Game Notes: Hawkeyes Play at Iowa State Thursday

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THE SETTING
Iowa (4-5, 0-2) travels to Ames, Iowa, for a Thursday night game at Iowa State (5-2, 0-0). Tipoff for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series contest is set for 7:01 p.m. (CT) at Hilton Coliseum.

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’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 (WATCHESPN). Rich Hollenberg and Fran Fraschilla will call the action.

IOWA CORN CY-HAWK SERIES STORYLINES
•    Iowa entered last year’s game against Iowa State with the same 4-5 record it has this season. Last year’s win over Iowa State was the second of five wins in a row between Dec. 5 and Dec. 22.
•    Iowa State leads the 12-event Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, 6-5, after five events.
•    After playing its first three games of the regular season at home, Thursday concludes a stretch playing six of seven away from Iowa City.
•    Brady Ellingson netted a season-best 16 points at Indiana on Monday. The 16 points are the most by the junior in a Big Ten game since scoring 17 versus Ohio State last season.
•    Iowa has yet to play a regular season game at full strength. Ahmad Wagner missed the UAB game (shoulder). Nicholas Baer played his first game at Virginia Tech (finger). Ryan Kriener missed Iowa’s last game at Indiana (concussion), while Connor McCaffery has missed every game (ankle and mono).
•    Iowa’s top seven scorers are underclassmen with sophomore Tyler Cook leading the pack, averaging 14.6 points. Cook also leads the squad in rebounding (7.0). Freshman Luka Garza has a team-best 13 blocks, rookie Jack Nunge leads the team in steals (11), and sophomore Jordan Bohannon has 42 assists.
•    Isaiah Moss was named to the Cayman Islands Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 18 points, leading the team in scoring in its first two games of the tournament.
•    Iowa’s 40 shooting percentage from 3-point range is second-best in the Big Ten. Iowa shot 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from long distance versus UAB on Nov. 22, which is the best shooting performance of any Big Ten team this season.
•    Jordan Bohannon (30) and Tyler Cook (29) poured in career highs in scoring in Iowa’s 95-85 triumph over UAB on Nov. 22, at the Cayman Islands Classic.
•    Tyler Cook had his consecutive field goals made streak of 22 straight snap on his first attempt in Iowa’s last outing against Alabama State (Nov. 12). The power forward’s streak spanned four games, dating back to the second half versus Indiana at the Big Ten Tournament on March 9, 2017.
•    Fran McCaffery has 392 wins in 22 seasons as a head coach; he is eight victories from reaching the 400-win milestone.
•    Iowa is 69-15 when scoring 80 points or more, the last eight seasons.

HAWKEYES FALL AT INDIANA ON MONDAY
Indiana used an 18-0 run over a six minute span midway through the second half to separate from the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday inside Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers ultimately prevailed, 77-64, in the second game of the Big Ten Conference slate for both teams.
•    Brady Ellingson netted a game and season-best 16 points, while also equaling a season high with four assists. The 16 points are the most for the junior guard in a Big Ten game since scoring 17 versus Ohio State on Jan. 28, 2017.
•    Jack Nunge returned to his home state and contributed 12 points in his second start of the season. Nunge, a native of Newburgh, Indiana, shot 50 percent from the field (4-of-8) and made both free throw attempts.
•    The Hoosiers outscored the Hawkeyes, 15-4, at the free throw line.
•    Iowa shot the basketball better from 3-point range (10-of-24, .417) than from inside the 3-point arc (15-of-41, .366).
•    Four Hoosiers scored in double figures: Juwan Morgan (15), Collin Hartman (13), De’Ron Davis (13), and Devonte Green (12).

ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS
Iowa holds a 44-26 advantage in the series. Iowa State has won the three of the last four meetings. Iowa snapped a three-game losing streak to the Cyclones with a 78-64 win in Iowa City a year ago. The home team has won 10 of the last 12 in the series with the Cyclones winning in Iowa City in 2010 and 2015.
    The Cyclones own a slim, 18-17, advantage in games played at Ames. Iowa State has won the last seven 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).

