Hawkeyes Travel to Ohio State Saturday

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THE SETTING
Iowa (12-14, 3-10) travels to No. 14/16 Ohio State (21-5, 12-1) on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. (CT) at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

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). Brandon Gaudin and Stephen Bardo will call the action.

MICHIGAN STATE OUTLASTS IOWA, 96-93
No. 4 Michigan State scored 48 points in each half and rallied late to upend Iowa, 96-93, Tuesday in Iowa City in the only regular season meeting between the two teams.
•    Five Hawkeyes netted double figures: Tyler Cook (26), Jordan Bohannon (17), Maishe Dailey (13), Isaiah Moss (11), and Cordell Pemsl (11).
•    Tuesday’s game was the highest scoring Iowa-Michigan State game since 1988 (103-87 Iowa win in East Lansing).
•    Michigan State doubled Iowa’s production at the free throw line, making 24 foul shots compared to 12 for the Hawkeyes. The Spartans made 82.8 percent of their 29 attempts, while Iowa made 63 percent of its 19 attempts.
•    Iowa reserves scored 28 points, its highest scoring output in a Big Ten game this season.
•    Iowa was credited with 26 assists on 36 field goals and turned the ball over only eight times. Iowa finished the game with only eight turnovers, six in the first half and the other two coming in the final 35 seconds by Michigan State.
•    Both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field; Michigan State made 56 percent of its attempts, while Iowa made 52 percent.
•    Brady Ellingson and Ryan Kriener played limited minutes returning from concussions.
•    Four starters scored double figures for the Spartans: Miles Bridges (25), Nick Ward (17), Joshua Langford (15), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (11).

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Ohio State and Iowa have played 158 games, dating back to 1915, with the all-time series tied, 79-79 (results do not reflect vacated Ohio State wins due to NCAA sanctions). Twenty-four of the last 35 meetings have been decided by 10 points or less.
    Ohio State holds a 48-28 advantage in games played in Columbus. The Hawkeyes have won two of the last three contests played at Value City Arena. Iowa was the first opponent to win at the Value City Arena, taking a 71-68 win in 1999.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
•    The Buckeyes have posted a 10-1 record since resuming conference play in Iowa City on Jan. 4. Ohio State has ascended into a first-place conference tie with Purdue with identical 12-1 records. 
•    The Buckeyes own the tiebreaker over Purdue by virtue of its 64-63 road win at Purdue Wednesday in West Lafayette. The Buckeyes trailed by as many as 14 points with 10:17 remaining, but Ohio State outscored the home squad 25-10 over the last 10 minutes. Keita Bates-Diop registered his team-best 11th double-double (19 points and 11 rebounds), scoring the game-winning basket on a tip-in with three seconds remaining.
•    Four Buckeyes average double figures in scoring: Keita Bates-Diop (20.2), Jae’Sean Tate (12.7), C.J. Jackson (12.5), and Kaleb Wesson (10.8).
•    Saturday will be the fifth time in six games that Ohio State will be playing at home. The Buckeyes played four consecutive home contests prior to their Wednesday road game at Purdue. Ohio State boasts a 14-2 home record, with the two setbacks coming to Clemson (79-65) and Penn State (82-79). The Buckeyes will play three of its final four regular season contests on the road.
•    Ohio State ranks 23rd nationally in field goal percentage (.488) and 32nd in rebound margin (5.9). Individually, Keita Bates-Diop ranks 18th in the country in double-doubles (11), 41st in points per game (20.2), 44th in rebounds per game (9.0), and 82nd in blocked shots (1.65). Bates-Diop’s 20.2 scoring average is tops in the Big Ten.
•    Kaleb Wesson is one of four Buckeyes to shoot at or above 50 percent. His 56.7 percent shooting leads the team and ranks eighth in the Big Ten.
•    Senior Kam Williams (8.0 ppg) has missed the last two games due to a suspension.
•    Chris Holtmann is in his first season as head coach of the Buckeyes. Holtmann spent the last three seasons at Butler where he made the NCAA Tournament in all three seasons and became one of four active coaches to win at least one NCAA Tournament game in each of his first three years at a school.

LAST MEETING
All five Ohio State starters scored in double figures in a 92-81 win over Iowa on Jan. 4, 2018, on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
•    After trailing by double digits for most of the first half, Iowa cut the deficit to five (46-41) with 17:10 remaining in the second half. However, the Buckeyes scored the next 10 points and ultimately went on to win by 11 points.
•    Jordan Bohannon registered his fourth career double-double and first of the season, posting 15 points and 10 assists. 
•    Sophomore Tyler Cook led the team in scoring and rebounding, recording 21 points and nine rebounds against the Buckeyes.
•    Both teams made seven 3-pointers and Iowa made one more free throw than Ohio State; the difference in the game was the Buckeyes’ shooting accuracy from the field (53 percent), making six more than the Hawkeyes (43 percent).
•    Iowa grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored 24 points on those second chance opportunities.
•    The Ohio State-Iowa all-time series is now even at 79-79 after 158 games played.
•    Keita Bates-Diop led all scorers and rebounders with 27 points and 13 rebounds, respectively. Jae-Sean Tate contributed 18 points, while Kam Williams had 13, C.J. Jackson netted 12, and Kaleb Wesson tallied 10.

