Hawkeyes Play at Nebraska on Saturday

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THE SETTING
Iowa (11-11, 2-7) hits the road for a Saturday contest at Nebraska (15-8, 6-4). Tipoff is slated for 7:07 p.m. (CT) inside Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. Saturday will be the only regular season meeting between the two teams. 

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: Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on BTN (BTN2GO). Cory Provus and Jon Crispin will call the action.

GAME #23 STORYLINES
•    All 11 of Iowa’s wins this season have come when scoring 80 points or more.
•    Fran McCaffery has 399 wins in 22 seasons as a head coach; he is one victory from reaching the 400-win milestone.
•    Both Iowa and Nebraska’s coaching staffs will be wearing sneakers with their dress attire on the sidelines on Saturday to help raise cancer awareness for Coaches vs. Cancer.
•    Jordan Bohannon has five 10+ assists games in his career, which ties B.J. Armstrong and Mike Gesell for second most by a Hawkeye in program history (Cal Wulfsberg, 6). Bohannon’s five career double-doubles — all in points and assists — ties B.J. Armstrong for the most in program history.
•    The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the country in assists per game, averaging 18.6 per contest. Additionally, Iowa ranks 31st nationally in total rebounds per contest (39.7) and rebounding margin (+6.3), and 39th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34).
•    Jordan Bohannon has made five 3-pointers in each of Iowa’s last three road games.
•    Isaiah Moss netted 15 of his 17 points in the first half against the Huskers in last year’s double-overtime game played in Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 5, 2017.
•    Sophomore Jordan Bohannon enters Saturday’s game at Nebraska having made 24 consecutive free throw attempts, dating back to Jan. 4 (Ohio State). Chris Street is Iowa’s record holder, making 34 straight free throws in 1993.
•    Luka Garza is a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree (Nov. 13 and Jan. 2). Garza ranks first among Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (6.8) and second in field goal percentage (.588). 
•    Freshman forward Luka Garza has scored in double figures in eight of the last 12 games and leads the team in double-doubles (4), rebounding (6.8), blocked shots (1.2), and field goal percentage (.588).
•    Iowa’s top four scorers are underclassmen, with all four averaging double figures.
•    Tyler Cook has 40 dunks this season, including a season-best six in Iowa’s win over Drake on Dec. 16. 
•    Iowa has played only two games this year with a full roster (Drake and Southern Utah).
•    The Hawkeyes registered their third largest comeback in school history, and second largest on the road, when they rallied from a 20-point deficit at Illinois on Jan. 11.

COACHES VS. CANCER SUITS & SNEAKERS
Coach McCaffery and his staff will wear Nikes on the sidelines during Saturday night’s game at Nebraska. They are joining coaches from across the country who are trading in dress shoes for sneakers as part of the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers Week. Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and National Association of Basketball Coaches. The program empowers coaches, their teams and communities to join the fight against cancer by participating in awareness efforts, advocacy programs, and fundraising activities.

HAWKEYES CRUISE TO VICTORY OVER WISCONSIN
Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures en route to an 85-67 triumph over the Wisconsin Badgers Tuesday evening in Iowa City. The contest was the only meeting of the regular season between the two teams.
•    Iowa’s 18-point victory is over Wisconsin is its largest margin of victory since beating the Badgers by 25 points (78-53) on Jan. 11, 1997.
•    Tyler Cook and Luka Garza each scored 17 points to pace the home squad. In addition to the 17 points, Garza pulled down a season and game-best 16 rebounds. It marked the most rebounds in a single game by a Hawkeye since Adam Woodbury had 18 against the Badgers on Feb. 24, 2016. The double-double was Garza’s team-leading fourth of the season and second in four games.
•    Point guard Jordan Bohannon recorded his fifth career double-double in points and assists (13 points and 11 assists). The 11 assists are a season best for the sophomore.
•    Redshirt junior Brady Ellingson (concussion) and sophomore forward Ryan Kriener (concussion) did not play.
•    Ethan Happ led the Badgers with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals.  Happ netted 17 of his 21 points in the final 19 minutes.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Iowa holds a 19-10 advantage in the series that began with a 27-17 Husker win in 1907. The Hawkeyes have won seven of the 10 meetings since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, including six of the last seven. Iowa’s lone setback during that stretch was a 93-90 double overtime loss in Lincoln on Jan. 5, 2017.
    The Hawkeyes have won 15 of the last 21 and 10 of the last 13 in the series.
    Nebraska holds a slim 7-6 advantage over Iowa in games played in Lincoln. Saturday will be Iowa’s third visit to Pinnacle Bank Arena. Iowa handed Nebraska its largest margin of defeat (74-46) in Pinnacle Bank on Feb. 22, 2015.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
•    Nebraska enters Saturday’s game ranked 130th in the RPI. Saturday concludes a stretch of playing three games in six days. The Huskers played at Ohio State on Monday and at Rutgers on Wednesday.
•    Nebraska is 5-3 in games decided by six points or fewer, including splitting this week’s road games by margins of five (64-69 loss at Ohio State) and six (60-54 win at Rutgers).
•    The Huskers are 11-1 at home this season, boasting a +10.3 average margin of victory in those games. Nebraska’s only home setback this season came by one point to nationally-ranked Kansas (73-72) on Dec. 16. 
•    Nebraska won its last game, 60-54, at Rutgers on Wednesday. Nebraska’s starters scored 59 of its 60 points in the victory.
•    Three Huskers average double digits in scoring: James Palmer Jr. (16.7), Isaac Copeland (12.6), and Glynn Watson Jr. (11.2). Palmer (Miami) and Copeland (Georgetown) are transfers.
•    Glynn Watson poured in a career and game-high 34 points in last year’s double overtime game against Iowa in Lincoln on Jan. 5, 2017. 
•    Nebraska ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.304), fifth in blocked shots (5.7), turnover margin (+1.8) and steals (5.7), and seventh in field goal percentage defense (.415). The Huskers are last in the conference in rebounding margin (-3.2). James Palmer’s 16.7 scoring average ranks seventh best in the league, while Glyn Watson’s 1.6 steals per contest average is third best.
•    Senior Anton Gill did not play against the Hawkeyes last season after suffering a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee in December, 2016.
•    Nebraska ranks 16th nationally in blocked shots per game (5.7), 21st in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.304), and 25th in fewest turnovers per game (11.4). Individually, James Palmer ranks 26th nationally in free throw attempts (142) and 43rd in free throw makes (105), while Isaiah Roby ranks 71st in blocked shots (1.77).
•    Tim Miles is in his 23rd season as a head coach and his sixth season at Nebraska. Miles guided the Huskers to the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

