Men's Hoops Return to Action Against Drake

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Dec. 15, 2015

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THE SETTING
Iowa (7-3) will travel to Des Moines to compete in the fourth annual Hy-Vee Big Four Classic. The Hawkeyes will compete against Drake (4-6). Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 3:30 p.m. (CT) at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa-Drake will precede the Northern Iowa-Iowa State contest, which tips off at 6 p.m. (CT). 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.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Saturday’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.
Streamed: Saturday afternoon’s game will be streamed on computers and mobile devices via ESPN3 (WATCHESPN). Shawn Keeney and Kevin Lehman will call the action.

GAME 11: Iowa (7-3) vs. Drake (4-6)
When Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 | 3:30 p.m. CT
Where Wells Fargo Arena — Des Moines, Iowa
Shop Herky’s Locker Room
Streamed ESPN3 | Watch Online via WATCHESPN
Announcers: Shawn Keeney and Kevin Lehman
Radio Hawkeye Radio Network | Listen | Sirius 81 / XM 81
Live Stats Stat Broadcast
All-time Series Iowa leads, 57-10
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
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HY-VEE BIG FOUR CLASSIC OPENING TIP
? Jarrod Uthoff has led Iowa in scoring five of the last seven outings, including pouring in a career-best 32 points in the last game at No. 2/4 Iowa State on Dec. 10. Uthoff was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Monday.
? Iowa has won its last four games against Drake, dating back to 2009.
? Iowa averaged 85.8 points its last five games, scoring more than 82 points four times.
? 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. Uthoff has scored 24 points or more in the first half of each of the last two contests (Western Illinois and Iowa State).
? Senior Jarrod Uthoff ranks 11th nationally in 3-point accuracy (.510), 13th in blocks (2.8), and 38th in scoring (19.6). Senior Mike Gesell ranks ninth in assists (7.0).
? 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 44-7 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.

FOUR-TEAM PREGAME SPIRIT RALLY
There will be a four-team pregame Spirit Rally prior to Saturday’s game against Drake in Des Moines. The Huddle will be held from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center (730 Third Street). The convention Center is located across the street from the Wells Fargo Arena. Admission to the Huddle is free and it includes cash refreshments and concessions, door prizes, Hawkeye DJ, Iowa cheerleaders, Herky and the pep band. Visit jointheiclub.com for more information. In the spirit of the season the event will be collecting gently used or new winter weather items for those in need in central Iowa. Please feel free to bring hats, gloves, mittens, coats and other winter weather gear to the event and we will donate them to Central Iowa Shelter & Services in Downtown Des Moines.

WELLS FARGO ARENA
Iowa is 2-2 in games played at Wells Fargo Arena. The Hawkeyes lost to Creighton (82-59) in 2011 and Northern Iowa in 2014 (56-44), but beat UNI (80-73) in 2012 and Drake (83-66) in 2013. Iowa’s Peter Jok (Valley HS), Jarrod Uthoff (Jefferson HS) and Adam Woodbury (East HS) all played in Wells Fargo Arena as preps at the state tournament. Wells Fargo Arena, which opened its doors in 2005, has been selected to host two rounds of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The capital city and Iowa State University will host the second and third rounds games this upcoming March. The arena hosted the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, which included legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt’s last game, the NCAA wrestling championships in 2013, and most recently an NCAA volleyball regional final last weekend.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Iowa holds a commanding 57-10 advantage in the Drake series that began with a 36-13 Iowa victory in 1909. Iowa has won 31 of the last 34 meetings, including the last four. Saturday will be the second meeting between the two schools at a neutral site; Iowa won the first contest on a neutral floor in 2013 (83-66).

SCOUTING DRAKE
? Drake enters Saturday’s game on a three-game losing streak, most recently falling by the score of 79-71 at Nevada on Dec. 12. In the loss to the Wolf Pack, 10 of the Bulldogs’ 23 field goals were 3-pointers. Nevada forced 15 Bulldog turnovers and converted those miscues into 22 points. Jacob Enevold posted his fifth career double-double, pulling down a team-best 11 rebounds and scoring nine of his 13 points at the free throw line.
? Reed Timmer’s 19 points per game average ranks 48th in the nation, while shooting at a high percentage from the field (.551, 65-of-118), 3-point territory (.545, 18-of-33), and the foul line (.824, 42-of-51).
? Kale Abrahamson averages 16.1 points per game, bolstered by a career-high 41-point effort against Western Kentucky on Nov. 23. Abrahamson played on the same AAU team as Iowa’s Mike Gesell and Adam Woodbury and played against the Hawkeye duo his first two seasons of eligibility when has was on Northwestern.
? Drake averages eight 3-pointers per game, with three Bulldogs accounting for 84 percent of its makes: Graham Woodward (25), Kale Abrahamson (24), and Reed Timmer (18). The Bulldogs shoot at a 42 percent clip from long distance — 15th best in the country.
? Drake and Iowa have played one common opponent: UMKC. The Bulldogs lost to the Kangaroos (79-73) in Des Moines, while the Hawkeyes won (95-75) in Iowa City.
? Giacoletti brought his Eastern Washington team to Iowa City for the 2003 Hawkeye Challenge. The Hawkeyes beat the Eagles, 70-54, in the first round.

