Men's Hoops Opens NCAA Tournament Play vs. Tennessee

March 17, 2014

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Iowa NCAA Tournament Media Packet

THE SETTING
Iowa (20-12, 9-9) will meet Tennessee (21-12, 11-7) in an NCAA Tournament first round game. Game time is Wednesday, March 19 at approximately 8 p.m. (CT), or 30 minutes following the Cal Poly vs. Texas Southern contest at the University of Dayton Arena (13,435) in Dayton, Ohio. The University of Dayton is serving as the site host. Iowa and Tennessee are seeded 11th in the Midwest Region. The winner of the Iowa vs. Tennessee contest will meet sixth-seeded Massachusetts Friday, March 21, at approximately 1:45 p.m. (CT). The Hawkeyes finished sixth in the Big Ten standings, while Tennessee placed fourth in the Southeastern Conference. Fans interested in purchasing tickets to Iowa’s game in Dayton can visit: http://www.ncaa.com/final-four/tickets-hospitality

ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games in the NCAA Tournament 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.
TV: Wednesday night’s game will be televised nationally on TruTV. Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore, Reggie Miller and Rachel Nichols will call the action.

NCAA TOURNAMENT STORYLINES
? Iowa has one Ohio native on its roster, junior Aaron White (Strongsville, Ohio).
? Iowa is considered the road team on Wednesday and will be wearing its black uniforms.
? Wednesday will be the fourth meeting between Iowa and Tennessee. The Hawkeyes won two of the previous three meetings. All three previous meetings took place on neutral courts.
? Iowa has won 20 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2004-05/2005-06.
? Fran McCaffery becomes one of 12 coaches to guide four different teams to the NCAA Tournament.
? Three teams that competed at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas this past November will be competing in Dayton in first round games (Iowa, Xavier and Tennessee).
? Roy Devyn Marble (first) and Aaron White (third) were all-conference honorees this season. Marble is Iowa’s first all-conference first team honoree since Adam Haluska in 2007.
? Roy Devyn Marble is believed to be only the second Big Ten player (Gary Grant of Michigan) since 1985-86 with 1,650+ points, 375+ assists, 450+ rebounds, and 175+ steals.
? Aaron White is the only player in the country to shoot better than 55 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.
? Junior Gabriel Olaseni is one of only four players in the country (minimum 160 rebounds) with more offensive rebounds (82) than defensive (81).

HAWKEYES FALL AT BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
? Iowa and Northwestern went into halftime tied, 31-31, but the Wildcats shot 55 percent from the floor compared to 26 percent for Iowa the final 20 minutes en route to a 67-62 win over the Hawkeyes in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
? Roy Devyn Marble (25) and Jarrod Uthoff (17) combined for 42 of Iowa’s 62 points. Marble also dished out four assists and had two steals, while Uthoff snagged a team-high nine rebounds and missed only one shot (5-of-6 FG, 3-3 3-pt FG, 4-4 FT).
? Iowa shot a season-best 89 percent from the free throw line, missing only two attempts (16-of-18).
? Iowa’s bench contributed nearly half (30) of the Hawkeyes’ offensive production (62).
? The Hawkeyes outscored Northwestern 11-2 in fast break points.
? Iowa outrebounded Northwestern by 14 in the second half after being outrebounded by six in the first half.
? The game featured five ties and seven lead changes.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Iowa and Tennessee have met three previous times, with Iowa holding a 2-1 advantage. All three games were played on neutral courts. The teams last met on Dec. 29, 2000, in the Rainbow Classic, with Tennessee winning, 80-68, in the tournament semifinals. Iowa beat the Volunteers 64-59 in 1967 in Los Angeles and 92-86 in 1977 in Las Vegas. Iowa and Tennessee participated in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas earlier this season, but did not meet.

