Game Notes: Iowa vs. Green Bay

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THE SETTING
Iowa (1-0) will entertain Green Bay (1-1) in a 2K Empire Classic preliminary game benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 2:01 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,056). Tickets are $15 for adults, and $5 for youth and UI students.
    Due to a sold out event at Hancher, the Cambus Hancher complimentary shuttle will not be in service on Sunday. Fans should look for alternative parking options for Sunday.
 
SUNDAY PROMOTION
Sunday is Military Appreciation Day inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
•  Service members and Veterans can receive a free ticket with the promo code: VETERANSDAY when purchasing tickets.
•  Two military vehicles will be outside the arena and also on the CHA concourse.
•  Members of the UI ROTC will rappel from the catwalk and deliver the ceremonial game ball.
•  Wounded Warrior Recognition (Sergeant First Class Daniel Bittner and Sergeant Matthew Cowie)
 
2K EMPIRE CLASSIC PRELIMINARY GAME STORYLINES
•   Iowa has won 52 of its last 56 non-conference home games, dating back to 2012.
•   Sunday will be the third meeting between Iowa and Green Bay. The Hawkeyes won the previous two meetings — both played in Iowa City — in 1973 (74-67 in overtime) and 2003 (82-56).
•   Joe Wieskamp led all scorers in his first collegiate game, netting 15 points, bolstered by sinking four 3-pointers against UMKC on Thursday.
•   Thursday’s game against UMKC was Fran McCaffery’s 700th career game as a head coach. McCaffery’s 152 wins as Iowa’s head coach ties Steve Alford for third most.
•   Jordan Bohannon had his consecutive free throw streak dating back to last season end at 14 after missing a technical foul shot early in the second half of Thursday’s contest versus UMKC.
•   Sophomore forward Jack Nunge and freshman guard CJ Fredrick plan to redshirt.
•   Iowa is 5-0 in games n which Connor McCaffery has played, dating back to last season.
•   Jordan Bohannon (media) and Tyler Cook (media and coaches) were named honorable mention all-Big Ten last year as sophomores.
•   Junior Cordell Pemsl (230) is 19 pounds lighter than when he was a freshman (249).
•   Jordan Bohannon is the only player in the country over the past 25 seasons to record 150+ assists and 80+ 3-pointers as a freshman (175 assists and 89 3-pointers) and sophomore (178 assists and 96 3-pointers).
•   Iowa’s top four scorers a year ago were underclassmen, with all four averaging double figures.
•   Thirteen of Iowa’s 14 wins came when scoring 80 points or more. Iowa scored 93 points or more in three Big Ten regular season games (Illinois, Minnesota, and MSU) for the first time since 1994-95.
•   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.
•   Nicholas Baer became the first Hawkeye to lead the team in steals in back-to-back seasons (1.3 spg in 2017 and 1.0 spg in 2018) since Jeff Horner in 2005 and 2006.
  
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.
Stream: Sunday afternoon’s game will be streamed on mobile devices at BTN Plus on BTN2GO ($). Zach Mackey and Mac McCausland will call the action.
 
IOWA WINS SEASON OPENER OVER UMKC, 77-63
Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures en route to a 77-63 win over UMKC Thursday evening in Iowa City in a 2K Empire Classic Preliminary Game.
•  Four Hawkeyes posted career bests in the season opener. Ryan Kriener had eight rebounds, Tyler Cook blocked three shots, Connor McCaffery scored seven points, and Riley Till rejected his first shot of his career.
•  Freshman Joe Wieskamp led all scorers with 15 points, bolstered by 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.
•  Iowa outscored the Kangaroos, 28-8 at the free throw line.
 
