Men’s Hoops Hosts Western Illinois Monday – University of Iowa Athletics

Dec. 6, 2015

THE SETTING
Iowa (6-2) remains home Monday to host Western Illinois (6-1). Tipoff is scheduled for 6:01 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,400). Tickets are available for $18 for adults, and $5 for UI students and youth.

PROMOTIONS
? Mike Gesell Bobblehead Night — FREE Mike Gesell bobbleheads for the first 1,500 fans
? Four Pack Night — Purchase 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 drinks for $55 (must be ordered prior to game day)
? Alumni Association Night — Discounted tickets available for UI Alumni Association members ($12 for adults, $5 for youth), if ordered in advance
? UI Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night — FREE admission for UI faculty and staff with valid ID, $5 for their guests

GAME 9: Western Illinois (6-1) at Iowa (6-2)
When	Monday, Dec. 7, 2015 \| 6:01 p.m. CT
Where	Carver-Hawkeye Arena — Iowa City, Iowa
Shop	Herky’s Locker Room
TV	BTN \| Watch Online via BTN2GO Announcers: Cory Provus and Stephen Bardo
Radio	Hawkeye Radio Network \| Listen \| Sirius 132 / XM 196
Live Stats	GameTracker
All-time Series	Iowa leads, 8-0
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 #9 OPENING TIP
? Head coach Fran McCaffery won his 100th game as Iowa’s head coach on Nov. 29 with an 84-61 victory over No. 20 Wichita State at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando.
? Saturday will be the ninth meeting in the series, with Iowa winning the previous eight.
? The Hawkeyes are in the middle of a stretch of playing three games in six days.
? Iowa has won 36 of its last 37 nonconference home games, dating back to November 2011.
? Iowa has had nine different players score in double digits at least once this season. Senior Jarrod Uthoff has reached double figures in every game.
? Senior Jarrod Uthoff ranks 11th nationally in blocks per game (2.9) and senior Mike Gesell ranks 14th in assists (6.9).
? Iowa has made 12 3-pointers in four games this season. The last time the Hawkeyes made 12+ 3-pointers in a game four times in a season was in 2009-10 (five times).
? Jarrod Uthoff was selected as one of 10 players on the Preseason All-Big Ten team. Uthoff has denied a combined 14 shots the last three games.
? Iowa is 43-6 when scoring 80 points or more, the last six seasons. The Hawkeyes are 58-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last six years.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Monday’s game will be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Gary Dolphin will handle 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:Monday night’s game will be televised nationally on BTN (BTN2GO). Cory Provus and Stephen Bardo will call the action.

SCOUTING WESTERN ILLINOIS
? Western Illinois enters Monday’s game with a 6-1 record; its lone defeat came on the road at Creighton (97-67) on Nov. 28.
? The Leathernecks have three players averaging in double figures: Garret Covington (17.9), J.C. Fuller (16.6), and Jabari Sandifer (10.3). As a team, Western Illinois ranks first in the country in 3-point accuracy (.504, 60-of-119).
? Western Illinois has three players shooting at a blistering 50 percent or better from 3-point range: Fuller (.636, 14-of-22), Batish (.600, 12-of-20), and Covington (.529, 18-of-34).
? The Leathernecks won their season opener on the road against another Big Ten team, Wisconsin. Western Illinois knocked off the Badgers, 69-67, in the Kohl Center.
? Billy Wright is in his second season as head coach of Western Illinois, compiling a record of 13-21. Wright previously served as an assistant coach with the Leathernecks for two seasons (2008-2010) and the associate coach for three years (2010-13).

HAWKEYES CRUISE TO WIN OVER UMKC
? Iowa bested UMKC, 95-75, Saturday afternoon inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With the win, the Hawkeyes improved to 6-2 on the year.
? Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures for the second straight game. Dom Uhl and Nicholas Baer each netted 14 points to spark the Hawkeyes off the bench, while Jarrod Uthoff and Anthony Clemmons each contributed 13 points, and Peter Jok had 10.
? Iowa recorded 12 3-point baskets in Saturday’s win, marking the fourth time this year the Hawkeyes made 10 or more triples in a game.
? Sophomore Dom Uhl scored 14 points to go along with 10 rebounds to record his first career double-double.
? Iowa’s bench scored 53 points — its second highest total of the year (58 vs. Coppin State).
? Freshman Nicholas Baer scored a career-high 14 points, bolstered by a personal-best 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.
? Anthony Clemmons and Mike Gesell each dished out six assists, while Gesell also was credited with a team-best three steals.
? Jarrod Uthoff rejected a game-high five shots for the second time this season.