SCOUTING TENNESSEE
? Tennessee finished alone in fourth place in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with an 11-7 record in 2013-14. The Volunteers advanced to the SEC Tournament semifinals before being defeated by top-seeded Florida, 56-49. The Gators are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
? The Volunteers have won five of their last six games heading into the First Four matchup against Iowa in Dayton. Tennessee is 0-5 against ranked competition this season, having played four games against teams that earned No. 1 seeds (Florida, Wichita State, and Virginia).
? Senior guard Jordan McRae is the SEC’s second-leading active scorer and his 1,443 points rank 17th in Tennessee history. McRae paces the Volunteers with an 18.6 scoring average, which ranks fourth in the conference. McRae has made 75 3-point field goals, a figure that ranks eighth in the SEC.
? Junior forward Jarnell Stokes averages a double-double at 14.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Stokes has posted 19 double-doubles this season, ranking third in the country. Stokes is one of two players in the SEC to average a double-double, while his rebounding total is 10th in the nation. Redshirt senior Jeronne Maymon averages 10.1 points and 8.2 rebounds, which are the third-most rebounds in the SEC.
? Tennessee is +8.5 on the glass this season, out-rebounding its opposition, 38.8-30.3, ranking third in the country. The Volunteers average 13.7 offensive boards, which ranks 21st in the country.
? The Volunteers yield 61.1 points per game, a scoring defense that ranks second in the SEC.
? Tennessee is led by third-year head coach Cuonzo Martin. Martin has ties to the Big Ten having lettered at Purdue from 1992-95 before earning his degree in 2000. Martin won two Big Ten Championships as a Boilermaker, finishing his career with 1,666 points and finished as the program’s all-time leading 3-point shooter.
? Fran McCaffery coached against Tennessee in 2008 when he was the coach at Siena. McCaffery’s Siena Saints lost, 78-64, to Tennessee in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Florida.

COMMON FOES
Iowa and Tennessee played two common opponents this year. Iowa defeated Xavier (77-74 in overtime) and UTEP (89-53) in the Bahamas. Tennessee lost to UTEP (78-70) and split two meetings with Xavier. The Volunteers lost to the Muskateers (67-63) in the season opener in Cincinnati, but beat Xavier (64-49) in the Bahamas at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

MARBLE, WHITE EARN POSTSEASON RECOGNITION
Roy Devyn Marble was named to the All-Big Ten first team by the coaches and media voting panel, while Aaron White was recognized on the third team. Marble becomes the first Hawkeye since Adam Haluska in 2007 to be named to the first team. Marble was also honored on the NABC first-team All-District team and the USBWA All-District squad.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK — 6
Six Big Ten teams qualified for the 2014 NCAA Tournament: Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Ohio State. The Wolverines (Midwest Region) and Badgers (West Region) are two seeds, the Spartans are seeded fourth in the East Region, the Buckeyes are a No. 6 seed in the South Region, while the Cornhuskers earned a No. 11 seed in the West Region.

AGAINST THE TOURNAMENT FIELD
Iowa posted a 4-8 record in 12 games against eight teams that are in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Among the NCAA teams, Iowa was 1-0 against Nebraska and Xavier, 1-1 vs. Michigan and Ohio State, 0-1 vs. Iowa State and Villanova and 0-2 vs. Michigan State and Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes played just two teams that are participating in the NIT, splitting two games with both Illinois and Minnesota.

IOWA VS. THE MIDWEST BRACKET
Iowa has previously played 15 of the other 18 teams in the Midwest Bracket, but has never played Manhattan, Massachusetts or Wofford. Iowa is 4-5 vs. Wichita State, 1-0 vs. Cal Poly, 4-0 vs. Texas Southern, 3-5 vs. Kentucky, 4-4 vs. Kansas State, 11-7 vs. St. Louis, 3-3 vs. North Carolina State, 2-1 vs. Xavier, 2-2 vs. Louisville, 2-1 vs. Tennessee, 1-7 vs. Duke, 1-0 vs. Mercer, 2-2 vs. Texas Southern, 1-2 vs. Arizona State and 59-91 vs. Michigan. Iowa, in 2013-14, was 2-1 vs. the Midwest Bracket, splitting games with Michigan and defeating Xavier.

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. The Marble’s (3,803) will finish their collegiate careers second among father-son combos, playing at the same school, behind the Burtt’s of Iona (4,568). The Marble’s are sixth overall.

IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa is participating in the NCAA Tournament for the 23rd time, returning for the first time since 2006. Iowa, as a third seed, was edged by No. 14-seed Northwestern State, 64-63, in Auburn Hills, Mich., in its last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006. The Hawkeyes hold an overall record of 27-24 in the tournament, advancing to the Final Four in 1955 (fourth), 1956 (second) and 1980 (fourth). Iowa has advanced to at least the Round of 32 in 10 of its last 12 tournament appearances. Iowa reached the regional championship in 1987 and lost in the regional semifinal in 1988 and 1999.

IOWA IN DAYTON
The Hawkeyes are making their second ever trip to Dayton, Ohio. Iowa is 2-0 all-time in the University of Dayton Arena, winning the Dayton Classic on Dec. 22-23, 1979. Iowa defeated Mississippi State, 81-62, in the first round and defeated Dayton, 61-54, in the championship game. Iowa advanced to the Final Four later that season.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYONE
No current Hawkeye player has played in the NCAA Tournament. However, nine have played in postseason play. The Hawkeyes competed in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) the previous two seasons.

IOWA AT NEUTRAL SITES
Iowa has played five neutral-site games in 2013-14, posting a 3-2 record. The Hawkeyes were 2-1 at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, defeating Xavier and UTEP before falling to Villanova (overtime) in the title game. Iowa beat Drake University at Wells Fargo Arena on Dec. 7 in Des Moines, Iowa. The Hawkeyes were edged by Northwestern in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last week at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. In 15 games this season away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa has posted a 7-8 overall record.

VARIETY OF WEAPONS
Iowa has five players who average 7.4 points or more. Senior Roy Devyn Marble leads the way averaging 17.3 points per contest, followed by Aaron White (13.0), Mike Gesell (8.1), Jarrod Uthoff (7.7), and Melsahn Basabe (7.5). Josh Oglesby (6.7), Gabriel Olaseni (6.6) and Zach McCabe (6.0) average six points or better.

BASABE JOINS TEAMMATES IN 1,000-POINT CLUB
Melsahn Basabe (1,119) joined teammates Roy Devyn Marble (1,687) and Aaron White (1,294) in Iowa’s 1,000-point club against Northwestern on Jan. 9. Marble netted his 1,000th point in the 2013 regular season finale against Nebraska, while White passed 1,000 points against Notre Dame (Dec. 3) earlier this year. Basabe, White, and Marble become Iowa’s fifth trio of players on the same team to reach the 1,000-point threshold, and first trio since 2005.

ATTACKING THE RIM
Iowa has nearly made (647) more free throws than its opponents have attempted (656). Furthermore, the Hawkeyes (883) have attempted nearly 100 more free throws than the next Big Ten team, Indiana (789). Iowa attempted 476 free throws during league play; 52 more than second place Wisconsin (424). Iowa’s 27.6 free-throw attempts average, ranks 16th nationally. The Hawkeyes rank ninth in the country in made free throws (20.2). Junior Aaron White is on pace to shatter the school’s free-throw makes record. White currently ranks seventh with 418 career makes, while senior Roy Devyn Marble is sixth (431). Both Marble (594) and White (556) are also climbing Iowa’s free-throw attempts chart, ranking sixth and seventh, respectively.

RAISING THE BAR
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, 11.5 his sophomore campaign, 15.0 points as a junior, and 17.3 points this season as a senior. White averaged 11.1 points as a rookie, 12.8 points as a sophomore, and 13 points this year as a junior.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa was ranked for 16 consecutive weeks this season, climbing as high as 10th in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls on Jan. 20. Iowa began the season receiving votes in both polls.

ON POINT
Point guard Mike Gesell has scored in double figures in seven of the last 10 games, which included a stretch of five straight games — the longest stretch of his career. He has averaged 10.2 points per game the last 10 outings, while dropping 45 dimes (4.5 average). In 32 games this year, Gesell ranks first in the Big Ten and 15th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0). The sophomore has 553 career points, just past halfway to the 1,000-point club. Gesell posted 10 points, eight assists, and three steals in Iowa’s win over nationally-ranked Michigan. It marked just the fifth time since 1996-97 that a Hawkeye amassed 10+ points, 8+ assists and 3+ steals in a game (Andre Woolridge three times and Jeff Horner). He had 13 points, six assists and no turnovers at Minnesota on Feb. 25. He netted 15 points in Iowa’s win over Purdue on March 1 and contributed 11 points and, assists, four rebounds and two steals against Illinois in the regular season finale.

