Dec. 21, 2015
THE SETTING
Iowa (8-3) returns to Iowa City to host Tennessee Tech (8-4) in its nonconference finale. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 7:31 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,400). Iowa enters Tuesday’s game winners of five of its last six games, while Tennessee Tech has won seven of its last nine contests. Tickets are available for purchase for $18 for adults, and $5 for youth and UI students. Tuesday will be a basketball doubleheader with the Iowa women’s basketball team entertaining Drake at 5 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come early and sit in an open seat to support the women’s basketball team.
PROMOTIONS
? Jarrod Uthoff Bobblehead Night — FREE Jarrod Uthoff bobbleheads for the first 1,500 fans. The bobbleheads will be distributed beginning at 6 p.m.
? Dollar Dog Night — purchase hot dogs for only $1 (beginning at 6 p.m.)
? Camper Reunion Night — FREE admission for 2015 Iowa men’s basketball campers and $5 admission for their guests
? FREE trading cards for the first 1,000 kids
ON THE AIR
Radio: Tuesday’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: Tuesday night’s game will be streamed on computers and mobile devices via ESPN3 (WATCHESPN). Shawn Keeney and Kevin Lehman will call the action.
| GAME 12: Tennessee Tech (8-4) at Iowa (8-3) | |
|---|---|
| When | Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015 | 7:31 p.m. CT |
| Where | Carver-Hawkeye Arena — Iowa City, Iowa |
| Shop | Herky’s Locker Room |
| Streamed | ESPN3 | Watch Online via WATCHESPN Announcers: Shawn Keeney and Kevin Lehman |
| Radio | Hawkeye Radio Network | Listen | Sirius TBD / XM TBD |
| GameTracker | Stat Broadcast |
| All-time Series | Iowa leads, 1-0 |
| 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  |
NONCONFERENCE FINALE OPENING TIP
? Tuesday will be the second ever meeting between Iowa and Tennessee Tech. The Hawkeyes won the previous meeting, 96-68, in Iowa City in 1970.
? Walk-on Nicholas Baer was rewarded with his performance against Drake (13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks) earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades on Monday.
? Iowa has won 37 of its last 38 nonconference home games, dating back to November 2011.
? Iowa’s RPI is 34th. A year ago at this time, the Hawkeyes’ RPI was 96th.
? 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, who was named Preseason All-Big Ten, ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring (18.7) and blocked shots (3.0), fifth in 3-point accuracy (.490), and is 14th in rebounding (6.4).
? 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).
? Freshman Ahmad Wagner celebrated his 19th birthday on Monday.
? 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.
CLOSING OUT THE NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Iowa enters Tuesday’s game against Tennessee Tech with a record of 8-3. Fran McCaffery‘s last five Hawkeye teams, including this season, have reached eight nonconference victories: 2015 (9); 2014 (11); 2013 (11); 2012 (8).
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 TENNESSEE TECH
? Tuesday will be Tennessee Tech’s fourth road game in five outings. For the fourth time this season, the Golden Eagles rallied from a double-digit deficit and upended Miami (OH), 77-64, last Friday at home. Tennessee Tech is 1-4 overall in true road games.
? Three players scored in double figures in Tennessee Tech’s win over Miami (OH): Torrance Rowe (23); Hakeem Rogers (19); Ryan Martin (16). The Golden Eagles shot 53 percent (25-of-47) from the field and 83 percent (19-of-23) from the foul line.
? Tennessee Tech averages 79.4 points per game with Torrance Rowe leading the team in scoring (16.8), followed by Ryan Martin (13.8), and Aleksa Jugovic (10.3).
? The Golden Eagles have played one more game than Iowa, but have attempted 113 more free throws and made 91 more foul shots than the Hawkeyes. Tennessee Tech ranks fifth in the country in free throw makes (228) and 20th in attempts (300). They also rank 18th in the nation in free throw percentage (.760).
? Tuesday’s game will feature two of the country’s top shot blockers. Iowa’s Jarrod Uthoff ranks ninth in the country in total blocks (33), while Tennessee Tech’s Anthony Morse is 14th with 29 rejections.
? Tennessee Tech ranks 41st nationally in 3-pointers made (97) and 36th in attempts (280). The Golden Eagles have three players who have made over 20 triples: Torrance Rowe (28); Hakeem Rogers (22); Aleksa Jugovic (21).
? Steve Payne is in his fifth season as a collegiate head coach, all at Tennessee Tech. He has compiled an overall record of 68-69. Prior to being named head coach in 2011, Payne served as an assistant coach for nine years with the Golden Eagles.
