Game Notes: Iowa vs. Michigan

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THE SETTING
No. 25 Iowa (16-5, 5-5) will host No. 5/5 Michigan (20-1, 9-1) on Friday on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,056). Friday’s game, which is sold out, is the only regular season meeting between the Hawkeyes and Wolverines.
    Friday will be the second time in three games Iowa will host a top-10 opponent (lost 82-67 to No. 6/5 Michigan State on Jan. 24).
        Fans are encouraged to download the ‘Hawkeye Lights’ App to join the pregame light show: apple.co/2sRZDwt (Apple) & tinyurl.com/y7qe3fgg (Android).
 
ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Gary Dolphin (play-by-play) and Bob Hansen (analysis) call the action. 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: Friday’s game will be televised nationally on FS1 (FOXSPORTSGO). Tim Brando and Donny Marshall will call the action.
 
GAME #22 STORYLINES
•   Friday is the annual Black & Gold Spirit Game. Fans are encouraged to wear black or gold clothing depending on their seat location in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
•   Sophomore Luka Garza has scored 20+ points in four straight Big Ten games (Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota). Garza is the first Hawkeye to accomplish the feat since Aaron White in 2015. Garza matched a career high with 25 points and three 3-pointers made at Minnesota on Sunday.
•   Iowa has five players averaging in double figures: Tyler Cook (16.6); Luka Garza (14.8); Joe Wieskamp (11.2); Jordan Bohannon (10.4); and Isaiah Moss (10.2).
•   Junior Isaiah Moss has risen to first in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy (.462, 36-of-78) in large part to making 15 of his last 22 attempts (.682) over the last four games.
•   Freshman Joe Wieskamp, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Jan. 21, has reached double figures in 11 of 13 home games this season.
•   Jordan Bohannon became the 48th Hawkeye to score 1,000 career points versus Ohio State on Jan. 12. Jordan joins brothers Matt (1,092 at Northern Iowa) and Jason (1,170 at Wisconsin) in the 1,000-point club.
•   Fran McCaffery is one win from tying Lute Olson for second on Iowa’s all-time win chart.
•   Tyler Cook had his streak of 15+ points and 5+ rebounds snapped at ten versus Illinois on Jan. 20. Cook was the first Hawkeye in 25 years to total 15+ points and 5+ rebounds in ten straight games (James Winters, 1993-94).
•   Junior Jordan Bohannon shot 29 percent (14-of-48) from 3-point range over the first nine games, but is 43.4 percent (30-of-69) from long distance over the last 11 contests.
•   Senior Nicholas Baer is the only player in program history to total 500 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocked shots, 100 steals, and 100 3-pointers.
•   Junior Tyler Cook is one of 20 Hawkeyes to total 1,100 points and 500 rebounds.
•   Iowa has been nationally ranked in either the Associated Press or Coaches Poll the last 12 weeks (Nov. 19-present). Iowa is ranked No. 25 in this week’s Coaches Poll.
•   Jordan Bohannon has dished out five assists or more in five of the last eight contests.
•   The Hawkeyes are 5-2 in games decided by nine points or less.
•   Iowa won all of its non-conference games for the first time since the 1986-87 season.

HAWKEYES FALL AT MINNESOTA
In the only regular season meeting between two teams, Minnesota outlasted Iowa, 92-87, Sunday evening at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.
•   Minnesota led by as many as 16 points in the second half. Iowa trimmed the deficit to four points with 90 seconds remaining but were unable to get any closer.
•   Luka Garza matched a career high with 25 points and three 3-pointers. Garza has scored 20+ points in four straight Big Ten games (Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota). He is the first Hawkeye to accomplish the feat since Aaron White in 2015.
•   For the second time in a week, Isaiah Moss made his first five 3-point attempts in a game (Illinois & Minnesota). Moss finished with a personal-high six triples and 23 points. Moss has scored 15+ points in all four games played against the Gophers in his career. Moss has scored 20+ points in two of the last three games (Illinois & Minnesota).
•   Tyler Cook (18 points) surpassed Bob Hansen and Kevin Kunnert for 30th on Iowa’s career scoring list with 1,156 points.
•   Both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field: Minnesota (.571, 32-of-56); Iowa (.542, 32-of-59). The Golden Gophers (31) attempted 10 more free throws than the Hawkeyes (21).
•   Six of the last seven meetings between Iowa and Minnesota played in Minneapolis have been decided by six points or fewer.
•   Jordan Murphy led the Golden Gophers registering his Big Ten-leading 13th double-double of the season (23 points and 11 rebounds). Amir Coffey contributed 23 points and five assists.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Michigan holds a 94-63 advantage in the series that began with a 19-15 Wolverine win in 1912. The Wolverines have won 14 of the last 21, but the Hawkeyes have won five of the last eight. Michigan won all three meetings against the Hawkeyes last season.
    Iowa owns a slim 38-37 edge in games played in Iowa City. Iowa holds a 17-14 edge in games played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Michigan snapped a four-game losing skid in Iowa City with a 75-68 win last season in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 2, 2018.
    Four of the last eight Iowa-Michigan games played in Iowa City have gone to overtime, dating back to 2009.
 