MARBLE FINISHING HIS IOWA CAREER STRONG
Roy Devyn Marble has led the Hawkeyes in scoring in seven of the last nine games, including netting 20+ points in 6-of-7 games — the longest stretch of his career. His scoring average this season (17.3) is the highest by a Hawkeye since Adam Haluska averaged 20.5 points during the 2007 season. Marble (329, 18.3 ppg) concluded conference play second in league scoring, just five points behind Nebraska’s Terran Pettaway (334, 18.6 ppg). Marble is one of only two Hawkeyes to amass 550+ points, 100+ rebounds, 100+ assists and 55+ steals as a senior (B.J. Armstrong). Marble, who was first team All-Big Ten and all-district by the USBWA and NABC, enters Wednesday’s game fifth in Iowa career scoring with 1,687 points. He surpassed Ronnie Lester after his 25-point performance vs. Northwestern on March 13 at the Big Ten Tournament. Marble is only 18 points from fourth-place B.J. Armstrong (1,705). He has netted 21 or more points 12 times this season, including 26 against Michigan on Feb. 8 and 21 versus Wisconsin on Feb. 22. The native of Southfield, Mich., averaged 18.3 points, 3.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals in conference play. Marble is the only Big Ten player to average 17+ points, 3+ assists and 1.6+ steals. Marble had 21 points and a career-high 11 assists — his first career double-double — versus Wisconsin on Feb. 22. Marble became only the third player in the country with 20+ points and 10+ assists against an AP Top 25 opponent in 2013-14. It marked just the third time the last 18 years an Iowa player posted 20+ points and 10+ assists in a game (Jeff Horner in 2004 and Jake Kelly in 2009). The 11 assists were the most by a Hawkeye since Bryce Cartwright had 11 at Oregon March 18, 2012. The senior guard averaged 20.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists versus top teams in the Big Ten standings this year (Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State). The 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard averages 28 points in the six career games when attempting eight 3-pointers or more. Marble surpassed Jeff Horner for seventh place on Iowa’s all-time steals list in Iowa’s game at Indiana on Feb. 27.

MARBLE TIES SCHOOL RECORD
Roy Devyn Marble tied the school record for 3-pointers in a half when he drained six in the first half vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Marble tied Chris Kingsbury, who sank six in the first half versus Drake on Nov. 29, 1994, and Justin Johnson, who made six in the second stanza against Indiana on Jan. 2, 2008.

WHITE HOT
Junior Aaron White ranks first on the team in rebounding (6.7), and second in scoring (13.0). White was the only Big Ten player to average 13+ points and 7+ rebounds during league play this season. White is the only player in the country to shoot better than 55 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line. He shoots 59 percent from the field and 80.5 percent from the charity stripe. White, who led the Hawkeyes in rebounding in each of his first two seasons, will become the fifth player since 1960 to lead the Hawkeyes in rebounding three consecutive seasons. White will join Don Nelson (1960-62); Kevin Kunnert (1971-73); Bruce King (1975-77); and Greg Brunner (2004-06). 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 versus Notre Dame (Dec. 3). He reached the 1,000-point milestone in his 82nd career game. He currently ranks 18th in Iowa scoring. White became the first Hawkeye since Luke Recker (Nov. 14, 2001) to post 18+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a game when he had 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists against the Wildcats on Jan. 9 in Iowa City. The native of Strongsville, Ohio, became the first Hawkeye in 10 years to amass 25 points and 17 rebounds in a game at Iowa State on Dec. 13. The last Hawkeye to accomplish the feat was Jared Reiner on March 1, 2003, at Indiana. The 17 rebounds are the most in a single-game since Greg Brunner cleared 23 against Minnesota on Jan. 18, 2006.

BENCH MOB
Iowa’s reserves played a large role in Iowa’s 20 victories. Overall, Iowa’s bench is averaging 30.5 points, 19.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. The Hawkeye reserves’ rebounding average is tops in the country, while its scoring and blocks rank third best. In victories, Hawkeye reserves average 35.9 points and 21.7 rebounds, while in losses Iowa’s bench averages 21.5 points and 15 rebounds.

