Nov. 17, 2015
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- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
THE SETTING
Iowa (2-0) will travel to Milwaukee to compete against Marquette (1-1) on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. (CT) at the BMO Harris Bradley Center (18,600). Thursday’s contest is part of the inaugural Gavitt Games, which pits eight games between teams from the Big Ten and Big EAST.
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.
TV: Thursday night’s game will be televised nationally on FS1 (FOXSportsGO). Brian Anderson and Stephen Bardo will call the action.
| GAME 3: Iowa (2-0) at Marquette (1-1) | |
|---|---|
| When | Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 | 8:15 p.m. CT |
| Where | BMO Harris Bradley Center — Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Shop | Herky’s Locker Room |
| TV | FST | Watch Online via FOXSPORTSGO Announcers: Brian Anderson and Stephen Bardo |
| Radio | Hawkeye Radio Network |
| Live Stats | GameTracker |
| All-time Series | Iowa leads, 10-7 |
| Iowa Team Info | Game Notes (PDF) | Media Guide | 2015-16 Stats (HTML) | 2015-16 Stats (PDF) |
| Big Ten Info | B1G Notes (PDF) | Media Guide | Conference Stats |
| Social Media | @IowaHoops  | #Hawkeyes | IowaHoops  | Facebook  |
GAME #3 OPENING TIP
? Iowa opened its 2015-16 season with a pair of home victories over Gardner-Webb (76-59) and Coppin State (103-68).
? Redshirt freshman Brady Ellingson will be making a homecoming on Thursday. The shooting guard hails from Sussex, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee.
? Iowa was 7-3 in true road games a year ago. Thursday’s game is the Hawkeyes’ earliest true road game since playing at Notre Dame in the preseason NIT on Nov. 17, 1990.
? Mike Gesell has 21 assists after two games. The senior point guard registered a career-high 12 assists in 19 minutes against Coppin State and had nine helpers against Gardner-Webb.
? Fran McCaffery is one victory from notching career win No. 350, and two wins from collecting victory No. 100 at Iowa.
? Iowa’s next four games will be away from Iowa City. The Hawkeyes’ next home game will come Dec. 2 against Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
? Senior Jarrod Uthoff was selected as one of 10 players on the Preseason All-Big Ten team. Uthoff has made 14 consecutive free throws dating back to last season. He is 7-of-7 from the charity stripe this season.
? Iowa is 40-6 when scoring 80 points or more, the last six seasons. The Hawkeyes are 56-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last six years.
SCOUTING MARQUETTE
? Marquette split its opening two games, falling to Belmont (83-80) in the opener and beating IUPUI (75-71) in overtime.
? Four Golden Eagles netted double figures in Monday’s overtime triumph over IUPUI: Henry Ellenson (18), Luke Fischer (17), Duane Wilson (16), and Sandy Cohen III (11). Marquette made 24-of-29 (.828) of its free throw attempts against the Jaguars.
? Marquette has four players average in double figures in scoring after two games: Henry Ellenson (19.5), Luke Fischer (14.5), Duane Wilson (14.5), and Sandy Cohen III (11.0). The Golden Eagles own a +5.5 advantage over their opponents on the glass this season.
? Five Marquette players average 28 minutes or more of game action, including three players averaging more than 33 minutes.
? Steve Wojciechowski is in his second season as head coach at Marquette. He had previously served as an assistant coach at Duke since 1999 and was promoted to associate head coach in the summer of 2008.
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD
Thursday will be the 18th meeting between Iowa and Marquette and the first since an 87-77 Iowa win in Iowa City in 1982. The Hawkeyes own an 8-4 advantage in games against the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee. Iowa won the last contest played in Milwaukee, 86-65 in overtime, in 1981. Iowa is 38-32 against current members of the Big EAST Conference.
McCAFFERY APPROACHES MILESTONES
Fran McCaffery coached in his 600th career game as a head coach in Iowa’s regular season opener against Gardner-Webb Friday evening. He has compiled a record of 349-252 in 20 seasons as a head coach. Also, he has amassed 98 wins as an Iowa head coach in six seasons; McCaffery is two wins from notching win No. 100 as a Hawkeye.
IOWA CRUISES TO WIN OVER COPPIN STATE
? Iowa cruised to a 103-68 win over Coppin State Sunday in Iowa City.
? The 103 points tie for the fourth most by a Fran McCaffery coached team at Iowa. The Hawkeyes made 12 treys, which are the second most by an Iowa team under coach McCaffery.