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
•   Michigan is ranked fifth in both the AP and Coaches polls, and is fourth in the NCAA NET Ranking.
•   Michigan enters Friday’s contest having won all but one game this season, falling at Wisconsin on Jan. 19. The Wolverines are 6-1 in contests away from the Crisler Center, including a 4-1 mark in true road games.
•   The Wolverines won their last contest, 65-49, over Ohio State Tuesday night in Ann Arbor. Michigan drained 10 triples and was 11-of-12 from the foul line. Zavier Simpson tallied the sixth triple-double in Michigan history — 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists — in the win over the Buckeyes.
•   Ignas Brazdeikis is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after averaging 19 points and nine rebounds in wins over Minnesota and Indiana last week. Brazdeikis has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times, the most in Wolverine history.
•   Three Wolverines average double figures in scoring: Ignas Brazdeikis (15.1), Charles Matthews (12.9), Jordan Poole (12.7).
•   Thirty-two percent of Michigan’s offensive production come via the 3-ball, making 163 triples (489) and totaling 1,499 points this season. Three Wolverines have made 25 or more treys this season: Jordan Poole (45), Isaiah Livers (28), and Ignas Brazdeikis (26).
•   Michigan ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring defense (56.1) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.294); second in turnover margin (+3.8), scoring margin (+15.2) and field goal percentage defense (.392); third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4); and fourth in steals (6.7). Individually, Zavier Simpson ranks first in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.5) and second assists (5.9). Isaiah Livers is sixth in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy (.431). Freshman Ignas Brazdeikis ranks 13th in the conference in scoring (15.1) and 19th in rebounding (5.5).
•   John Bielein is in his 41st season as head coach (819-462, .639) and his 11th at Michigan (268-144, .650). Beilein, who led the Wolverines to the 2018 NCAA National Championship Game, is Michigan’s all-time winningest coach.
 
LAST MEETING
Iowa lost in overtime to eventual champion Michigan (77-71) in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on March 1, 2018m at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Michigan ultimately went on to become national runners-up in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
•   The Hawkeyes held the sharp-shooting Wolverines to 3-of-19 from 3-point range. Michigan missed its first 12 3-point attempts over the first 30 minutes.
•   Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures against the Wolverines, led by reserve forward Ryan Kriener’s 14 points. Tyler Cook and Luka Garza each tallied 13 points, while Jordan Bohannon contributed 11. Bohannon was 3-of-11 from 3-point territory, including sinking a game-tying triple with 16 seconds remaining to ultimately send the game into overtime.
•   Michigan was 18-of-32 from the foul line, including making seven of its 14 attempts in overtime, while Iowa was 10-of-18 from the charity stripe for the game.
 
COOK, BOHANNON JOIN 1,000-POINT CLUB
Jordan Bohannon joined classmate Tyler Cook in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 12. Bohannon is 76 assists from becoming the sixth Hawkeye to amass 1,000 points and 500 assists.
    Cook became the 20th Hawkeye to total 1,100 points and 500 rebounds with his rebounding totals in Iowa’s win over Illinois.
 
COOK ELEVATING HIS GAME
Tyler Cook has led the Hawkeyes in scoring seven of the last 13 games played and has led the squad in rebounding in nine of the 13. Cook recorded career point No. 1,000, in Iowa’s win over Northern Iowa on Dec. 15. He netted 15+ points and 5+ rebounds in ten straight contests played, dating back to the Michigan State road game on Dec. 3. He is the first Hawkeye to accomplish the feat since James Winters 25 years ago (1993-94).
    Cook is one of two Big Ten student-athletes to average better than 16.5 points and eight rebounds per game (Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ). Cook ranks in the top ten in the league in both scoring and rebounding. The St. Louis native collected 18 points and a team-best nine rebounds in Iowa’s last outing at Minnesota.
 