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Tuesday will be the second ever meeting between Iowa and Tennessee Tech. The Hawkeyes won the previous meeting, 96-68, in Iowa City in 1970. Iowa is 14-0 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference.
HAWKEYES BEAT DRAKE AT HY-VEE BIG FOUR CLASSIC
? Iowa defeated Drake, 70-64, inside a sold out Wells Fargo Arena (15,424) on Saturday afternoon. The Hawkeyes led by as many as 11 points in the contest.
? Iowa blocked 14 shots in Saturday’s victory, a new school record. Iowa’s 14 blocks are also a Wells Fargo Arena record for most blocks by a team during a college basketball game.
? Redshirt freshman Nicholas Baer led the Hawkeyes with a career high six blocks — the most blocks in a single game since Gabriel Olaseni posted 7 against Illinois (March 5, 2013). Baer’s six blocks were also a Wells Fargo Arena record for most blocks by an individual during a college basketball game and were the most by an Iowa freshman since Melsahn Basabe had six rejections against Ohio State in 2011. Baer also contributed 13 points and collected a career-high seven rebounds.
? Jarrod Uthoff added five blocks of his own, marking the third time he has recorded five blocks in a game this season. Uthoff has now scored in double digits every game this year after dropping 11 in the victory.
? Iowa had four players score in double figures, led by Mike Gesell who notched a season-best 17 points.
? Iowa possessed the ball, recording a season-low three turnovers. Conversely, the Hawkeyes forced 11 Drake turnovers and scored 18 points off the Bulldogs’ miscues.
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.
BAER NAMED BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Nicholas Baer was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after his performance against Drake. The honor is the second of Baer’s career and the second time in as many weeks that a Hawkeye earned weekly recognition from the conference office (Jarrod Uthoff was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 14. Baer scored 13 points making five of his 10 field goal attempts, including going 3-of-5 from 3-point range. The native of Bettendorf, Iowa, also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked a personal-best six shots while playing a career-high 30 minutes in Iowa’s 70-64 victory over Drake at the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic in Des Moines. Baer’s six blocks, four of which came in the first half against the Bulldogs, broke the Wells Fargo Arena record in a college basketball game. The six rejections in a game were also the most by an Iowa freshman since Melsahn Basabe denied six shots against Ohio State in 2011. Baer’s six blocks helped Iowa establish a school record for total blocks in a game with 14, besting the previous mark of 13 set against Illinois on March 5, 2013. Baer is averaging 14 minutes off the bench. He has made 11 of his 24 attempts (.458) from 3-point range this season. Baer’s 10 blocked shots on the season rank second best on the team.
DIALING IT UP FROM LONG DISTANCE
Iowa averaged 5.6 3-pointers made per game a year ago. Through 11 games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 9.4 triples, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 32nd nationally. The Hawkeyes have made 103 triples through 11 games; the last time an Iowa team made over 100 3-pointers through the first 11 games of a season was the 2009-10 squad (100). 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).
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,685 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,580-1,105 (.588). That includes a 1,008-353 (.740) record in home games, a 568-749 (.431) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 741-751 (.497) mark in Big Ten games and a 412-127 (.764) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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 ranks 30th in the country in assists per field goals made (62 percent).
? 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 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 12th in the country in assists (6.7). 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.
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. Gesell and Clemmons each have made eight 3-pointers and both average 8.5 points per game through 11 games this season. The duo combine for 119 of Iowa’s 206 assists. Clemmons, who has started 36 of 115 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 scored career point No. 500 in Iowa’s win over Drake. Gesell is a four-year starter, who has 898 points, 426 assists, and 131 steals. He is 54 assists from tying Ronnie Lester (480) for fifth.
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 11 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 No. 2/4 Iowa State. Uthoff ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring (18.7) and blocks (3.0), and leads the Hawkeyes in 3-pointers (25), and rebounding (6.4). His 3.0 blocks per game ranks ninth best in the nation.
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 (12.5 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 nine 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 17 minutes, 7.5 points, and 4.3 rebounds per game this year. He has scored in double figures four times this season. Uhl posted his first career double-double against UMKC with 14 points and a personal-high 10 boards. Last Saturday, he pulled down a game-best eight boards to go along with seven points in a win over Drake in Des Moines.
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 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.
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 on Dec. 14. 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, 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. 2/4 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 in 2012, and the most by a Big Ten player this season against a ranked opponent.
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).
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 open conference play next Tuesday when the Hawkeyes host top-ranked Michigan State in Iowa City on Dec. 29. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.