SCOUTING IOWA STATE
•    After losing its first two games of the season to Missouri and Milwaukee, Iowa State has won five straight games, including capturing the 2017 Puerto Rico Classic.
•    The Cyclones won the Puerto Rico Classic with victories over Appalachian State, Tulsa, and Boise State.
•    Iowa State is 2-1 at home this season, winning its last two games over Western Illinois (70-45) and Northern Illinois (94-80).
•    Three Cyclones average in double figures: Donovan Jackson (17.0), Lindell Wigginton (15.1), and Nick Weiler-Babb (13.7). Weiler-Babb also leads the squad in rebounding (7.1) and assists (7.4). Jackson is the only Cyclone with over 20 triples made (23).
•    Iowa State won its last contest, 94-80, over Northern Illinois on Monday night in Ames. The Cyclones trailed 38-36 at halftime, but made 61 percent of its field goals (22-of-26), including 60 percent of its 3-point attempts (9-of-15) in the second stanza. For the game, Iowa State was a season-best 14-of-26 (.538) from long distance. Lindell Wiggington (28) and Donovan Jackson (24) combined for 52 of Iowa State’s 94 points. Wiggington’s 28 points are a personal best.
•    Iowa State ranks 33rd in the nation in both fewest turnovers (83) and fewest personal fouls (117).Nick Weiler-Babb ranks 10th in the country in minutes per game (37.25) and assists per game (7.4), and 27th in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.47). Donovan Jackson ranks 15th nationally in free throw percentage (.952).
•    Steve Prohm is in his third season as head coach of Iowa State (52-25, .675). Prohm came to Iowa State after posting a 104-29 record in four seasons as head coach at Murray State.

LAST MEETING
Iowa posted a 78-64 win over No. 25 Iowa State on Dec. 8, 2017, in Iowa City. Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures to help the Hawkeyes notch their first victory over the Cyclones since 2012.
•    Peter Jok led all scorers and rebounders with 23 points and nine rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for the Hawkeyes were Isaiah Moss (14), Cordell Pemsl (11), and Nicholas Baer (10). 
•    Iowa limited Iowa State, a team who entered the game averaging 84.8 points per game, to 64 points.
•    Iowa outscored the Cyclones, 17-6, at the free throw line. Nicholas Baer was 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.
•    The Hawkeyes led by as many as 17 points in the second half.
•    Five Cyclones scored in double figures, led by Matt Thomas’ 14 points. Nick Weiler-Babb came off the bench and contributed 10 points for the Cyclones.

HAWKEYES SHOOTING THE BALL WITH ACCURACY
Other than games against Louisiana (.367), Virginia Tech (.333), and Indiana (.385), the Hawkeyes have shot the basketball well. The Hawkeyes have shot 50 percent or better in five of their nine games, including shooting a white-hot 60 percent against UAB on Nov. 22. The Hawkeyes shot 59.6 percent against Chicago State, 54.3 percent versus Grambling State, 50.9 percent versus South Dakota State and 50.9 percent against Penn State. Iowa is shooting 47 percent from the field.

GARZA SHINES IN EARLY SEASON GAMES
Freshman Luka Garza ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.6), first in blocked shots (1.4), second in free throw attempts (37), and is tied for fourth in scoring (8.2). 
    Garza became just the second Hawkeye in the last 20 years to register 16 points and five rebounds in their debut (Aaron White in 2011).
    Garza followed up that performance against Chicago State (16 points, 5 rebounds) with a double-double against Alabama State. The native of Washington, D.C. had 11 points and a game-best 13 rebounds. Garza is the fifth Hawkeye to post a double-double in either his first or second game over the last 20 years, joining Dean Oliver, Reggie Evans, Devon Archie, and Aaron White. Garza’s efforts in those first two wins garnered the forward Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades.

IOWA CORN CY-HAWK SERIES
Iowa State enters this week with a slim 6-5 advantage in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. The Hawkeyes have clinched victories in soccer and football, while the Cyclones have won volleyball, and men’s and women’s cross country.
    There are three events scheduled for this week with each event worth two points in the standings: women’s basketball (Wednesday), men’s basketball (Thursday), and women’s swimming and diving (Friday). All three events will take place in Iowa City. 

