Game Notes: Iowa vs. Maryland

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THE SETTING
No. 21/19 Iowa (20-5, 9-5) will entertain No. 24/25 Maryland (19-7, 10-5) on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are available for purchase by clicking HERE. 
    Tuesday will be the only regular season meeting between Iowa and Maryland. The Terrapins are the last Big Ten opponent Iowa will see this season.
 
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: Tuesday night’s game will be televised nationally on BTN (FOXSPORTSGO). Dave Revsine and Robbie Hummel will call the action.

GAME #26 STORYLINES
•     Tuesday will be Iowa’s 600th game inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena (457-142, .763).
•    Iowa has posted back-to-back buzzer beaters for the first time since 2002. Both of Iowa’s buzzer beaters over Northwestern (Bohannon) and Rutgers (Wieskamp) were 3-pointers. Both buzzer beaters in 2002 were made by Luke Recker.
•     The Hawkeyes have won nine of their last 11 games, dating back to Jan. 6. Iowa has also won four of their last five road games (Northwestern, Penn State, Indiana, Rutgers).
•    Tuesday’s game features the top two free throw shooting teams in the Big Ten. In conference games only, Maryland ranks first (.757) followed by Iowa (.755).
•    Saturday’s last-second win at Rutgers was Iowa’s 20th of the season. Fran McCaffery has guided the Hawkeyes to 20 wins or more in five of the last seven seasons.
•    Iowa has four Quad 1 wins and six Quad 2 wins. All five Iowa losses are Quad 1 losses.
•    The Hawkeyes have already more than doubled their conference win total from a year ago with six league contests remaining. Iowa won four games in 2018, and enter Tuesday’s game with a 9-5 record in the Big Ten.
•    Joe Wieskamp has made 44.9 percent of his 3-point attempts (44-of-98). The school record for 3-point percentage in a single season for a freshman is 43.5 percent (30-of-69) by Jake Kelly in 2007-08.
•    Jordan Bohannon (1,101 points) surpassed brother Matt (1,092 at Northern Iowa) with his 18-point total at Rutgers on Saturday and is closing in on Jason (1,170 at Wisconsin) for most points scored in a career by a Bohannon.
•    Tyler Cook’s 14 career double-doubles tie for 15th most in program history.
•    Iowa has been nationally ranked the last 15 weeks (Nov. 19-present). Iowa is ranked No. 21 in this week’s AP and 19th in the Coaches poll.
•     Junior Jordan Bohannon shot 29 percent (14-of-48) from 3-point range over the first nine games, but is 46.7 percent (43-of-92) from long distance over the last 16 contests.
•    Senior Nicholas Baer is the only player in program history to total 700 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocked shots, 100 steals, and 100 3-pointers.
•    Junior Tyler Cook is one of 13 Hawkeyes to total 1,200 points and 500 rebounds.
•    Iowa won all of its non-conference games for the first time since the 1986-87 season.
 
LAST SECOND 3-POINTER LIFTS IOWA OVER RUTGERS
Freshman Joe Wieskamp made his first 3-pointer of the game on a banked 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left to propel the visiting Hawkeyes to a 71-69 win at Rutgers on Saturday.
•   Iowa led the Scarlet Knights by two points (68-66) in the closing seconds before Geo Baker rattled home a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining to give Rutgers a one-point advantage (69-68) before Wieskamp’s heroics.
•   Nicholas Baer had six points and four rebounds, but he had a +12 plus-minus, and tipped Connor McCaffery’s long inbounds pass from underneath Iowa’s own basket to Joe Wieskamp for the game-winner.
•   Three Hawkeyes netted double figures: Jordan Bohannon (18), Isaiah Moss (17), and Tyler Cook (12).
•   Jordan Bohannon made three 3-pointers to move into sole possession of second place on Iowa’s all-time 3-pointers made list. Bohannon netted 15 of his 18 points in the second half.
•   The game featured eight ties and 13 lead changes.
•   Four Rutgers players scored in double figures: Ron Harper Jr. (16), Geo Baker (13), Myles Johnson (10), and Eugene Omoruyi (10). Omoruyi also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.
•   Iowa improved to 5-1 in games decided by five points or less.
 
