Men’s Hoops Plays at Iowa State Thursday – University of Iowa Athletics

Dec. 8, 2015

THE SETTING
Iowa (7-2), winners of its last four contests, will visit No. 2/4 Iowa State (7-0) on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:31 p.m. (CT) at Hilton Coliseum (14,384).

ON THE AIR
Radio: Thursday’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: Thursday night’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 (WATCHESPN). Mark Neely and Fran Fraschilla will call the action.

GAME 10: Iowa (7-2) at #2/4 Iowa State (7-0)
When	Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 \| 6:31 p.m. CT
Where	Hilton Coliseum — Ames, Iowa
Shop	Herky’s Locker Room
TV	ESPN2 \| Watch Online via WATCHESPN Announcers: Mark Neely and Fran Fraschilla
Radio	Hawkeye Radio Network \| Listen \| Sirius 81 / XM 81
Live Stats	GameTracker
All-time Series	Iowa leads, 43-25
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

IOWA CORN CY-HAWK SERIES OPENING TIP
? Iowa, who has won four straight games, will be playing its fourth game in nine days Thursday.
? Iowa has won eight of its last 11 true road games, including posting a 7-3 mark last season.
? 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.
? 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.
? Jarrod Uthoff is averaging 19.3 points (shooting 50 percent from the field & 3-point range), 7.8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks during Iowa’s four-game win streak.
? Senior Jarrod Uthoff ranks 22nd nationally in blocks per game (2.6) and senior Mike Gesell ranks 15th 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.
? Iowa is 44-6 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.

IOWA CORN CY-HAWK SERIES
Iowa currently leads the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, 10-4. Six points are up for grabs this week: men’s hoops (Thursday), and women’s hoops and women’s swimming (Friday). The Cyclones have recorded wins in men’s and women’s cross country. The Hawkeyes posted victories in volleyball, soccer, wrestling, football, and academics. Each victory is worth two points, except football (three points).

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Iowa holds a 43-25 advantage in the series. Iowa State has won the last two meetings, including edging the Hawkeyes, 85-82, in Ames in 2013. The home team has won eight of the last 10 in the series with the Cyclones winning in Iowa City last season and in 2010. The Cyclones own a slim, 18-16, advantage in games played at Ames. Iowa State has won the last six meetings in Hilton Coliseum. The Hawkeyes’ last victory in Ames came on March 21, 2003 (54-53) in the postseason NIT. Iowa’s last regular season victory in Hilton was Dec. 8, 2001 (78-53).

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.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE
? Iowa State boasts a +20.3 margin of victory in its seven wins to start the season.
? All five Cyclone starters average in double figures: Georges Niang (18.6); Monte Morris (14.9); Abdel Nader (14.6); Jameel McKay (13.9); and Naz Long (12.9).
? The Cyclones beat Buffalo, 84-63, Monday in Ames. Three players posted double-doubles: Niang (31 points and 12 rebounds); Morris (12 points and 10 assists), and McKay (13 points and 10 rebounds).
? Seven players average 14 minutes or more of action for the Cyclones, with four others averaging between 2-3 minutes.
? The Cyclones rank second in the country in defensive rebounds (33.3); fifth in fewest fouls (15.3); ninth in field goal percentage (.517); 16th in scoring offense (86.9); and 17th in assists (18.4). Individually, Monte Morris ranks seventh nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.1), Jameel McKay ranks 11th in rebounding (7.3), 24th in offensive rebounding (3.9) and 39th in field goal percentage (.608), and Georges Niang ranks 25th in free throw percentage (.913, 21-of-23).
? Iowa State won the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Florida, with wins over Virginia Tech and Illinois Thanksgiving weekend. The Hawkeyes will be competing in that holiday tournament in 2016.
? Steve Prohm is in his first season as head coach of Iowa State. Prohm came to Iowa State after posting a 104-29 record in four seasons as the head coach at Murray State. Prohm guided the Racers to two Ohio Valley Conference outright regular-season titles and three conference division championships.

LAST MEETING AGAINST IOWA STATE
Iowa State snapped Iowa’s 31-game home win streak against nonconference opponents with a 90-75 win in Iowa City on Dec. 12, 2014. Senior Aaron White led the Hawkeyes in scoring (18), while Naz Long paced the Cyclones with 21 points. The Cyclones shot 44 percent from 3-point range (12-of-27).

HAWKEYES CRUISE TO WIN OVER WESTERN ILLINOIS
? Iowa reached the 90-point plateau for the second straight game with a 90-56 convincing victory over Western Illinois Monday evening inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
? Three Hawkeyes scored in double digits led by Jarrod Uthoff’s career-high 27 points. Dom Uhl netted double figures for the second straight contest with 15 points, while Adam Woodbury contributed 10 points.
? Iowa made 10 3-pointers. The Hawkeyes have made 10 or more 3-pointers five times this season, including the last two games.
? Anthony Clemmons and Mike Gesell combined to dish out 13 assists; Gesell had seven and Clemmons had six.
? Dom Uhl rejected a game and career-best three shots.

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 16 attempts (.500) from 3-point range this season. He scored a personal-best 14 points in 15 minutes of action in Iowa’s victory over UMKC last Saturday.

UTHOFF NAMED TO ADVOCARE INVITE 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 nine games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 9.3 triples, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 44th nationally. Iowa made 12 triples in four games this season (Coppin State, Marquette, Dayton, and UMKC). The last time the Hawkeyes made 12+ 3-pointers in a game four times in a season was in 2009-10 (five times). 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).

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 seven players who are shooting 50 percent or better from the floor during its four-game win streak (Nov. 29-Dec. 7).
? Iowa’s win over Florida State on Dec. 2, clinched the Big Ten/ACC Challenge for the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes have clinched the Challenge for the Big Ten each of the last two years.
? Iowa has won 37 of its last 38 nonconference home games, dating back to November 2011.
? 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. The native of South Sioux City, Nebraska, ranks 15th in the country in assists (6.9) and 53rd in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.4). He collected 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.

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 nine games, including reaching double figures in the first half in five of those contests. Uthoff has scored 20 or more four times this year, including a personal-best 27 against Western Illinois Monday night. Uthoff ranks first on the team in scoring (18.2), blocks (2.6) and 3-pointers (20), and is second in rebounding (6.4). His 2.6 blocks per game ranks 22nd 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 8.6 points and 4.4 assists this season. Gesell is a four-year starter, who has 872 points, 414 assists, and 131 steals. He is 67 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 (12.9 ppg) and is first in free throw accuracy (.857, 18-of-21). He has scored 20 or more points twice (20 at Marquette on Nov. 19 and a career-best 24 vs. FSU on Dec. 2). In addition to netting 24 points against the Seminoles, Jok had a career-best four steals. The Hawkeye junior has scored in double figures five of the last seven outings.

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, 8.1 points, and 3.7 rebounds per game this year. He posted his first career double-double last Saturday against UMKC with 14 points and a personal-high 10 boards. He followed up that performance with 15 points, four rebounds, and a career-high three blocks versus Western Illinois on Monday.

IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
The Hawkeyes were 4-6 against opponents ranked in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches polls last season. Thursday will be Iowa’s third contest this season against a ranked opponent. The Hawkeyes split their first two games versus ranked opponents at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando (Nov. 26-27). Iowa fell 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’s next game will not be until Saturday, Dec. 19, against Drake at the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic in Des Moines at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Hawkeyes will an eight-day break between games to prepare and take final exams for the fall semester.

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