MOSS FILLIN’ IT UP
Redshirt junior Isaiah Moss has been on fire shooting the basketball the last four games. Moss is 15-of-22 (.682) from 3-point range during that span. The Chicago native made all four 3-point attempts at Penn State — all in the first half — was 5-of-6 from long distance versus Illinois and 6-of-10 at Minnesota last Sunday.
    Moss ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy (.462).
 
FAST START FOR WIESKAMP
Joe Wieskamp is off to a fast start for the Hawkeyes as a freshman. The shooting guard ranks third on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg) and second in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Wieskamp is shooting at a 43.2 percent clip from 3-point range (35-of-81) — second best on the team — and 49.7 percent overall from the field (77-of-155).
    Wieskamp, who was featured on last Sunday’s episode of The Journey on BTN, led the team in scoring for the fifth time this season in Iowa’s win over Illinois, matching a personal-best with 24 points. His efforts in Iowa’s two victories two weeks ago earned the native of Muscatine, Iowa, Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades on Jan. 21. Wieskamp helped Iowa set a Carver-Hawkeye Arena team record for field goal percentage, making 68 percent of its attempts (34-of-50) versus the Fighting Illini. He also helped the Hawkeyes total 89 points at Penn State, its highest point total ever at State College, dating back to 1955.
    Wieskamp posted his first career double-double versus Pittsburgh on Nov. 27, totaling a team-best in points (18) and rebounds (11).
 
MAKING THE FREEBIES
Iowa has made 59 more free throws than any other Big Ten team. The Hawkeyes have made 416 fouls shots, while Minnesota is second behind Iowa with 357 makes.
    The Hawkeyes are the only team with three players ranked in the top 10 in the league free throw percentage. Luka Garza ranks second (.870, 60-of-69), Jordan Bohannon is third (.862, 56-of-65), and Connor McCaffery is tenth (.792, 57-of-72).
 
BAER MAKES HISTORY
Redshirt senior Nicholas Baer is the only Hawkeye in program history to amass 500 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocked shots, 100 3-pointers, and 100 steals. Baer’s five rebounds at Penn State on Jan. 16, put him over 500 rebounds in his career.
 
BOHANNON RECEIVED MUSIAL AWARD
Jordan Bohannon was one of the honorees at the 2018 Musial Awards, which celebrated the greatest moments of sportsmanship and those in sports who embody class and character.
    Last February, Bohannon, an Iowa sophomore, was approaching the Hawkeyes’ consecutive free throws made record. The record was held by the late Chris Street, an Iowa basketball legend who died in a car accident in 1993 at age 20. With a chance to break the record, Bohannon intentionally — and selflessly — missed a free throw to honor Street and keep the record in his name.
    The awards ceremony took place in St. Louis on Nov. 17. Bohannon traveled with the Street family from New York to St. Louis after Iowa’s two games in New York City.
    Other honorees included recently-inducted Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Thome, Loyola men’s basketball team chaplain Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, Florida State softball head coach Lonni Alameda, Minnesota high school pitcher Ty Koehn, and Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith.
    The event is named for Stan Musial, the late St. Louis Cardinals legend who was beloved for his approach on and off the field. The mission of the Musial Awards is to encourage selflessness, integrity and civility in sports and society — and to inspire people across the country to be good sports.
 
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,794 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,642-1,151 (.588). Iowa’s 1,642 wins are 41st most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,050-368 (.740) record in home games, a 586-781 (.429) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 771-783 (.496) mark in Big Ten games and a 455-142 (.762) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
 
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).
 
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.
 
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.
 
McCAFFERY REACHES MILESTONES
Iowa’s regular season opener against UMKC 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 418 overall wins and 167 victories while on the Iowa sidelines. He is third on Iowa’s coaching win chart and two victories from surpassing Lute Olson for second. Tom Davis is Iowa’s all-time winningest coach with 269 wins.
 
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.
 
COOK ATTENDS NIKE BASKETBALL ACADEMY
Tyler Cook attended the prestigious Nike Basketball Academy last 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).
 
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: Stockton Kings), and Aaron White (Lithuania).
 
IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
    Friday’s game versus Michigan will be Iowa’s seventh contest against a nationally-ranked opponent this season.
    The Hawkeyes are 3-3 against nationally-ranked teams, beating No. 13 Oregon in New York City, No. 24 Nebraska, and No. 16 Ohio State in Iowa City. Iowa lost to No. 22 Wisconsin in Iowa City, No. 10 Michigan State in East Lansing, and No. 6 Michigan State in Iowa City.
 
