ago. Roy Devyn Marble returns for his senior season after leading the Hawkeyes in scoring (15.0) and assists (3.0). Aaron White had a sensational sophomore campaign, leading the team in rebounding (6.2) and ranking second in scoring (12.8). Melsahn Basabe returns for his final year after leading the team in rejections (1.2), while a healthy Mike Gesell returns for his sophomore season after pacing the Black and Gold with 1.2 steals a year ago. White, who led the Hawkeyes in rebounding in each of his first two seasons, is looking to become the fifth player since 1960 to lead the Hawkeyes in rebounding three consecutive seasons. White would join Don Nelson (1960-62); Kevin Kunnert (1971-73); Bruce King (1975-77); and Greg Brunner (2004-06). Likewise, Basabe led the team in blocked shots in each of his first three seasons with the Hawkeyes. The senior will be looking to become the third Hawkeye since 1980 to lead the squad in rejections four straight seasons. Greg Stokes led the team in blocks 1982-86, while Acie Earl led the team from 1990-93.

HY-VEE BIG FOUR CLASSIC TICKETS ON SALE
The state of Iowa’s four NCAA Division I institutions will host the second annual Hy-Vee Big Four Classic, a men’s college basketball doubleheader at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Saturday, Dec. 7. 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.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,616 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,537-1,079 (.588). That includes a 979-345 (.739) record in home games, a 552-731 (.430) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 720-737 (.494) mark in Big Ten games and a 385-119 (.764) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

ADDITIONAL SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ON SALE
A limited number of tickets are available remaining 12 home games. That schedule includes nine Big Ten games, the 2013 Big Ten-ACC Challenge game against Notre Dame (Tuesday), and nonconference games against Fairleigh Dickinson (Dec. 9) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 22). There are no limits to the number of tickets that can be purchased per game with the following exceptions: A limit of four (4) tickets for Iowa’s games weekday games against Notre Dame and Michigan State, and all of Iowa’s games against Big Ten opponents played on either Saturday or Sunday.

HAWKEYEBASKETBALL.COM
Check out the Iowa basketball team’s 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 will travel to Des Moines on Saturday for the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic. The Hawkeyes will face Drake at 7:30 p.m. (CT) at Wells Fargo Arena. The game will be televised in the state of Iowa on Mediacom Connections (MC22).