Men's Hoops to Face Drake at Big Four Classic

Dec. 5, 2013

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Iowa Game Notes

THE SETTING
Iowa (8-1) will travel to Des Moines to compete in the second annual Hy-Vee Big Four Classic. The Hawkeyes will compete against Drake (6-1). Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m. (CT) at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa-Drake will follow the Northern Iowa-Iowa State contest, which tips off at 5 p.m. (CT).

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: Saturday night’s Big Four Classic game will be televised locally in the state of Iowa on Mediacom Connections (MC22). Larry Morgan and Mac McCausland will call the action. Fans can also access the game online or their BTN2GO mobile app.

BIG FOUR CLASSIC STORYLINES
? Iowa and Drake resume their series Saturday when the Hawkeyes and Bulldogs play the nightcap of the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic. Tipoff is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena.
? Tickets, priced at $25, $50 and $70, can be purchased at the Wells Fargo Arena Ticket Office.
? The Hawkeyes have won 30 of the last 33 meetings against Drake, including the last three.
? Iowa has scored 82 points or more in 8-of-9 games this season.
? Junior Aaron White netted 20 points in Tuesday’s win over Notre Dame; his 19th point came with one second remaining in the game at the free throw line and was his 1,000th of his career.
? Iowa ranks first or second in the Big Ten in 10 statistical categories.
? Gabriel Olaseni and Jarrod Uthoff combine to average 16.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocks off the bench for the Hawkeyes.
? Roy Devyn Marble is only the third Hawkeye to amass 1,200+ points, 300+ assists and 350+ rebounds (Dean Oliver and Jeff Horner).
? Senior Melsahn Basabe is 54 points from reaching 1,000 for his career.
? Tuesday against Notre Dame, Aaron White posted Iowa’s first 20-point, 7-assist, 7-rebound game since Jake Kelly in 2008-09.

IOWA BEATS NOTRE DAME IN SHOOTOUT
? Iowa won its third Big Ten/ACC Challenge game Tuesday with a 98-93 win over Notre Dame.
? Iowa’s 98 points are the fifth-most scored in the Fran McCaffery era. The Hawkeyes shot a season-best 57 percent (33-of-58) from the field and 86 percent (25-of-29) from the free throw line.
? Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures, marking the sixth time in nine games that four or more players reached double figures. Aaron White scored a team-high 20 points, followed by Jarrod Uthoff (17), Roy Devyn Marble (17), Mike Gesell (10) and Zach McCabe (10). Marble scored 13 consecutive points in a three-minute span in the second half.
? Marble and McCabe have scored in double figures in each of the last four contests and a team-best seven times this year.
? Aaron White became the 41st Hawkeye to surpass 1,000 career points with his 19th point scored with one second remaining at the free throw line. White also led the team in rebounds (7) and assists (7). The seven dimes were a career high.
? Jarrod Uthoff scored eight of his 17 points at the foul line. Uthoff averages 10 points per game.
? The Hawkeyes outrebounded the Fighting Irish by 10 (36-26).
? Iowa was credited with 20 assists, marking the fourth time this season the Hawkeyes collected 20 assists or more.

HAWKEYE HOOPS HUDDLE
There will be a Hawkeye Hoops Huddle prior to Saturday’s game against Drake in Des Moines. The Huddle will be held from 3-6 p.m. at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, Level 3 — Room 305. The Convention Center is located across the street from the Wells Fargo Arena. Admission to the Huddle is free and it includes cash refreshments and concessions, door prizes, Hawkeye DJ, Iowa cheerleaders, Herky and the pep band. Visit jointheiclub.com for more information.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Iowa holds a 56-10 advantage in the Drake series that began with a 36-13 Iowa victory in 1909. Iowa has won 30 of the last 33 meetings, including the last three. Saturday will be the first meeting between the two schools at a neutral site.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked No. 23 in Associated Press rankings and 24th in the USA Today/Coaches poll 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.

UTHOFF, OLASENI LEADING HAWKEYES OFF BENCH
Junior Gabriel Olaseni and sophomore Jarrod Uthoff are averaging a combined 16.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game coming off the bench for the Hawkeyes. Uthoff ranks third on the team in scoring (10.0) and tied for first in rebounding (6.4), while Olaseni ranks first on the squad in rejections (2.3) and third in rebounding (5.7).

SHARP-SHOOTING
Iowa shot 33 percent (35-of-105) from 3-point range its first six games, but has increased its accuracy as of late. The Hawkeyes are shooting at a 51 percent clip (27-of-53) the last three games from beyond the arc, boosted by Zach McCabe’s sharpshooting. The Hawkeye senior made eight of his last 13 attempts from distance during the stretch (61.5 percent).