? Redshirt freshman Brady Ellingson netted a game and personal-best 20 points. He was 7-of-8 from the field, including 1-2 from 3-point distance, and 5-of-6 from the foul line.
? Mike Gesell dished out a game and career-high 12 assists. The 12 assists tie for the fifth most by an Iowa player in a single game in program history.
? Dom Uhl started his first career game, replacing an injured Peter Jok. Uhl answered the call, scoring a career-best 18 points and grabbing five rebounds.
? Iowa assisted on 30 of 41 field goals (77.5 percent). The Hawkeyes shot 55.6 percent from the floor (40-of-72).
? Adam Woodbury grabbed five rebounds to reach the 500-rebounding plateau in his career. His 503 rebounds are fifth most among active Big Ten players.
HAWKEYES BEAT GARDNER-WEBB IN SEASON OPENER
? Iowa won its fifth straight season opener, recording a 76-59 win over Gardner-Webb.
? Iowa had the advantage on the glass, pulling down seven more rebounds (46-39). Iowa freshman Ahmad Wagner corralled a team-high eight rebounds, six offensive, in only nine minutes of action.
? Senior Jarrod Uthoff poured in a game-high 21 points, while also collecting six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.
? Senior Mike Gesell dished out nine assists, to go along with three steals, four rebounds, and two points.
? Iowa earned 28 free throws, sinking 21 (.750). Jarrod Uthoff made all seven of his attempts, while Adam Woodbury made 5-of-7 of his attempts and Anthony Clemmons sank a career-high 6-of-8.
? Iowa’s newcomers, includes redshirts, combined to score 20 points. Nicholas Baer and Ahmad Wagner each scored six points. Brady Ellingson tallied four points, Dale Jones had three, while Andrew Fleming added one.
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INCREASED WORK LOAD
The last couple seasons, Adam Woodbury split time at the center position with Gabriel Olaseni. With Olaseni having graduated, expect Woodbury’s minutes to increase according to coach McCaffery. The 7-foot-1, 250-pounder averaged 21 minutes per game a year ago alongside Olaseni. In his career when playing 28 minutes or more, Woodbury averaged 11.3 points and six rebounds per game.
HAWKEYE FAST BREAKS
? Iowa returned seven letterwinners, including four starters.
? Iowa has won 34 of its last 35 nonconference home games, dating back to November 2011.
? Jarrod Uthoff was one of 10 players named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team as selected by a media voting panel.
? Iowa has competed in postseason play the last four years: NIT second round in 2012; NIT runner-up in 2013; NCAA first round in 2014; NCAA third round in 2015. The Hawkeyes tied for third place in the Big Ten last season — its best finish in nine years.
? Iowa won 21 regular season games last season, the most by a Hawkeye team since 2006 (22).
? Iowa has won at least 20 games in three consecutive seasons — its longest streak in 15 years.
? Iowa averaged 11.1 turnovers in 2015, which is the best average for fewest turnovers in program history since turnovers became an official stat in 1980.
? Iowa’s free throw percentage a year ago (74.4 percent) was the fourth best in program history for a single season.
? Iowa was the first team in the country to post road wins over two ranked opponents last year: No. 12 North Carolina (60-55) on Dec. 3 and No. 18 Ohio State (71-65) on Dec. 30.
? The Hawkeyes won seven true road games last season, including winning its final six regular-season Big Ten games for the first time since 1955. The seven total road wins were the most by a Hawkeye team since 1987.
? Iowa’s 12 conference wins last season are the most by a Hawkeye team since 1997. Also, its third place finish was its best in nine seasons.
? Junior guard Anthony Clemmons made 17 of his last 19 (.895) free throw attempts combined the last eight games.
? Adam Woodbury collected six assists to go along with his 11 points at Michigan last year. Woodbury became just the third Big Ten 7-footer to post 10+ points & 6+ assists in a game since 1996-97.
? Iowa’s 83-52 dominant performance over Davidson in the NCAA Second Round was the program’s first tournament win since 2001. It also marked the largest margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament 7/10 match-up.
? Iowa has had a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in each of the last two seasons: Devyn Marble in 2014 and Aaron White in 2015.