MILESTONES APPROACHING FOR BOHANNON, COOK
Jordan Bohannon and Tyler Cook are closing in on becoming the 47th and 48th Hawkeyes to score 1,000 points. Bohannon is 171 points and 144 assists from becoming the sixth Hawkeye to amass 1,000 points and 500 assists. Cook is 151 points and 125 rebounds from becoming the 26th Hawkeye to total 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

HAWKEYES RETURN EXPERIENCE
Iowa returns 90.5 percent of minutes played a year ago, a percentage that is fourth most in the country: Washington (95.2 percent), Wisconsin (93.9 percent), and Syracuse (90.8 percent). Returning Iowa players scored 94.9 percent (2,496 of 2,630) of its offense a year ago and a combined 4,246 career points entering the 2018-19 season.
    Iowa is one of four schools nationally to have all five starters return with all five being its top five scorers in 2017-18 (Syracuse, Brown, Harvard).
 
SCOUTING GREEN BAY
•  Green Bay is a Division I basketball program that competes in the Horizon League.
•  The Phoenix struggled on the road last year posting a 2-13 record away from Green Bay.
•  Redshirt senior Sandy Cohen III averaged 16.1 points a year ago.
•  The Phoenix set a program record forcing 33 turnovers against Wisconsin Lutheran in Tuesday’s 110-54 season-opening victory. Seven players netted double figures in the win, led by Manny Patterson and TJ Parham’s 14 points each. Green Bay shot 55 percent from the field (42-of-76) and 71 percent (20-of-28) from the foul line.
•  Green Bay lost, 78-74, on Friday to Indiana State before traveling to Iowa City or Sunday’s contest against the Hawkeyes. Indiana State outscored the Phoenix, 27-21 at the free throw line. Sandy Cohen III scored 16 points, while Manny Patterson contributed 10 to pace Green Bay.
•  Head Coach Linc Darner is in his fourth year at the helm of the Phoenix program (55-48 .534).
 
NUNGE, FREDRICK TO REDSHIRT
Sophomore forward Jack Nunge and freshman guard CJ Fredrick plan to redshirt the 2018-19 season. Nunge, one of seven forwards on this season’s roster, saw action in all 33 games a year ago, ranking second on the team in blocked shots (25), fourth in steals (21), and fifth in scoring (5.7). Fredrick was the 2018 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year his senior year at Covington Catholic High School.
 
MILESTONES APPROACHING FOR McCAFFERY
Iowa’s regular season opener against UMKC on Thursday was Fran McCaffery’s 700th career game as a head coach. The 2018-19 season is McCaffery’s ninth as Iowa’s head coach and 23rd overall as a collegiate head coach. McCaffery has 403 overall wins and 152 victories while on the Iowa sidelines. He is one win from surpassing Steve Alford for third on Iowa’s coaching win chart, and 17 victories from surpassing Lute Olson for second. Tom Davis is Iowa’s all-time winningest coach with 269 wins.
 
IOWA WELCOMES 4 HAWKEYES TO 2018-19 ROSTER
Iowa added two scholarship and two non-scholarship student-athletes to its 2018-19 roster. Guards CJ Fredrick (Kentucky) and Joe Wieskamp (Iowa) were their respective state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2018. Guard Nicholas Hobbs and forward Michael Baer join the Hawkeye roster as walk-on. Baer is the younger brother of senior Nicholas Baer.
 
FAMILY AFFAIR
In addition to brothers Nicholas and Michael Baer on the Iowa men’s basketball team, the Baers have two cousins competing on other sports at the University of Iowa. Molly Kelly is a senior on the volleyball team, while Joe Kelly is a freshman on the Iowa wrestling team. Additionally, cousin Kristin Baer is a senior on the Notre Dame volleyball team.
 
MAKING THE GRADE
Nicholas Baer, Connor McCaffery, and Jack Nunge were recognized on the 2017 Fall Semester Dean’s List, while walk-ons Michael Baer and Austin Ash earned Spring Semester Dean’s List distinction. 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.
    Nicholas Baer was also named to the NABC Honors Court following the season for the second consecutive year.
  