BAER PROVIDING SOLID MINUTES OFF BENCH
Redshirt freshman walk-on Nicholas Baer is averaging 13 minutes off the bench. Baer is not only producing offensively, but also defensively with his rebounding and taking charges. Baer has made eight of his 14 3-point attempts (.571) this season. He scored a personal-best 14 points in 15 minutes of action in Iowa’s victory over UMKC last Saturday.

IOWA NETS OVERTIME WIN OVER FSU IN BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE
? Iowa bested Florida State in overtime, 78-75, last Wednesday inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The win clinched the Big Ten/ACC Challenge title for the Big Ten.
? The victory over FSU was Iowa’s third straight Big Ten/ACC Challenge victory. It was also Iowa’s first overtime win since registering an 81-77 win at Penn State (Feb. 28, 2015).
? Peter Jok led all scorers with a career-high 24 points, including sinking a go-ahead 3-pointer from the baseline with 26 seconds remaining. His previous high was 20, scored earlier this season at Marquette (Nov. 19). Jok also recorded a career-best four steals.
? All five starters scored in double figures: Jok (24); Uthoff (15); Woodbury (11); Clemmons (10); and Gesell (10).
? Adam Woodbury posted his second double-double in three games. The senior center collected 10 rebounds and scored 11 points in 33 minutes of action.
? Iowa forced 14 turnovers and scored 19 points off the Seminoles’ miscues.
? Mike Gesell recorded three assists, making him the sixth Hawkeye in program history to amass 400 career assists (401).

ADVOCARE INVITATIONAL HAWKEYE HIGHLIGHTS
? Iowa’s 23-point win over No. 20 Wichita State is its largest over a ranked (AP) opponent since beating Michigan by 28 on Feb. 4, 2006.
? Iowa had four starters average in double figures in the three games in Orlando: Jarrod Uthoff (20.0); Adam Woodbury (11.7); Mike Gesell (11.7); Peter Jok (10.7).
? In addition to averaging 11.7 points, Gesell averaged seven assists in the three games. The senior dished out nine assists against two ranked opponents (Notre Dame and Wichita State).
? Adam Woodbury scored in double figures twice (14 vs. Notre Dame and 16 vs. Wichita State). The 15 points against the Shockers was one point shy of equaling a career best. The senior center posted his third career double-double (14 points and 10 boards) against the Irish. Woodbury made 12 of his 18 field goal attempts (.667) and 11 of his 14 free throws (.786).

UTHOFF NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Iowa’s Jarrod Uthoff was one of five players named to the 2015 Advocare Invitational All-Tournament Team. Uthoff joined Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett and Jalen Reynolds, Scoochie Smith of Dayton, and Justin Robinson of Monmouth (MVP). Uthoff averaged 20 points in three games (Dayton, Notre Dame, and Wichita State), reaching double figures in the first half in all three games. The Hawkeye senior also averaged 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, and shot at a 50 percent clip (23-of-46).

DIALING IT UP FROM LONG DISTANCE
Iowa averaged 5.6 3-pointers made per game a year ago. Through eight games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 9.3 triples, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Iowa made 12 triples in four games this season (Coppin State, Marquette, Dayton, and UMKC). The 12 3-pointers made in each contest equal the second most by an Iowa team in the Fran McCaffery era (13 versus Northern Illinois in 2011). Last year, Iowa shot 33.3 percent from behind the arc, while the Hawkeyes are shooting at a 40 percent clip this season.

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 averages 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. The senior has played over 28 minutes twice this year (15 points and seven rebounds vs. Wichita State and 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. Florida State).

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.

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.

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.