FLOCKING TO CHA
Iowa sold out 16 home games the last two seasons. The Hawkeyes ranked 20th in national attendance in 2015, averaging 14,101 fans. It is the second straight season and 21st time that Iowa has cracked the top 20 in the national attendance rankings. Additionally, Iowa played in front of 475,998 fans in its 34 games (home, away, and on neutral courts) throughout the season. That figure ranked 13th in the country. As a conference, the 14 Big Ten schools averaged 12,781 fans to lead in the nation in average attendance for a 39th consecutive season. More than three million fans witnessed Big Ten games in person throughout the course of the 2014-15 season. For the second consecutive year, Iowa was one of seven Big Ten schools to rank in the top 20 nationally.
WELCOME NEWCOMERS
Despite having four returning starters, plus another who has starting experience, Iowa welcomes 10 newcomers to its 2015-16 roster. The 10 newcomers includes two players who received redshirts last season (Nicholas Baer and Brady Ellingson). Iowa’s 10 newcomers ties for third most among Division I schools: Portland State and Tennessee State have 11, followed by Iowa, UTEP, and Nebraska with 10. The Hawkeyes add five freshmen (Isaiah Moss, Andrew Fleming, Brandon Hutton, Ahmad Wagner, and Christian Williams), and three junior college transfers (Dale Jones, and Michael and Steven Soukup). The Soukups are identical twins.
DISTRIBUTOR AND PROTECTOR
Point guard Mike Gesell has done an outstanding job directing the Hawkeye offense his first three seasons. Gesell owns two of Iowa’s top four assist-to-turnover ratio’s since the 1996-97 season. His 3.05 ratio in 2013-14 ranks first, while his 2.21 ratio in 2014-15 ranks fourth. Dean Oliver’s 2.75 ratio in 2000-01 is second, followed by Ryan Luehrsmann’s 2.21 in 1997-98 ranking third. Gesell had nine assists and three turnovers (3.0) in Friday night’s win over Gardner-Webb and 12 assists and two turnovers against Coppin State.
UTHOFF, GESELL, WOODBURY EARN ACADEMIC DISTINCTION
Mike Gesell and Jarrod Uthoff were named 2015 Capital One Academic All-District first team honorees for their combined performance athletically and in the classroom. Gesell was also tabbed third team Academic All-America, becoming the first Hawkeye to accomplish the national distinction since Adam Haluska (first team) in 2007. Gesell, a native of South Sioux City, Nebraska, earned his degree in finance in three years. He led the team in assists (135) and ranked sixth in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2). Gesell averaged 7.4 points per game. Last fall, Gesell earned invitation to Beta Gamma Sigma, the National Scholastic Honor Society for business students at the University of Iowa who have garnered GPA’s that place them in the top 10 percent of their class. Uthoff, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, graduated last May with a degree in economics. Uthoff ranked second in team scoring (12.4), rebounding (6.4) and steals (38), and was first in blocked shots (56) and 3-point shooting (54-of-145, .372). Additionally, Gesell, Uthoff, and Adam Woodbury were named 2015 Academic All-Big Ten.
THREE TIMES THE CHARM
Iowa posted a 22-12 record last season, reaching the 20-win plateau for the third consecutive season. For the first time in 15 years, Iowa won 20 or more games in three consecutive seasons. The last time Iowa won at least 20 games four straight seasons was 1995-1999 — Tom Davis’ last five seasons as Iowa’s head coach.
UTHOFF PRODUCING ON THE WING
Jarrod Uthoff, who was named third-team All-Big Ten last season, ranked second in team scoring (12.4 ppg), and steals (1.1), and first in 3-point shooting (54-of-145, .372). He was the only Division I player to have 50+ 3-pointers, 55+ blocks and 35+ steals. Additionally, Uthoff was one of only two Big Ten players to average 12+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 1.5+ blocks (Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky). Uthoff is one of 10 men’s basketball players selected to the 2015 Preseason All-Big Ten team as selected by a media voting panel. Uthoff leads the team averaging 17 points in Iowa’s first two games. The Hawkeye senior netted a game-high 21 points in Friday’s opener against Gardner-Webb. His 56 blocks and 54 triples rank fourth and fifth best, respectively, by an Iowa junior in program history. Uthoff had two double-doubles in 2014-15 (North Florida and Michigan State). He had 10 points and a personal-best 12 boards against North Florida (Dec. 22), and 12 points and a team-best 10 rebounds versus Michigan State (Jan. 8).