BIG SECOND HALVES FOR THE HAWKEYES
Iowa has scored 50 or more second-half points six times this season, including three of its last four games (50 at Nebraska, 57 versus Minnesota, 51 versus No. 4 Michigan State). The 57 second-half points against the Gophers are the most in the second half of a Big Ten game since scoring 62 at Illinois on March 4, 1990.
    The last time Iowa scored 57 or more points in the second half of a Big Ten game, Cheers was the No. 1 rated television show, Pretty Woman was released in the movie theaters, gas was $1.06/gallon, and minimum wage was $3.80.
    Other Iowa games this season netting 50 points or more include Louisiana (54), Southern (50), and Drake (50).

GARZA SHINES IN FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Freshman Luka Garza leads the team in blocked shots (1.1), and is second in rebounding (6.5), double-doubles (4), free throws made (76) and attempts (115), and is third in field goal accuracy (.546) and scoring (11.0). His 6.5 rebounding average and 54.6 shooting percentage ranks first and third, respectively, among Big Ten freshmen this season.
    Garza has made 60 of his last 76 free throws (.789), including a stretch of making 14 straight free throws, after starting the season 16-of-39 (.410) from the charity stripe. He posted a team-high 19 and 17 points against No. 3 Purdue and Wisconsin, respectively, on Jan. 20 and Jan. 23. He also snagged 16 boards to register his 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 nine of Iowa’s last 16 games. Garza netted 17 of his 19 points in the second half and overtime and snagged 11 rebounds for his 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 (15.7), rebounding (6.6), and free throws made (95) and attempted (143).
    He had the best game of his career versus UAB (29 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 13-of-16 from the free throw line).
    Cook has registered 50 dunks this season (1.9 per game), including a season-best six in Iowa’s win over Drake on Dec. 16. 
    Cook is seventh in the league in field goal accuracy (.574) and 12th in rebounding (6.6). The native of St. Louis has a team-best five double-doubles to his credit this season (Penn State, Illinois, Rutgers, Nebraska, and Minnesota). Cook has registered four double-doubles in the last seven contests.
    Not only has Cook done a good job getting to the free throw line, but making his foul shots. Cook ranks 66th nationally in free throw attempts (143) and 124th in free throw makes (95). He also ranks 33rd in field goal percentage (.574).

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 at Ohio State having made 30 straight, dating back to the first Ohio State game on Jan. 4. Bohannon’s season percentage (.894) ranks second in the Big Ten behind Michigan State’s Cassius Winston (.906).
    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.

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), Josh Oglesby (NAPB: Rochester RazorSharks); Adam Woodbury (NBA G League: Westchester Knicks), and Aaron White (Lithuania).

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 college basketball. 
    Bohannon has six 10+ assists games in his career (Indiana, South Dakota, TCU, Ohio State, and Wisconsin), which ties Cal Wulfsberg for the most by a Hawkeye in program history.  His six career double-doubles — all in points and assists — are the most in program history.
    The native of Marion, Iowa, has had a solid sophomore campaign, dishing out a team-best 138 assists, and averaging 13.7 points. He is averaging 2.88 3-pointers made per game, which ranks first in the league and 51st in the country. He has made five 3-pointers or more in a game seven times, including five of Iowa’s last nine contests (at Maryland; at Illinois; at Rutgers; at Nebraska, vs. No. 4 Michigan State). 
    Bohannon played limited minutes at Penn State a week ago Saturday due to an illness.
    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). 

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

• Connor McCaffery: 22 games (combination of ankle, mono, tonsils)
• Nicholas Baer: first six games (finger)
• Ahmad Wagner: two games (shoulder and ankle)
• Ryan Kriener: six games (concussions)
• Cordell Pemsl: one game (leg laceration)
• Brady Ellingson: four games (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 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. 

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•    Iowa is 76-17 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 had six players score in double figures in two games: Chicago State (Nov. 11) and Minnesota (Jan. 30).
•    Iowa scored 57 second-half points in its home game against Minnesota on Jan. 30, the most points scored in the second half of a Big Ten game since scoring 62 at Illinois on March 4, 1990.
•    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’s 18-point victory is over Wisconsin on Jan. 23 (85-67), is its largest margin of victory since beating the Badgers by 25 points (78-53) on Jan. 11, 1997.
•    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.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,766 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,624-1,142 (.587). Iowa’s 1,624 wins are 38th most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,038-365 (.740) record in home games, a 582-774 (.429) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 765-774 (.497) mark in Big Ten games and a 443-139 (.761) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will remain on the road for its next contest, playing at Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Tipoff is slated for 5:31 p.m. (CT) at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Wednesday’s contest will be televised on BTN.