Hawkeyes Host Northwestern on Senior Day

Fight For Iowa | Hawk Talk Monthly — February | Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store – https://hawkeyefanshop.com/?utm_source=HawkeyeSports&utm_medium=HawkeyeSports&utm_campaign=HawkeyeSports | Game Notes (PDF)

THE SETTING
Iowa (12-18, 3-14) will play its home finale on Sunday against Northwestern (15-15, 6-11). Tipoff is set for 6:37 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are available for purchase at the Iowa Athletic Ticket Office, calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS or by clicking hawkeyesports.com/tickets. Sunday’s game will be the only regular season meeting between the two teams. 
    Sunday will mark the third time in seven years that Iowa closes its Big Ten schedule versus Northwestern. 

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: Sunday’s game will be televised nationally on BTN (BTN2GO). Brandon Gaudin and Jon Crispin will call the action.

HOME FINALE STORYLINES
•    Iowa will recognize two senior student-athletes (Charlie Rose and Dom Uhl) and one student manager prior to the game at approximately 6:20 p.m. (CT) at center court.
•    Sunday marks the seventh time in eight years under Fran McCaffery that Iowa will play its regular season finale at home (4-2). Iowa is 5-2 in regular season finales under McCaffery.
•    Isaiah Moss scored 19 points in the final 1:36 of Wednesday’s game at Minnesota.
•    Iowa’s top four scorers are underclassmen, with all four averaging double figures.
•    Iowa has scored 50 points or more in the second half in four of its last eight games, including pouring in 63 second-half points at Minnesota Wednesday evening.
•    Iowa is 11-1 this season when leading with five minutes remaining in the second half. The lone setback came last Tuesday to No. 4 Michigan State.
•    Fran McCaffery earned his 400th career win as a head coach on Jan. 30, vs. Minnesota.
•    Sophomore Tyler Cook has recorded double-doubles in five of Iowa’s last 12 games.
•    Over the previous 25 seasons, just five Big Ten freshmen have averaged 11 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one block per game. Currently, Luka Garza averages 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks.
•    Jordan Bohannon (.897). Bohannon enters Sunday’s contest versus Northwestern having made 32 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.
•    All 12 of Iowa’s wins have come scoring 80 points or more. Iowa has scored 93 points or more in three Big Ten games (Illinois, Minnesota, and MSU) for the first time since 1994-95.
•    Luka Garza, a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, ranks first among Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (6.4) and third in field goal percentage (.552). Garza’s four double-doubles are the most by an Iowa freshman since Aaron White’s four in 2011-12.
•    Tyler Cook has 56 dunks this season, including a season-best six in a win over Drake.
•    Iowa has played only two games this year with a full roster (Drake and Southern Utah).
•    Jordan Bohannon has six 10+ assists games in his career, matching Cal Wulfsberg for the most by a Hawkeye in program history. Bohannon’s six career double-doubles — all in points and assists — are the most in program history.
•    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.