IOWA FASTBREAKS
? Iowa is 13-2 when holding opponents to 70 points or less, with the two setbacks coming in its last games (Illinois and Northwestern).
? Iowa ranks 17th in the Sagarin, 27th in the KenPom ratings, 22nd in the BPI, and 56th in the official NCAA RPI.
? The Hawkeyes have out-rebounded 23 of their 32 opponents.
? Roy Devyn Marble ranks seventh on Iowa’s all-time steals chart (175).
? Iowa is 3-2 all-time in games played on March 19.
? Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina are the only teams with a road win against an AP top-three team this season. The Hawkeyes won at then-No. 3 Ohio State (84-74) on Jan. 12.
? Iowa’s win over No. 3 Ohio State on Jan. 12, marked Iowa’s first over a top-five team since an 83-65 victory at second-ranked Missouri on Dec. 15, 2001, in Columbia, Mo.
? Iowa is 15-5 this season when making five 3-pointers or more. Iowa was 8-3 in Big Ten play when sinking at least five triples.
? Iowa handed Michigan (18 points) and Minnesota (21 points) their most lop-sided losses this season.
? Iowa has beaten multiple AP Top 10 Big Ten teams in the regular season for the first time since 1990-91.
? Iowa’s 18-point win over Michigan was Iowa’s largest vs. an AP Top 10 team since beating No. 2 Missouri by 18 on Dec 15, 2001.
? Roy Devyn Marble averages 15.9 points in Iowa’s 20 victories, and 19.7 points in its 12 defeats.
? Iowa started 5-2, or better, in Big Ten play for the 12th time. Each of the previous 11 teams made the NCAA Tournament. Iowa’s 1969-70 team started 7-0, while its 1981-82 and 1986-87 squads started conference play 6-1.
? The last time an Iowa team started conference play 8-4 was the 2005-06 team, which started 9-3.
? Junior forward Aaron White ranks first in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.592) and eighth in free throw percentage (.806).
? Iowa was the last Big Ten team to lose at home this season, falling 71-69, to No. 6/7 Michigan State on Jan. 28.
? Iowa recorded its 10th win by 20-plus points at Northwestern on Jan. 25, the most of any Big Ten team this season.
? Iowa is averaging 11.9 more points this season (82.0 ppg) compared to last (70.1 ppg).
? Iowa (4) and Michigan State (6) are the only Big Ten team to have at least four different players post a double-double.
? The Hawkeyes are 2-8 in games decided by five or fewer points.
? Iowa is 34-6 when scoring 80 or more points, the last four seasons. The Hawkeyes are 39-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last four seasons – with the one loss coming to Michigan State (59-56) at the Big Ten Tournament last season.
? Iowa’s average starting lineup height is 6-foot-6. The Hawkeye lineup consists of two sophomores, one junior, and two seniors.
? Iowa has been credited with 20 or more assists seven times this season. The Hawkeyes rank 11th nationally in assists (16.2).
? Iowa held Michigan State leading scorer, Gary Harris, to a season-low nine points Jan. 28, in Iowa City.
? Iowa is 1-2 in overtime games. The Hawkeyes beat Xavier (77-74), but lost to Villanova (88-83) and Michigan State (71-69).
? Iowa is 9-1 in afternoon games this season.
? Iowa is 9-2 when wearing its white uniforms this season.

REBOUNDING BOOST
Last year, Iowa owned a +4.7 rebounding margin, while this season the Hawkeyes have a +7.4 advantage on the glass — a +2.7 margin of improvement from a year ago. Iowa’s rebounding margin of +7.4 ranks ninth in the country. Iowa ranks 11th in the nation in defensive rebounding (26.9) and 19th in offensive rebounding (13.75).

BASABE MOVIN’ ON UP
Senior Melsahn Basabe, who has posted three double-doubles this season, is averaging 7.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. After playing only one minute vs. Wisconsin and missing the Minnesota game due to illness, Basabe returned to action at Indiana (Feb. 27), scoring 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. Basabe’s started his 100th game of his career last week against Northwestern at the Big Ten Tournament. Basabe’s 748 career rebounds are the most among active Big Ten players. Since the start of the year, Basabe moved past Ryan Bowen for fourth place on Iowa’s career blocked shots list and currently has 148 rejections. Basabe led the team in blocked shots in each of his first three seasons with the Hawkeyes. Basabe led the Hawkeyes in scoring (16), rebounding (8) and blocks (4) at Penn State (Feb. 15). It marked the second time since the 1996-97 season a Hawkeye had 16+ points, 8+ rebounds and 4+ blocks in a game — with Basabe posting the other occurrence his freshman season (2010-11).