BREAKING DOWN IOWA’S BIG TEN SCHEDULE
Of the 10 Big Ten homes games played in Iowa City, eight will be played on weekends: three on Friday nights (Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana), two on Saturday afternoons (Ohio State, Rutgers), three on Sunday afternoons (Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern).
    Other than playing two straight Big Ten road games one month apart (Michigan State on Dec. 3 and Purdue on Jan. 3), Iowa has only one other back-to-back road game sequence (Wisconsin on March 7 and Nebraska on March 10).
    This season will mark the seventh time in nine years that the Hawkeyes will open league play at home and just the second time in nine years that Iowa will play its regular season finale on the road under head coach Fran McCaffery.
 
COOK ATTENDS NIKE BASKETBALL ACADEMY
Tyler Cook attended the prestigious Nike Basketball Academy this past summer in California. The camp provided Cook the opportunity to train alongside some of the best NBA players and coaches. The prestigious skills development camp was limited to 25 of the nation’s top collegiate players, which included a combine experience, drills, off-court workouts, film sessions, and competition.
    Cook is the fourth Hawkeye in five years to be invited to this elite basketball camp, joining Aaron White (2014), Jarrod Uthoff (2015), and Peter Jok (2016).
 
CONNOR MCCAFFERY RETURNS HEALTHY
Guard Connor McCaffery received a medical redshirt following last season. McCaffery (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) has four years of men’s basketball eligibility remaining after averaging 13.3 minutes in only four games last December as a true freshman. The native of Iowa City missed two games due to a sprained ankle, eight contests due to mononucleosis, and 19 games after undergoing a tonsillectomy in December.
    McCaffery is the son of head coach Fran McCaffery. Iowa is one of nine Division I teams in which the head coach has a son on the 2018-19 roster (Cal State Bakersfield, Central Connecticut State, Central Florida, Detroit Mercy, Kentucky, Portland, Syracuse, Tennessee Martin).
 
DIRECTING THE HAWKEYE OFFENSE
Jordan Bohannon, an honorable mention all-Big Ten honoree, had a solid sophomore campaign, dishing out a team-best 178 assists, and averaging 13.5 points. He averaged 2.9 3-pointers made per game, which ranked second in the league and 41st in the country. His 3-point percentage (.430) also ranked 22nd nationally. He made five 3-pointers or more in a game nine times, with seven of the nine 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). Additionally, he is the only player nationally over the past 25 years to register 150+ assists and 80+ 3-pointers as a freshman and sophomore.
  
BIG SECOND HALVES FOR THE HAWKEYES
Iowa scored 50 or more second-half points eight times in 2017-18, including five of its last 11 games (50 at Nebraska, 57 versus Minnesota, 51 versus No. 4 Michigan State, 63 at Minnesota, and 61 versus Illinois). The 63 second-half points at the Golden Gophers on Feb. 21 are the most by the Hawkeyes in a half of a Big Ten game since scoring 63 at Michigan on March 4, 1989.
    Other Iowa games in 2017-18 netting 50 points or more include Louisiana (54), Southern (50), and Drake (50).
 
BOHANNON TIES CHRIS STREET’S CONSECUTIVE FT MADE RECORD
Jordan Bohannon made 34 consecutive free throws from Jan. 4-Feb. 25 to tie Chris Street’s school record for consecutive makes in 1993. Bohannon had an opportunity to break the 25-year old record in the final minutes against Northwestern on Feb. 25.
    The Hawkeye sophomore chose to miss on purpose to preserve Street’s name in the record books. Bohannon’s incredible act of kindness will be recognized later this fall when the Hawkeye point guard will receive an award for his sportsmanship, class, selflessness, and character at the Musial Awards on Nov. 17, in St. Louis.
    The legendary Chris Street owned 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.
    Bohannon’s overall season percentage (.904) ranked first in the Big Ten. Bohannon was 37-of-39 from the charity stripe in 18 Big Ten contests, missing at Indiana (Dec. 4) and versus Northwestern (Feb. 25).
 
MEASURING THE HAWKEYES
Iowa has four players with wingspans over seven feet: Ryan Kriener (7-3), Jack Nunge (7-2), Luka Garza (7-1.5), and Tyler Cook (7-1). Guards Maishe Dailey (6-11) and Joe Wieskamp (6-11) have longest wingspans among backcourt players.
 