MINNESOTA UPENDS HAWKEYES IN MINNEAPOLIS
After trailing by as many as 20 points in the first half, Iowa mounted a furious second-half rally that fell just short in an 86-82 loss at Minnesota Wednesday night. 
•    Iowa scored 63 second-half points after scoring only 19 points in the first stanza. The 44-point differential per half is the second largest in the country this season (46 by Maine vs. Albany). Furthermore, the Hawkeyes netted 22 points in the final 96 seconds of the second half. Isaiah Moss scored 19 of Iowa’s 22 points during that span. Moss finished the contest with a career-best 32 points.
•    Wednesday marked the fifth time in six games that an Iowa-Minnesota game played in Williams Arena was decided by six points or fewer, dating back to 2012.
•    Also posting a career high in scoring on Wednesday was Ryan Kriener. The sophomore forward netted all 15 of his points (7-of-11 FG; 1-of-2 FT) in the second half. 
•    Minnesota started the game with a 22-2 lead taking advantage of eight Hawkeye turnovers in the first 8:15 of the contest. However, Iowa did a much better job valuing the basketball the final 31:45, finishing the game with 12 turnovers.
•    Both Iowa and Minnesota had long scoring droughts in the first half; Iowa went scoreless for 6:51, while Minnesota was held without a point for 7:33.
•    Iowa, who ranks fifth nationally in assists per game, dished out 20 assists, marking the sixth time this season that the Hawkeyes were credited with 20 assists or more.
•    Four Gophers netted double figures: Nate Mason (33), Dupree McBrayer (16), Jordan Murphy (10), and Davonte Fitzgerald (10). Murphy also grabbed 10 rebounds for his nation-leading 23rd double-double of the season.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Iowa holds a 115-60 advantage over Northwestern in the series. The Hawkeyes have won seven of the last 10 meetings. The Wildcats won the only meeting a year ago, 89-54, in Evanston, Illinois. Sunday will be Northwestern’s first visit to Carver-Hawkeye Arena since an 85-71 loss to the Hawkeyes on Jan. 31, 2016.
    Iowa holds a 67-18 advantage in games played in Iowa City, including a 27-4 record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes have won the last four contests played against the Wildcats in Iowa City, dating back to 2013. Iowa’s 27 wins over Northwestern in Carver-Hawkeye Arena are the most over any other opponent.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
•    Northwestern enters Sunday’s game having lost five consecutive contests, including three straight at home by single digits to Michigan State (five points), Maryland (seven points), and Wisconsin (six points). The Wildcats played their home games at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, in 2017-18 due to renovations taking place at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
•    Prior to playing three straight home games last week, the Wildcats were on the road for five of six contests. Northwestern is 3-8 in true road games, which includes wins at Minnesota (Jan. 23) and Wisconsin (60-52).
•    Four Wildcats average in double figures in scoring: Scottie Lindsey (14.7), Bryant McIntosh (12.3), Vic Law (12.0), and Derek Pardon (11.4). Law missed Northwestern’s last game versus Wisconsin Thursday evening with an injury.
•    Northwestern dropped its last game to Wisconsin, 70-64, in Rosemont. The Badgers made five more 3-pointers than the Wildcats, including a Brevin Pritzl triple with 29 seconds left to preserve the road win for the Badgers.
•    Northwestern ranks first in the league in free throw accuracy (.754), fourth in 3-pointers made (7.9), fifth in scoring defense (66.2), and sixth in turnover margin (+1.2). Individually, Derek Pardon is third in field goal percentage (.632) and fifth in blocked shots (1.8); Scottie Lindsey is seventh in free throw percentage (.829); Bryant McIntosh ranks third in assists per game (5.25).
•    The Wildcats led No. 2/1 Michigan State by 27 points in the first half on Feb. 17, but ultimately fell, 65-60, in the largest comeback in Big Ten history. 
•    Northwestern ranks 34th in the country in scoring defense (66.2), 51st in blocked shots per contest (4.2), and 56th in free throw percentage (.754). Individually, Derek Pardon is 26th nationally in offensive rebounding (3.3) and 55th in rejections (1.8), while Bryant McIntosh is 55th in assists per game (5.25).
•    Chris Collins is in his fifth season as a head coach, all at Northwestern (88-75, .540). Collins led the Wildcats to their first-ever NCAA Tournament a year ago.

LAST MEETING
Northwestern posted an 89-54 triumph over Iowa on Jan. 15, 2017, at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois, in the only regular season meeting between the two teams.
•    Iowa was led by a pair of freshmen, Tyler Cook and Ryan Kriener, each scoring 14 points. The 14 points are a personal best for Kriener.
•    Iowa outscored Northwestern 14-4 at the free throw line, with Tyler Cook sinking eight free throws in nine attempts.
•    Forward Ahmad Wagner dished out a team and career-high five assists. It marked the first time in Wagner’s career that the sophomore led the squad in assists.
•    Iowa forward Dom Uhl missed his first game of the season, due to a thumb injury sustained in the Hawkeyes’ previous game against Purdue (Jan. 12).
•    Northwestern had four starters score in double figures: Scottie Lindsey (22), Bryant McIntosh (20), Dererk Pardon (14), and Vic Law (12). McIntosh also had 10 assists.

MAKING THE GRADE
Five Hawkeyes were named to the Fall Semester Dean’s List: Nicholas Baer, Brady Ellingson, Connor McCaffery, Jack Nunge, and Charlie Rose. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must receive a 3.5 or higher grade-point average (GPA) on at least 12 graded semester hours. It was the first time that each student-athlete earned Dean’s List distinction.