LAST MEETING
Iowa avenged an early season double-overtime road loss to Nebraska on Feb. 5, 2017, with an 81-70 victory over the Huskers in Iowa City.  
•    Senior guard Peter Jok returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games due to injury. Jok finished with 12 points, bolstered by 8-of-8 at the free throw line.
•    Iowa assisted on 22 of its 27 field goals (81 percent). Brady Ellingson dished out five assists and had no turnovers.
•    Nebraska outscored Iowa 22-7 in second-chance opportunities, however the Hawkeyes outscored the Huskers 27-9 via the 3-point shot and 18-13 at the free throw line.
•    Ten of Iowa’s players who saw action scored. Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures: Jordan Bohannon (15), Tyler Cook (13), Peter Jok (12), and Brady Ellingson (11). 
•    Three Huskers netted double digits: Jack McVeigh (16), Tai Webster (14), and Jordy Tshimanga (10).

CONNOR McCAFFERY OUT INDEFINITELY
Freshman guard Connor McCaffery underwent a tonsillectomy on Dec. 27, in Iowa City as a result of recurrent bouts of throat infections and his recent case of mononucleosis.
    McCaffery, who already missed 10 games of his freshman campaign due to a sprained ankle and mononucleosis, will be out for an indeterminate period of time. 
    The native of Iowa City has played limited minutes in four nonconference games.

GARZA SHINES IN FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Freshman Luka Garza leads the team in blocked shots (1.2), rebounding (6.8), double-doubles (4), and field goal percentage (.583), second in free throws made (63) and attempts (98), and is fourth in scoring (11.2). His 6.8 rebounding average and 58.8 shooting percentage ranks first and second, respectively, among Big Ten freshmen this season.
    Garza has made 47 of his last 59 free throws (.797), including a stretch of making 14 straight free throws, after starting the season 16-of-39 (.410) from the charity stripe. Additionally, he has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 12 of the last 15 games. The last two games, Garza posted a team-high 19 and 17 points against No. 3 Purdue and Wisconsin, respectively. He also snagged 16 boards to register his team-leading fourth double-double in the victory over Wisconsin; the 16 rebounds are the most by a Hawkeye in a single game since Adam Woodbury had 18 against the Badgers on Feb. 24, 2016.
    Garza has netted double figures in eight of Iowa’s last 12 games. Garza netted 17 of his 19 points in the second half and overtime and snagged 11 rebounds for his team-leading third double-double in Iowa’s come-from-behind-victory at Illinois. He was a perfect 9-of-9 from the foul line against the Fighting Illini. 
    Garza had his best game as a collegiate player against Northern Illinois, going 8-of-8 from the field, including making all three 3-pointers, and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe, scoring a personal-best 25 points. He also denied a season-best five shots. His efforts garnered the forward Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades for the second time this season (Nov. 13 and Jan. 2).
    Against Chicago State on Nov. 10, Garza became 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.

COOKIN’ WITH TYLER
Tyler Cook ranks first on the team in scoring (14.6) and is second in rebounding (6.5). 
    He had the best game of his collegiate career against UAB (29 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 13-of-16 from the free throw line).
    During Iowa’s five-game win streak (Dec. 10-Dec. 29), Cook averaged 15.2 points. He made 30-of-44 (.682) field goals and 16-of-24 (.667) free throws. He dunked the ball nine times during that stretch, including a season-high six versus Drake. Overall, Cook has 40 dunks this season.
    Cook is tied for eighth in the league in field goal accuracy (.564) and is tied for 13th in rebounding (6.5). The native of St. Louis has three double-double to his credit this season (Penn State, Illinois, and Rutgers).
    Not only has Cook done a good job getting to the free throw line, but making his foul shots. Cook ranks 74th nationally in free throw attempts (120) and 112th in free throw makes (83). He also ranks 44th in field goal percentage (.564).