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 12 Division I teams in which the head coach has a son on the 2018-19 roster (Alabama, Cal State Bakersfield, Central Connecticut State, Central Florida, Detroit Mercy, Kentucky, Oregon State, Portland, Syracuse, Southern Illinois, Tennessee Martin).
    McCaffery is believed to be one of three Division I men’s basketball student-athletes who are dual-sport athletes in 2018-19. McCaffery (basketball and baseball), joins South Carolina junior Evan Hinson (football and basketball) and Buffalo sophomore Dominic Johnson (football and basketball).
    Iowa is 19-5 in games in which Connor McCaffery has played, dating back to last season. McCaffery is second on the team in assists (66) and eighth in scoring (5.1 ppg).
 
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.
 
HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•   Iowa started the year 16-3, matching its best start in the Fran McCaffery era (2015-16).
•   Iowa established a Carver-Hawkeye Arena field goal percentage record, making 68 percent of its attempts (34-of-50) in a 95-71 convincing victory over Illinois on Jan. 20.
•   In both Iowa home Big Ten losses (Wisconsin and Michigan State), the Hawkeyes had eight point leads in the second half, but were unable to extend their advantage to double digits before the visitors came back to win.
•   Iowa’s 89 points in a seven-point win at Penn State on Jan. 16, are the most scored by the Hawkeyes in State College, dating back to 1955. The previous high was 86 on Jan. 6, 2001.
•   Iowa has scored 94 points or more in the last three games versus Illinois (104 at Illinois on Jan. 11, 2018; 96 in New York on Feb. 28, 2018; 95 in Iowa City on Jan. 20, 2019).
•   Junior Tyler Cook is one of 21 players in Iowa history to have 10 or more double-doubles.
•   Iowa is one of 20 schools nationally to have five or more redshirts on their roster. Iowa’s five redshirts are tied for second most in the B1G with Michigan State (Wisconsin, 8).
•  Two Hawkeyes were named to the 2K Empire Classic All-Tournament Team: Luka Garza (MVP) and Tyler Cook. Cook averaged 16.5 points and nine rebounds, while Garza averaged 16 points and 6.5 rebounds in the two victories. Iowa trailed for only two minutes in the two victories over No. 13 Oregon and Connecticut.
•   Iowa is 84-20 when scoring 80 points or more, the last nine seasons. The Hawkeyes are 69-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last eight years.
•   Iowa has won 59 of its last 63 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
•   Iowa made a school record with 19 3-pointers made versus Savannah State on Dec. 22, besting the previous mark of 18 previously set in 2016 against Savannah State.
•  Iowa posted 98 points in its 14-point win over Iowa State. The last time Iowa scored 90 points or more against Iowa State was Dec. 10, 1988, in Iowa City (Iowa won 91-71).
•  Iowa improved to 6-1 all-time in The Hy-Vee Classic with its 77-54 win over Northern Iowa on Dec. 15 in Des Moines. In the seven-year history of four-team Hy-Vee Classic, Nicholas Baer is the only player to win four games in four years. Baer averaged 10 points, nine rebounds, 2.75 assists, 2.5 blocked shots, and two steals in four games played.
•   Iowa’s 105 points versus Alabama State, equaled the fourth highest point total by the Hawkeyes in a single-game in the Fran McCaffery era.
•  Iowa torched Alabama State for 68 first-half points, the most points scored by Iowa in a half in the Fran McCaffery era besting a 63-point outburst in the second half at Minnesota a year ago.
•   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.
 
PEMSL HAS SEASON ENDING SURGERY
Junior Cordell Pemsl underwent season-ending surgery on Dec. 18.
    “Cordell’s procedure removed hardware near his knee from a previous surgery when he was in high school,” said McCaffery.
    Pemsl saw action in only two games this season, playing 13 minutes against UMKC (Nov. 8) and 18 minutes versus Iowa State (Dec. 6).
    “I tried to give playing this season another shot in the Iowa State game, but after a week of rest and recovery, the chronic irritation caused by the hardware has remained resulting in my inability to play in Saturday’s game versus UNI. After further discussions with the medical staff, we determined that the best course of action is to correct the problem at this time.”
    The native of Dubuque, Iowa, has played in 68 career games, averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
 
ON THE HORIZON
Iowa will hit the road for a contest at Indiana on Thursday, Feb. 7, at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. This contest will be the first of two games against the Hoosiers over a span of 15 days.
    Tickets are available for Iowa’s remaining home contests versus Northwestern (Sunday, Feb. 10); Maryland (Tuesday, Feb. 19); Indiana (Friday, Feb. 22); and Rutgers (Saturday, March, 2) at
hawkeyesports.com/tickets.