BIG SECOND HALVES FOR THE HAWKEYES
Iowa has scored 50 or more second-half points seven times this season, including four of its last eight games (50 at Nebraska, 57 versus Minnesota, 51 versus No. 4 Michigan State, and 63 at Minnesota). The 63 second-half points at the Golden Gophers this past Wednesday are the most by the Hawkeyes in a half of a Big Ten game since scoring 63 at Michigan on March 4, 1989.
    The last time Iowa scored 63 or more points in the second half of a Big Ten game, The Cosby Show was the No. 1 rated television show, Major League and Field of Dreams were released in the movie theaters, gas was $0.97/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 (6.4), double-doubles (4), free throws made (83) and attempts (124), and is third in field goal accuracy (.552) and scoring (11.6). His 6.4 rebounding average and 55.2 shooting percentage ranks first and third, respectively, among Big Ten freshmen this season.
    Garza’s numbers are much better in home games, averaging 14.6 points (.628 FG%), seven rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in Carver-Hawkeye Arena compared to 9.1 points (.479 FG%), 5.8 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks on the road.
    Garza has made 67 of his last 85 free throws (.788), 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. 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 12 of Iowa’s last 20 games. He poured in a game-best 22 points (10-of-16 FG, 2-2 FT) at No. 22/21 Michigan. 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 on Jan. 11. He was a perfect 9-of-9 from the foul line against the Fighting Illini. 
    Garza had a stellar performance against Northern Illinois, going 8-of-8 from the field, including making all three 3-pointers, and going 6-of-8 from the charity stripe, scoring a personal-best 25 points. He also denied a season-best five shots. His performance earned the forward Big Ten Freshman of the Week laurels.
    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 garnered the forward Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades.

DIRECTING THE HAWKEYE OFFENSE
Sophomore Jordan Bohannon has had a solid sophomore campaign, dishing out a team-best 161 assists, and averaging 12.8 points. He is averaging 2.7 3-pointers made per game, which ranks second in the league and 67th in the country. His 3-point percentage of 42.4 percent also ranks 38th nationally. He has made five 3-pointers or more in a game seven times, with six of the seven times coming in games played away from home.
    The native of Marion, Iowa, 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.
    Bohannon is one of three players from a major conference with 300+ assists and 150+ made 3-pointers through their sophomore season in the last two decades joining Duke’s Jay Williams (2000-01) and Chris Thomas of Notre Dame (2002-03).
    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). 

COOKIN’ WITH TYLER
Tyler Cook ranks first on the team in scoring (15.3), rebounding (6.7), and free throws made (109) and attempted (164).
    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’s 28-point performance on Saturday against Indiana was the most points scored by the forward against a Big Ten team in his two years as a Hawkeye.
    Cook has registered 55 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 (.567) and 12th in rebounding (6.6). The native of St. Louis has a team-best six double-doubles to his credit this season (Penn State, Illinois, Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Indiana). Cook has registered five double-doubles in the last 11 contests.

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

• Connor McCaffery: 26 games (combination of ankle, mono, tonsils)
• Nicholas Baer: first six games (finger)
• Ahmad Wagner: three games (shoulder, ankle, and illness)
• Ryan Kriener: six games (concussions)
• Cordell Pemsl: one game (leg laceration)
• Brady Ellingson: four games (concussion)

MAKING THE FREEBIES
Jordan Bohannon has boosted his overall season free throw percentages the last two months by sinking all of his free throws.
    Bohannon enters Sunday’s contest versus Northwestern having made 32 straight, dating back to the first Ohio State game on Jan. 4. Bohannon’s season percentage (.897) is tops in the Big Ten. Bohannon is 33-of-34 from the charity stripe in Big Ten play, missing his only free throw on Dec. 4 at Indiana.
    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.

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.

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•    Iowa is 76-19 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 and Michigan State combined for 189 points in the Spartans’ 96-93 win in Iowa City on Feb. 6. It was the highest scoring game played between the two teams since 1988 (103-87 Iowa win in East Lansing).
•    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. 
•    Fran McCaffery has guided Iowa to upper division finishes in the Big Ten in five of the last six seasons. McCaffery has accumulated 17 first division finishes in 22 years as a head coach.

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. 

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,770 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,624-1,146 (.586). Iowa’s 1,624 wins are 38th most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,038-366 (.739) record in home games, a 582-777 (.428) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 765-778 (.496) mark in Big Ten games and a 443-140 (.760) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

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).

ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will play in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Hawkeyes’ opponent will be determined following this weekend’s results around the conference.