NCAA FIRST FOUR HISTORY
Since the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament was expanded to 68 teams in 2011, at least one team that competed in the first round has advanced at least to the Round of 32. In 2011, No. 11 seed VCU ultimately advanced to the Final Four. In 2012, No. 12 seed South Florida beat fifth-seeded Temple in the Round of 64, before falling to Ohio in the Round of 32. In 2013, No. 13 seed LaSalle ultimately advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.

SHARPSHOOTER
Junior Josh Oglesby, who missed the first 12 games of the season due to an injured foot, has come on strong as of late. Oglesby tied a season high of 17 points (8-of-12 FG, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range) against Wisconsin on Feb. 22. Oglesby scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Oglesby followed up that performance scoring 16 points (5-of-10 FG, including 4-of-9 from 3-point territory), in a starting role, at Minnesota on Feb. 25 — marking the first time since his third and fourth game his freshman season that he reached double figures in consecutive games. Oglesby made his first four 3-point attempts in his season debut following injury against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 22) and then once again against Minnesota (Jan. 19). The junior finished with 13 and 17 points, respectively. Oglesby made a season-high five 3-pointers against Minnesota on Jan. 19 in Iowa City. Oglesby has made at least one trey in 11 of the last 13 games and 15-of-20 games this season. Furthermore, he has made two or more triples in four of the last six contests. Oglesby averages a single-season best seven points per game this season and is shooting at a 40-percent clip from 3. Oglesby has been one of Iowa’s top perimeter players in league play, scoring 6.7 points and boasting a 3.3 assist-to-turnover ratio in the 18-game conference slate.

UTHOFF, OLASENI, OGLESBY LEADING HAWKEYES OFF BENCH
Gabriel Olaseni, Josh Oglesby, and Jarrod Uthoff are averaging a combined 18.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game coming off the bench for the Hawkeyes. Uthoff ranks fourth on the team in scoring (7.7) and fourth in rebounding (4.7); Olaseni ranks first on the squad in rejections (1.3) and third in rebounding (5.1); while Oglesby averages 6.7 points and 1.6 rebounds off the bench. Uthoff poured in 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field, including a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 from the foul line against Northwestern last week at the Big Tn Tournament. The three triples equal a personal best for the redshirt sophomore. Olaseni averages an offensive rebound every six minutes played. More than half of Olaseni’s rebounds are offensive (82 of 163); the center is second in the league (overall games) in offensive rebounding (2.6). Olaseni, leads the team with four double-doubles. Olaseni put up career highs at Illinois (15 points and 12 rebounds) on Feb. 1.

HAWKEYES RANK HIGH IN STATISTICS
Iowa leads the Big Ten in scoring (82.0) and scoring margin (+11.9). The Hawkeyes also rank second in the conference in rebounding margin (+7.4), assists (16.2), turnover margin (+2.1), and blocked shots (5.1). Iowa ranks fifth in the country in ninth in scoring (82.0) and rebounding margin (+7.4); 11th in assists (16.2); 14th in scoring margin (+11.9); 22nd in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4); and 37th in blocks (5.1). Individually, Mike Gesell ranks 15th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0) and Roy Devyn Marble ranks 57th in steals (1.8).

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Iowa is getting 11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game from its center position of Adam Woodbury and Gabriel Olaseni.