FRESH START
Peter Jok made his first start of his career on Dec. 22, 2014, versus North Florida. The native of West Des Moines, Iowa, started 21 of the last 22 games last year. Jok is starting 2015 with a new number, changing from No. 3 last year to No. 14 this season. Jok averaged seven points per game in 2015, which ranked fifth on the squad. He made at least one triple in 18 of the last 25 games, including multiple 3-pointers in seven of the last 13 contests. Jok’s 36 triples in 2015 rank as the sixth most by a Hawkeye sophomore in program history. His 19 steals, 44 assists, 83 field goals and 36 treys last season were single season bests. He scored 12 points in Iowa’s win over Davidson, while grabbing five rebounds. Jok reached double figure scoring in two of three NCAA Tournament games played (Tennessee in 2014 and Davidson in 2015). Jok scored eight points in Iowa’s opener against Gardner-Webb before suffering an ankle injury. He did not play against Coppin State last Sunday.
EXPERIENCED BACKCOURT
Iowa has two senior point guards (Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons) and a junior shooting guard (Peter Jok) on this season’s roster. Clemmons, who has started 26 of 105 games, was named the team’s Most Improved Player last spring after leading the team in 3-point accuracy (.373) and posting single-season bests in rebounding, steals, scoring average, and free throw percentage in 2014-15. Gesell is a four-year starter, who has 812 points, 373 assists, and 119 steals. His 21 assists last weekend moved him past Kenny Arnold and Mon’ter Glasper and into seventh place on Iowa’s all-time assists chart. He is 24 assists from tying Roy Devyn Marble for sixth.
MUSCLE GAIN
Last season, freshman Dom Uhl was listed a 6-foot-8 and 195 pounds at the start of the season. After a year in the weight room, the sophomore forward checks in a 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds entering this season. Uhl earned the team’s Newcomer Award last year. Uhl had a solid start to the 2015-16 season posting career highs in blocks (2), assists (3), and rebounds (6) in Iowa’s opener against Gardner-Webb. He started his first career game Sunday against Coppin State and poured in a career-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and 1-of-2 at the free throw line.
IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
The Hawkeyes was 4-6 against opponents ranked in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches last season.
GESELL NOMINATED FOR GOOD WORKS TEAM
Senior Mike Gesell is a nominee for the 2016 Allstate NABC Good Works Team. This prestigious community service award recognizes a distinguished group of student-athletes who have demonstrated a commitment to enriching the lives of others and contributing to the greater good in their communities. College sports information directors and basketball coaches across the country nominated players who exhibit exceptional leadership skills and an unwavering commitment to volunteerism.
IN MEMORY…
Iowa’s all-time leading scorer, Roy Marble, passed away on Sept. 11, 2015, at the age of 48. Marble led the Hawkeyes to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including advancing to the Elite Eight in 1987 and Sweet 16 in 1988, and led the team in scoring three consecutive seasons. In memory of Marble, RM23 is stitched on the upper right corner of Iowa’s jerseys this season.
2 HAWKEYES SELECTED IN LAST 2 NBA DRAFTS
Roy Devyn Marble and Aaron White were selected in the second round of the NBA Draft each of the past two seasons — Marble in 2014 by Orlando and White in 2015 by Washington. The Hawkeyes are one of four Big Ten schools to have multiple players drafted by NBA teams the last two years.
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.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Fran McCaffery has the most experienced coaching staffs in the country. The Iowa men’s basketball staff has 67 years of combined collegiate head coaching experience and more than 130 years of collegiate coaching under their belts — the most experience of any Division I college basketball program in the country.
HY-VEE BIG FOUR CLASSIC TICKETS ON SALE
The state’s four NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams will be in action in the same venue for the fourth consecutive year at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday, Dec. 19. The first game of the doubleheader will feature Drake and Iowa beginning at 3:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.com. Iowa State and UNI will play the second game at 6 p.m., with the game being broadcast on ESPNU. Tickets, which range in price from $25-70, are on sale exclusively through Hy-VeeTix.com, 844-55-HYVEE, 22 Hy-Vee Stores in Des Moines and Ames, or the Wells Fargo Arena Box Office. Tickets are good for admission to both games of the doubleheader. One of the marquee basketball events in the Midwest, the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic will look to grow its attendance for the fourth straight year. More than 13,000 fans have turned out for each year of the event, including a record 15,124 fans streaming through the Wells Fargo Arena turnstiles in 2014.
ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will travel to Orlando, Nov. 26-29, for the Advocare Invitational; the tournament features eight teams. The games will take place at the HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando. Five of the eight teams competed in the NCAA Tournament this past spring: Dayton, Iowa, Notre Dame, Wichita State, and Xavier. Iowa will open tournament play against Dayton Thanksgiving evening at 8 p.m. (CT).