FANS FLOCK TO CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA
Iowa ranked 28th in the country in average home attendance (12,026) in 2017-18. The Hawkeyes have ranked in the top 30 nationally in attendance each of the past six seasons, including ranking in the top 25 five of the last six years.
 
RECENT GRADUATES PLAYING PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
A number of recent Iowa basketball graduates are playing professionally: Devyn Marble (Italy), Anthony Clemmons (Kazakhstan), Gabriel Olaseni (Germany), Jarrod Uthoff (Russia), Melsahn Basabe (Israel), Peter Jok (NBA G League: Northern Arizona Suns), Adam Woodbury (NBA G League: Westchester Knicks), and Aaron White (Lithuania).
 
15 DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Iowa players posted 15 double-doubles in 2017-18, led by sophomore Tyler Cook’s seven. Luka Garza had four, followed by Jordan Bohannon (3), and Nicholas Baer (1).
    Cook’s seven double-doubles are the seventh most among Big Ten athletes and the most by a Hawkeye in a single season since Adam Woodbury had seven as a senior in 2015-16. Garza’s four double-doubles are the most by a Hawkeye freshman since Aaron White had four in 2011-12.
 
 GARZA SHINES IN FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Luka Garza led the team in blocked shots (1.0), and was second in rebounding (6.4), double-doubles (4), free throws made (92) and attempts (135), and was third in field goal accuracy (.557) and scoring (12.1). Garza ranked second among freshmen in Big Ten games in rebounding (5.7), third in scoring (12.4), and fourth in field goal percentage (.539) last season.
    Garza is one of two Hawkeyes to total 400 points and 200 rebounds as a freshman (Jess Settles).
    Garza made 76 of his last 96 free throws (.792), 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 netted double figures in 15 of Iowa’s last 23 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 effort 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.
 
COOKIN’ WITH TYLER
Tyler Cook, an honorable mention all-Big Ten selection, ranked first on the team in scoring (15.3), rebounding (6.8), and free throws made (121) and attempted (183).
    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 against Indiana on Feb. 17, was the most points scored by the forward against a Big Ten team in his two years as a Hawkeye.
    Cook registered 60 dunks this season (1.8 per game), including a season-best six in Iowa’s win over Drake on Dec. 16.
    Cook ranked sixth in the league in field goal accuracy (.566) and 11th in rebounding (6.8). The native of St. Louis had a team-best seven double-doubles to his credit this season (Penn State, Illinois, Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, and Northwestern). Cook registered six double-doubles in the last 15 contests.
 
ON THE TUBE
Twenty-eight of Iowa’s 31 regular season games will be televised nationally on BTN, FS1, or an ESPN network. Iowa’s three other games (UMKC, Green Bay, and Savannah State) are available for a fee on streaming devices on BTN Plus on BTN2GO.
 
HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•   Iowa is one of 20 schools in the country to have five or more redshirts on their 2018-19 roster. The Hawkeyes’ five redshirts are tied for second most in the Big Ten with Michigan State (Wisconsin, 8).
•   Iowa is 77-19 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.
•   Fran McCaffery and his coaching staff are the first in program history to win 18 games or more in six straight seasons (2013-18).
•   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.
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Fran McCaffery has the most experienced coaching staffs in the country. The Iowa men’s basketball staff has 58 years of combined collegiate head coaching experience and more than 125 years of collegiate coaching under their belts.
 
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,774 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,627-1,147 (.586). Iowa’s 1,627 wins are 38th most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,040-366 (.739) record in home games, a 583-778 (.428) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 766-778 (.496) mark in Big Ten games and a 445-140 (.760) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
 
ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will travel to New York City to compete in the 2K Empire Classic Thursday and Friday inside Madison Square Garden. The Hawkeyes will open tournament play against Oregon on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. (CT) and then will play either Syracuse or Connecticut on Friday. This will mark Iowa’s fourth visit to to Madison Sqaure Garden in six years.