LAST MEETING AGAINST DRAKE
Iowa closed the first half on a 10-0 surge to pull away from Drake and ultimately win 83-66 at the 2013 Big Four Classic in Des Moines. Four Hawkeyes netted double figures: Melsahn Basabe (15), Jarrod Uthoff (14), Peter Jok (14), and Devyn Marble (14). Iowa dominated the glass, outrebounding the Bulldogs by 19 (47-28). Jarrod Uthoff led all rebounders with nine off the bench. The Hawkeyes outscored Drake, 29-5, in second chance opportunities after grabbing 17 offensive boards. Iowa limited the Bulldogs to only six offensive rebounds. Iowa attacked the basket and was rewarded with 30 free throw attempts (made 22).

UTHOFF NAMED BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Iowa’s Jarrod Uthoff was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week along with Maryland’s Melo Trimble. The honor is the second of Uthoff’s career, having first earned the recognition on Jan. 6, 2015. Uthoff shot 61 percent from the field (22-of-36), including a blistering 69 percent from 3-point territory (9-of-13), and 86 percent from the free throw line (6-of-7) in two games last week, averaging nearly a double-double (29.5 points and nine rebounds). He also averaged 2.5 blocks. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, scored a career-high 27 points in a 90-56 win over Western Illinois, and then bested that performance with a personal-best 32 points in a one-point loss at No. 2 Iowa State. The Hawkeye senior scored 24 of his 27 points in the first half against the Leathernecks and 30 of his 32 in the first 20 minutes against the Cyclones. Uthoff’s 32 points are the most by a Hawkeye since Matt Gatens had 33 against Wisconsin on Feb. 23, 2012, and the most by a Big Ten player this season against a ranked opponent.

UTHOFF FILLS IT UP DURING FIRST HALF AT IOWA STATE
Senior Jarrod Uthoff scored 30 first-half points at second-ranked Iowa State, while also grabbing six rebounds, blocking two shots and collecting a steal. Uthoff made 11-of-13 shot attempts, including 5-of-6 from 3-point territory, while also going 3-of-4 from the charity stripe the first 20 minutes of action.

IOWA STATE EDGES HAWKEYES ON LAST SECOND SHOT
? Iowa led by as many as 20 points in the second half, but No. 2/4 Iowa State charged back and upended the Hawkeyes 83-82 in Ames on Dec. 10.
? Three Hawkeyes scored in double digits, led by Jarrod Uthoff’s 32 points. Peter Jok netted 18, while Adam Woodbury had 12. Jok scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, bolstered by making four 3-pointers the first 5:05 of the half.
? Jarrod Uthoff recorded 30 of his 32 points in the first half. The senior also had a team-high nine rebounds and four blocks. Uthoff becomes the first player to score at least 32 points in an Iowa-Iowa State game since Acie Earl recorded 32 points and nine rebounds at Iowa State in 1991.
? The Hawkeyes shot 47.7 percent from the field, while Iowa State shot 48.6 percent. Iowa was 9-of-10 (.900) from the free throw line, while the Cyclones were 6-of-11 (.545).
? The Hawkeyes made 11-of-27 3-point attempts, marking the sixth time this season they have made 10 or more in a single game.

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 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).

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 19 attempts (.421) from 3-point range this season. He scored a personal-best 14 points in 15 minutes of action in Iowa’s victory over UMKC.

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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 9.5 triples, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 32nd 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 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The senior has played over 28 minutes three this year (15 points and seven rebounds vs. Wichita State; 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. Florida State; 12 points and five rebounds at Iowa 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 won eight of its last 12 true road games, including posting a 7-3 mark last season.
? 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.

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 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 (7.0). He collected a career-best 12 assists in Iowa’s win over Coppin State. He has been credited with nine or more assists five 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 10 games, including reaching double figures in the first half in six of those contests. Uthoff has scored 20 or more five times this year, including a personal-best 32, including 30 in the first half, at fourth-ranked Iowa State. 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 35 of 114 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 8.4 points and 4.4 assists this season. Gesell is a four-year starter, who has 881 points, 422 assists, and 131 steals. He is 59 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 (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 six of the last eight 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, 7.5 points, and 3.9 rebounds per game this year. He posted his first career double-double 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.

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 is 1-2 against ranked opponents this season. 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). The Hawkeyes were edged at No. 2/4 Iowa State, 83-82, on Dec. 10.

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.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will play its nonconference finale Tuesday against Tennessee Tech. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be streamed on computers and mobile devices via ESPN3.

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