HAWKEYE FAST BREAKS
? Iowa returns seven letterwinners, including four starters.
? Iowa has won eight of its last 11 true road games, including posting a 7-3 mark last season.
? 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.
? 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.
? Iowa’s 83-52 effort 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.

DISTRIBUTOR AND PROTECTOR
Point guard Mike Gesell has done an outstanding job directing the Hawkeye offense his entire Hawkeye career. 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. Through eight games this season, the native of South Sioux City, Nebraska, has 55 assists and 16 turnovers (3.4 ratio), to go along with a team-best 14 steals. Gesell dished out a career-best 12 assists in Iowa’s win over Coppin State. He has been credited with nine or more assists four times this season. His 6.9 assists per game rank 14th best in the country this season.

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. 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. Additionally, Gesell, Uthoff, and Adam Woodbury were named 2015 Academic All-Big Ten.

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. This season, Uthoff is one of 10 men’s basketball players selected to the 2015 Preseason All-Big Ten team, selected by a media voting panel, and was named to the 2015 Advocare Invitational after averaging 20 points in three games. The senior has scored in double figures in all eight games, including reaching double figures in the first half in four of those contests. Uthoff has scored 20 or more three times this year. Uthoff ranks first on the team in scoring (17.1), blocks (2.9) and 3-pointers (16), and is second in rebounding (6.1). His 2.9 blocks per game ranks 11th best in the nation.

EXPERIENCED BACKCOURT
Iowa has two senior point guards (Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons) and a junior shooting guard (Peter Jok) on this year’s roster. Clemmons, who has started 31 of 110 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, and free throw percentage in 2014-15. Clemmons is averaging 7.9 points and four assists this season. Gesell is a four-year starter, who has 870 points, 407 assists, and 130 steals. He is 73 assists from tying Ronnie Lester (480) for fifth.

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 started 2015 with a new number, changing from No. 3 last year to No. 14 this season. Jok averaged seven points per game in 2014-15, which ranked fifth on the squad. His 36 triples in 2015 rank as the sixth most by a sophomore in Iowa history. His 19 steals, 44 assists, 83 field goals and 36 treys last season were single season bests. This season, Jok ranks second on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg) and is first in free throw accuracy (.857, 18-of-21). He has scored 20 or more points twice this season (20 at Marquette on Nov. 19 and a career-best 24 versus Florida State last Wednesday). In addition to netting 24 points against the Seminoles, Jok had a career-best four steals. The Hawkeye junior has scored in double figures each of the last three games and five of the last six.

MUSCLE GAIN
Last season, freshman Dom Uhl was listed a 6-foot-8 and 195 pounds. 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 is averaging 16 minutes, 7.3 points, and 3.6 rebounds per game this year. He posted his first career double-double on Saturday against UMKC with 14 points and a personal-high 10 boards.

IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
The Hawkeyes were 4-6 against opponents ranked in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches polls last season. Iowa played two games against ranked opponents at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando (Nov. 26-27). The Hawkeyes split the two games, falling to No. 17 Notre Dame (68-62), but overwhelmed No. 20 Wichita State (84-61).

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.

McCAFFERY’S HONORED WITH FIGHTING SPIRIT AWARD
The American Cancer Society honored Fran and Margaret McCaffery with the Fighting Spirit Award, Sept. 30, in Troy, New York, at the 10th Anniversary Coaches vs. Cancer Basket Ball. The McCaffery’s were honored for bringing attention and their tremendous amount of fundraising for cancer research. McCaffery was also honored with the Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award during Final Four Weekend in Indianapolis last April. The honor is awarded annually to a college coach who has been engaged vigorously in the Coaches vs. Cancer program’s fundraising, education and promotional initiatives and has demonstrated leadership in the fight to save more lives from cancer. The McCaffery’s helped raise $176,000 at October’s cancer research fundraiser, which will benefit the Adolescent and Young Adult Program Fund in Johnson County. The McCaffery family committed $22,000 this year and an additional $10,000 per year for the duration of his contract at Iowa.

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 Ames to play nationally-ranked Iowa State on Thursday in an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series contest. The Hawkeyes and Cyclones will tipoff at 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Hilton Coliseum. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

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Men's Hoops Hosts Western Illinois Monday

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