IOWA TIP-INS
? Iowa finished its nonconference schedule 11-2 for the second straight season.
? Iowa’s senior class amassed 53 home wins during its four-year career. The 53 wins tie for fourth in program history. Iowa’s 1988, 2008 and 2009 seniors won 54 home games.
? Michigan won three straight games in January over top-10 ranked opponents (Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan State). The Wolverines became the first team since Iowa in 1987 to post three straight victories against top-10 teams.
? Iowa had three players (Basabe, Uthoff and Olaseni) post double-doubles in its victory over Fairleigh Dickinson. It marked the first time in 20 years three Hawkeyes recorded double-doubles, in the same game, in points and rebounds.
? Zach McCabe and Roy Devyn Marble were named to the Battle 4 Atlantis all-tournament team.
? 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 played overtime games two days apart (Xavier and Villanova) for the third time in program history. The Hawkeyes played five extra minutes against Maryland (Dec. 25, 1984) and Cornell (Dec. 27, 1984), and Michigan (Jan. 9, 1992) and Illinois (Jan. 11, 1992).
? Iowa’s overtime win over Xavier marked its first overtime victory since March 7, 2009 (versus Penn State — double overtime).
? 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 beat Minnesota, 94-73, on Jan. 19 in Iowa City. The 21-point loss is the Gophers’ most lop-sided loss of the season. The 94 points are its most against Minnesota in a non-OT game since scoring 99 points versus the Gophers on Feb. 18, 1989.
? Iowa’s 249 points and 19.0 assists average, in three games, are Battle 4 Atlantis tournament records.
? Iowa’s win at Ohio State on Jan. 12, marked only the third time in the last four seasons that Ohio State allowed 80-plus points and the first time since 2008 that a team registered 84-plus points against the Buckeyes.
? In Iowa’s win at Ohio State on Jan. 12, it marked the first time since 1989 that Iowa had five double figure scorers in Columbus.
? 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.
? The Hawkeyes erupted for 100-plus points in 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).
? 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).
? 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.
? Fran McCaffery has posted upper division finishes in each of the past two seasons at Iowa and 14-of-18 seasons as a head coach. He has posted 20 wins or more six of the last eight seasons, including the last two at Iowa (2013 and 2014).
? Fran McCaffery 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.
? Darius Stokes earned a scholarship after being a walk-on the last three years. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native went through “Senior Day” ceremonies last weekend.
? Okey Ukah has been added to the roster as a walk-on. The Iowa City native is a junior.

WINNING ON THE ROAD
? Iowa posted four Big Ten road victories this season. The last time Iowa had four conference road wins was 10 years ago during the 2003-04 season.
? Iowa won three straight conference road games (Northwestern, Illinois and Penn State) this season. The last time Iowa accomplished that feat was the 1997-98 season.

BLOCK PARTY
Junior Gabriel Olaseni has blocked at least three shots five times this season. His 43 blocks rank 10th in the Big Ten (1.3 average). The center rejected five shots in the season opener against UNC Wilmington. Sophomore Jarrod Uthoff has blocked 34 shots (1.1 average), a total that ranks 12th in the league. As a team, Iowa ranks second in the Big Ten, and 37th nationally, in rejections (5.1).

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; 13,625 in 20 games in 2013; and 14,976 in 17 games this season. Iowa’s attendance boost from 2012 to 2013 ranked as the eighth-largest in the country. Iowa averaged 14,949 fans this season. The Hawkeyes sold out 11 games this season, including 8-of-9 Big Ten games.

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 a Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. McCabe averaged 13 points, shooting 50 percent from the field (14-of-28) and 3-point territory (8-of-16).

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).

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.

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.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,640 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,550-1,090 (.587). That includes a 987-349 (.739) record in home games, a 557-738 (.430) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 729-746 (.494) mark in Big Ten games and a 393-123 (.762) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

2014-15 BIG TEN SCHEDULE STRUCTURE ANNOUNCED
The Big Ten Conference office announced the single-plays and home-and-away opponents for the 2014-15 men’s basketball league schedule. Maryland and Rutgers begin conference play in the Big Ten next season. The conference schedule will remain at 18 games, with each team playing five teams twice (home and away) and eight teams once (four at home and four on the road). Iowa will play the following five teams twice next season: Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State and Wisconsin. Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State and Rutgers will visit Iowa City for the only regular season meeting. Iowa will travel to Indiana, Michigan, Penn State and Purdue.

IOWA TO PLAY IN SPORTS 2K CLASSIC IN NOVEMBER
Highlighting the field for the 20th annual 2K Sports Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project are Syracuse, Texas, California, and Iowa. Each of these four teams will host a pair of regional round games on campus from Nov. 14-17 before heading to the Madison Square Garden for the Championship Rounds on Nov. 20 and 21.