BACK IN ACTION
Sophomore forward Cordell Pemsl had successful sports hernia surgery in May. Pemsl did not participate in the Prime Time League nor Iowa’s exhibition games overseas.
    Pemsl is averaging 5.3 points and 5.4 rebounds after nine contests this season. The native of Dubuque, Iowa, netted a game-high 15 points in Iowa’s win over Alabama State on Nov. 12. He had a personal-best 14 rebounds and a career-best six assists at Virginia Tech. The 14 boards against the Hokies are the third most by a Big Ten player this season. Pemsl reached double figures for the second time this season against Penn State last Saturday.
    Pemsl started 14 of 34 games a year ago, averaging 8.9 points and five rebounds per contest. The forward shot a single-season school record 61.7 percent (116-of-188) from the field his during freshman campaign.

RECENT GRADUATES PLAYING PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
A number of recent Iowa basketball graduates are playing professionally: Melsahn Basabe (Poland), Anthony Clemmons (Kazakhstan), Gabriel Olaseni (Spain), Jarrod Uthoff (NBA G League: Fort Wayne Mad Ants), Peter Jok (NBA G League: Northern Arizona Suns), Adam Woodbury (NBA G League: Westchester Knicks), and Aaron White (Lithuania).

MOSS ELEVATING HIS GAME
Last year as a redshirt freshman playing alongside honorable mention All-American Peter Jok, Isaiah Moss averaged 6.5 points per game. Through nine games his sophomore campaign, the native of Chicago is averaging 12.4 points per contest, a +5.9 points per game improvement. 
    Moss has netted double figures in seven of nine games this season. He is shooting 44 percent from the field and has missed only one free throw in 18 attempts.

COOKIN’ WITH TYLER
Tyler Cook is having a solid start to his sophomore campaign. Cook ranks first in scoring (14.6) and rebounding (7.0). Cook has made a team-best 57 percent of his field goal attempts (minimum 50 attempts). The native of St. Louis has grabbed six or more rebounds in eight of nine games, including a career-best 12 against Penn State last Saturday. He had the best game of his collegiate career against UAB on Nov. 22 (29 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 13-of-16 from the free throw line).
    Cook ranks 13th in league scoring (14.6) and 11th in rebounding (7.0). He has one double-double this season (Penn State).
    Not only has Cook done a good job getting to the free throw line, but making his foul shots. Cook ranks 36th nationally in free throw attempts (60) and 44th in free throw makes (44).

CONNOR McCAFFERY TO PLAY FRESHMAN SEASON
Freshman guard Connor McCaffery announced his decision earlier this month to play his freshman season on the basketball court. McCaffery will join the baseball team upon conclusion of the basketball season. A decision as to whether or not McCaffery will redshirt baseball this spring will be determined at that time.
    However, the guard’s start to his freshman year has been off to a slow start. After playing in Iowa’s two exhibition games, McCaffery missed Iowa’s first nine regular season games. McCaffery sat out the first two games due to a sprained ankle, while he missed Iowa’s last six outings due to illness (mono).

BOHANNON NAMED CANDIDATE FOR BOB COUSY AWARD
Iowa sophomore Jordan Bohannon has been named to the 20-player watch list for the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. The annual honor recognizes the top point guards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
    Bohannon joins Minnesota’s Nate Mason and Bryant McIntosh of Northwestern as the only Big Ten student-athletes on the national list. 
    The native of Marion, Iowa, has had a great start to the 2017-18 campaign, dishing out a team-best 42 assists, and averaging 12.7 points. He is shooting 47 percent (26-of-55) from 3-point range and 84.6 percent (22-of-26) from the free throw line. He is averaging 2.89 3-pointers made per game, which ties for first in the league.
    Bohannon, one of five players named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, led the Hawkeyes in assists (175) and 3-pointers made (89), and was third in scoring (10.9 ppg). He was one of only two freshmen in the country over the last 25 seasons to register 175+ assists and 85+ 3-pointers. His 89 triples shattered Iowa’s single-season freshman record, besting Matt Gatens’ previous mark of 52 set in 2009. Bohannon’s 175 assists are the most by an Iowa freshman and rank eighth-best by any Hawkeye player in a single season. He finished the season by posting a school-record three straight double-doubles in points and assists (Indiana, South Dakota, and TCU). Bohannon helped lead Iowa to a win at nationally-ranked Maryland, draining eight 3-pointers (8-of-10) — the most by a Hawkeye rookie and one shy of Chris Kingsbury’s school record.