HAWKEYES RANK HIGH IN STATISTICS
Iowa leads the Big Ten in scoring (90.0) and scoring margin (+25.4). The Hawkeyes also rank second in the conference in total rebounds (45.0), blocks (6.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7), turnover margin (+4.6), field goal percentage defense (.360), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.392), 3-point field goal percentage (.392), and assists (18.7). Iowa ranks sixth in the country in scoring (90.0), field goal percentage defense (.360) and field goal percentage defense (.360); second in scoring margin (+25.4); fifth in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.238) and assists (18.7); 12th in free throw attempts (31.6); ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7); and 20th in blocks (6.4). Individually, Mike Gesell ranks 27th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.0), while Roy Devyn Marble ranks 38th in steals (2.4).

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).

BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS TIP-INS
? Iowa’s win over UTEP was the team’s seventh consecutive to start the season. The last time an Iowa team won seven straight to start a year was 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.
? 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.
? 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.

SCOUTING DRAKE
? Drake completed a three-game sweep in California last week, notching victories over Fresno State (84-74), Northern Arizona (76-56) and CSU Bakersfield (65-57). The Bulldogs’ last contest was played on Dec. 1; Drake will have had five days off between games.
? Drake has two players average in double figures: Richard Carter (20.6) and Gary Ricks (12.7). Carter also leads the squad in steals (2.7) and rebounds (4.9). Ricks ranks 12th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.5), while Carter ranks 17th in steals (2.7).
? The Bulldogs are shooting 50 percent (192-of-383) from the field, including 40 percent from 3-point range (54-of-134).
? Drake and Iowa have played one common opponent: Nebraska-Omaha. Both the Hawkeyes (83-75) and Bulldogs (88-80) beat the Mavericks by eight points on their respective home floors.
? Drake has played five of its first seven games away from home. The Bulldogs are 2-0 on neutral courts and 2-1 in true road contests.
? Drake is coached by Ray Giacoletti, who is in his first season on the Bulldog sidelines. Before coming to Drake, Giacoletti served as an assistant coach at Gonzaga for six seasons (2007-13). Giacoletti came to Gonzaga after 10 total years of head coaching experience. Giacoletti was head coach at North Dakota State (1998-2000), Eastern Washington (2000-04), and the University of Utah (2004-07).
? Giacoletti brought his Eastern Washington team to Iowa City for the 2003 Hawkeye Challenge. The Hawkeyes beat the Eagles, 70-54, in the first round.

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 (3,401) 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.

BENCH MOB
Iowa’s reserves played a large role in Iowa’s eight victories. Iowa’s bench is averaging 41.7 points, 24.3 rebounds and 4.7 blocks through nine contests.

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Iowa is getting 11.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game from their center position of Adam Woodbury and Gabriel Olaseni.

BLOCK PARTY
Junior Gabriel Olaseni has blocked at least three shots in 5-of-9 games. His 21 blocks rank fourth in the Big Ten (2.3 average). The center rejected five shots in the season opener against UNC Wilmington. As a team, Iowa ranks second in the Big Ten and 20th nationally in rejections per game (6.4).

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 24-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 21 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 6.4 points and 5.6 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 128. 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. Basabe, who’s 620 career rebounds are the most among active Big Ten players, has 1,000 career points in his sights. Basabe enters Saturday’s contest against Drake with 946 points.

WHITE HOT
Junior Aaron White ranks first on the team in rebounding (6.4) and second in scoring (13.8). 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). The junior is one of only four Big Ten players to average better than 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds or more (Northwestern’s Drew Crawford: 14.6 ppg and 7.1 rpg; Michigan State’s Adreian Payne: 15.9 ppg and 7.8 rpg; Penn State’s D.J. Newbill: 19.3 ppg and 6.7 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 second in the conference in field goal percentage (.651).

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.

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).

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 16.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 steals. Marble passed Kenyon Murray (1993-96) and Jeff Moe (1985-88) on Iowa’s career scoring chart. Marble enters Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs 17th with 1,285 points, 58 points shy of James Moses (1,343).

IOWA FASTBREAKS
? Zach McCabe and Roy Devyn Marble were named to the Battle 4 Atlantis all-tournament team.
? 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 26 assists and only four turnovers (6.5 ratio).
? Jarrod Uthoff is averaging 10 points and 6.4 rebounds off the bench. The sophomore has reached double digits in four 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).
? The Hawkeyes have out-rebounded seven of their nine opponents.
? Iowa has made (212) more free throws than its opponents have attempted (170).
? 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.
? Iowa is 24-3 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).
? 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 year vs. 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.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,617 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,538-1,079 (.588). That includes a 980-345 (.740) 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 386-119 (.764) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

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.

ADDITIONAL SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ON SALE
A limited number of tickets are available remaining 11 home games. That schedule includes nine Big Ten games, 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 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 have another short turnaround as it prepares for Fairleigh Dickinson. The Hawkeyes and Knights will meet on Monday, Dec. 9. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.