MAKING THE FREEBIES
Jordan Bohannon has boosted his overall season free throw percentages the last couple weeks by sinking all of his free throws.
    Bohannon enters Saturday’s contest versus Wisconsin having made 24 straight, dating back to the Ohio State game on Jan. 4. Bohannon’s season percentage (.883) ranks first best in the Big Ten. 
    The legendary Chris Street owns the consecutive free throws made school record, making 34 straight over a span of six games (Jan. 2-16, 1993). Street’s streak ended when he was killed in an auto accident on Jan. 19, 1993.

MISSING IN ACTION
Iowa has played two games this season with a full active roster of 16 (Drake and Southern Utah).

• Connor McCaffery: 18 games (combination of ankle, mono, tonsils)
• Nicholas Baer: first six games (finger)
• Ahmad Wagner: UAB (shoulder) and Colorado (ankle)
• Ryan Kriener: Indiana, Purdue, and Wisconsin (concussion)
• Cordell Pemsl: Southern University (leg laceration)
• Brady Ellingson: Wisconsin (concussion)

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.

FRAN McCAFFERY TO BE INDUCTED INTO SIENA HALL OF FAME
The Siena Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017 includes former men’s basketball head coach Fran McCaffery. McCaffery and three others, including former player Ronald Moore (2009-12), will be enshrined in a special ceremony on Feb. 18 at the Times Union Center, prior to the men’s basketball game versus Monmouth.
    McCaffery led Siena to the most decorated five-year run in program history, which culminated with the Saints being the only Division I program to win both their regular season and tournament championships for three consecutive years from 2008-10. The Philadelphia native amassed a 112-51 (.687) overall record from 2005-10, including a 68-22 (.756) mark in the MAAC. McCaffery guided Siena to four straight 20-win seasons and MAAC Tournament Championship Game appearances. Named the 2009-10 NABC District I Coach of the Year and 2008-09 MAAC Coach of the Year, he led Siena to school record-tying 27-win seasons in each of his last two years at the helm, which included a program record 15-game winning streak in his final campaign. McCaffery both recruited and coached four fellow Siena Athletics Hall of Famers, and three of the top-five scorers in program history. 

BOHANNON NAMED CANDIDATE FOR BOB COUSY AWARD
Sophomore Jordan Bohannon is on 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 has five 10+ assists games in his career (Indiana, South Dakota, TCU, Ohio State, and Wisconsin), which ties B.J. Armstrong and Mike Gesell for second most by a Hawkeye in program history (Cal Wulfsberg, 6).
    The native of Marion, Iowa, has had a solid sophomore campaign, dishing out a team-best 112 assists, and averaging 13.3 points. He is averaging 2.7 3-pointers made per game, which ranks second in the league and 94th in the country. He has made five 3-pointers or more in a game five times, including three of Iowa’s last five contests (at Maryland; at Illinois; at Rutgers).
    Bohannon’s five career double-doubles — all in points and assists — ties B.J. Armstrong for the most in program history.
    Bohannon, one of five players named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2017, 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 nation 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 rookie 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). 

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•    Iowa is 75-16 when scoring 80 points or more, the last eight seasons. The Hawkeyes are 67-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last eight years.
•    Iowa trailed Illinois, 49-29, with 3:53 left in the first half and ultimately prevailed in overtime. The 20-point comeback is its third largest in school history and second largest on the road. Iowa had a 22-point comeback, also at Illinois, in 1987. The largest comeback in program history is 23 points against Gardner-Webb in 2012 in Iowa City.
•    Iowa’s 104 points are the most it has ever scored against Illinois in the 109-year series history. Iowa’s 104 points are the most it has scored in a Big Ten game since 1995 against Northwestern (W, 116-77). Iowa topped 100 points in a Big Ten road game for the first time since beating Michigan State, 103-87, on March 3, 1998.
•    Iowa was credited with 34 assists on 36 field goals in its nonconference finale against Northern Illinois. The 34 assists tie the school single-game record previously set on Dec. 1, 1984 against George Mason and are the most by a Big Ten team this season.
•    Iowa is one of only three teams (Michigan State and Wisconsin) to have posted a Big Ten record of .500 or better each of the last five seasons (2013-17).
•    Iowa has won 51 of its last 55 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
•    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.

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).

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,762 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,623-1,139 (.588). Iowa’s 1,623 wins are 38th most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,037-364 (.740) record in home games, a 582-772 (.430) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 764-771 (.498) mark in Big Ten games and a 442-138 (.762) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa returns home on Tuesday when the Hawkeyes entertain Minnesota. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Tickets are available for $25 for adults, and $10 for youth and UI students at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.