TRIPLE PLAY
Jordan Bohannon finished his rookie season with a flurry, posting a school-record three straight double-doubles in points and assists.
    Bohannon tallied 24 points and 10 assists against Indiana at the Big Ten Tournament on March 9. The native of Marion, Iowa, then registered 19 points and 11 assists against South Dakota on March 15 in the first round of the NIT. Bohannon bested that performance again on March 19, posting personal bests in scoring (25) and assists (13). The 13 helpers are the most by a Hawkeye in a postseason game.

HAWKEYES GO UNDEFEATED IN EUROPE
Iowa finished its European Tour with a perfect record in August notching wins in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. 
    Four Hawkeyes averaged in double figures in the four games. Freshman Luka Garza averaged a double-double (22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds), sophomore Isaiah Moss averaged 12.5 points, Cook averaged 12.3 points, while Ryan Kriener averaged 11.3 points. As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 48.6 percent from the field, out-rebounded their opponents by 18, and had a +5.8 turnover margin.
    Iowa played its first game in Germany, the home of Hawkeye senior Dom Uhl. The native of Frankfurt, Germany, had seven points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in his homecoming. 
    Garza led the team in scoring in all four games.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,749 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,616-1,133 (.588). Iowa’s 1,616 wins are 39th most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,033-361 (.741) record in home games, a 579-769 (.429) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 762-766 (.499) mark in Big Ten games and a 438-135 (.764) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•    Iowa scored 90 points or more nine times in 2016-17. The Hawkeyes netted 90-plus points in three of their four victories.
•    Iowa is one of only three teams to have posted a Big Ten record of .500 or better each of the last five seasons (Michigan State and Wisconsin).
•    Iowa has won 48 of its last 52 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
•    Iowa is 69-15 when scoring 80 points or more, the last eight seasons. The Hawkeyes are 66-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last eight years.
•    Fran McCaffery and his coaching staff are the first in program history to win 18 games or more in six straight seasons. McCaffery’s 137 victories rank second behind Tom Davis (152) for most in the first seven seasons as Iowa’s head coach. 
•    Fran McCaffery has guided Iowa to upper division finishes in the Big Ten in each of the last five seasons. McCaffery has accumulated 17 first division finishes in 21 years as a head coach.

A CLOSER LOOK AT IOWA’S FRESHMEN PRODUCTION IN 2016-17
•    Iowa’s six freshmen accounted for 48.8 percent of Iowa’s offense, besting Iowa’s 1943-44 freshmen class who averaged 40.7 points.
•    Iowa freshmen scored in double figures a program-best 62 times, besting the 1997-98 squad (42).
•    For the first time in program history, Iowa had four freshmen score at least 20 points in a single game: Tyler Cook (24 vs. Seton Hall; 21 at Maryland); Jordan Bohannon (24 at Maryland; 23 at Notre Dame; 24 vs. Indiana; 25 vs. TCU); Isaiah Moss (21 vs. Stetson); Cordell Pemsl (21 vs. Stetson). 
•    For the first time in school history, Iowa had five freshmen reach double digits in scoring in a game throughout the season: Tyler Cook, Jordan Bohannon, Cordell Pemsl, Ryan Kriener, and Isaiah Moss.
•    Iowa freshmen accumulated 96 combined starts, which is the most in program history.
•    Iowa rookies combined to average 15.4 rebounds per game, second behind the 2000-01 squad (16.3 rpg).

ON THE HORIZON
After playing six of seven games away from home, the Hawkeyes will return to Iowa City and Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a Sunday nonconference game against Southern University. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. (CT) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are available at the Iowa Athletic Ticket Office ($15 for adults and $5 for youth/UI students).