DOUBLE THE EXCITEMENT
Iowa is one of three schools from Power 5 conferences to have its men’s and women’s basketball teams with 20 wins or more. Joining Iowa is Kentucky from the SEC and Florida State from the ACC.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Tuesday will be the ninth all-time meeting between Iowa and Maryland. The Terrapins own a 5-3 advantage in the series. Maryland won last year’s only meeting, 91-73, in College Park, Maryland.
    Tuesday will be Maryland’s third visit to Iowa City. Iowa won the first meeting inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Feb. 8, 2015 (71-55), while the Terrapins were victorious on their last trip to Iowa City (84-76) over two years ago on Jan. 19, 2017.
    The first three meetings between Iowa and Maryland were played on neutral floors: Honolulu (1984), Baltimore (1999), and New York City (2013).
 
SCOUTING MARYLAND
•   Maryland enters Tuesday’s game having won 10 of its last 14 basketball games. The Terrapins dropped its last outing, 65-52, at nationally-ranked Michigan.
•   The Terrapins are 5-4 in true road games, including a 4-4 record in road contests during conference play. Tuesday will be the fourth time Maryland will be on the road in five contests.
•   In Maryland’s last game against the Wolverines, the Terrapins shot 36 percent (20-of-55) from the field, including 27 percent (6-of-22) from 3-point range. Three Terrapins netted double figures: Aaron Wiggins (15), Bruno Fernando (12), and Anthony Cowan (10). Michigan led by as many as 15 points in the first half. Maryland out-rebounded the Wolverines by nine (39-30).
•   Three starters average in double figures for Maryland: Anthony Cowan (15.8), Bruno Fernando (14.5), and Jalen Smith (11.8). Fernando also leads the team in rebounding (10.6) and blocked shots (1.9). Two Terrapins have made 50 or more 3-pointers: Aaron Wiggins (52-of-122, .426) and Anthony Cowan (51-of-154, .331).
•   Maryland ranks first in the Big Ten in rebound margin (+9.9); second in blocked shots (4.7) and field goal percentage defense (.396); third in free throw percentage (.737); and fifth in 3-point percentage (.362), scoring defense (64.6) and scoring offense (72.8). Individually, Bruno Fernando ranks first in the conference in field goal percentage (.661), second in rebounding (10.6), third in blocked shots (1.9), and 16th in scoring (14.5). Anthony Cowan Jr. ranks fourth in the league in assists (4.5), fifth in free throw accuracy (.832), and eighth in scoring (15.8).
•   Tuesday’s game features three of the Big Ten’s top 3-point shooters. Iowa’s Isaiah Moss (.453) and Joe Wieskamp (.449) rank first and second, respectively, followed by Maryland’s Eric Ayala (.448), who is third.
•   Mark Turgeon is in his eighth season as head coach at Maryland (176-88, .667) and 21st year overall as a head coach (426-247, .633).
•   Iowa assistant coach Sherman Dillard began his coaching career at Maryland, spending six seasons (1979-85) as an assistant coach. Dillard helped coach the Terrapins to four 20-win seasons and five NCAA Tournaments. The 1980, 1984 and 1985 squads reached the Sweet 16, while the 1984 team won the ACC Tournament.
 
LAST MEETING
Six Maryland players scored in double figures in a 91-73 win over Iowa on Jan. 7, 2018, inside the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland.
•   Iowa made 10 of its first 14 3-point attempts, finishing the game making 52 percent (11-of-21) from long distance. The Hawkeyes made seven more triples than Maryland.
•   Sophomore Isaiah Moss led all scorers with a career-high 25 points, bolstered by 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. Backcourt mate Jordan Bohannon contributed 17 points and five assists. Bohannon scored 15 of his 17 points via the 3-point shot.
•   Iowa led 64-61 midway through the second half before Maryland ended the game on a 30-9 run covering the final 10:17.
•   Maryland attempted 15 more free throws and made 13 more foul shots than Iowa.
•   The Terrapins shot 56.7 percent from the field, making 34 of their 60 attempts.
•   Anthony Cowan had 15 points, seven assists and zero turnovers directing Maryland’s offense. Other Terrapins in double figures included Bruno Fernando (21), Darryl Morsell (14), Mical Cekovsky (13), and Kevin Huerter (12).
•   The game featured four ties and eight lead changes.
•   This contest was the only meeting between Iowa and Maryland last season.
 
RELIVING BACK-TO-BACK BUZZER BEATERS
Iowa won its last two contests in thrilling fashion, upending Northwestern and Rutgers on last-second 3-pointers. The last time the Hawkeyes won back-to-back games at the buzzer was 2002. Luke Recker sank game-winning baskets over Wisconsin (58-56) and Indiana (62-60) at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.
•   Junior Jordan Bohannon scored the game-winning 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining to lift the Hawkeyes to an 80-79 win over Northwestern on Feb. 10. Bohannon scored all 15 of his points in the second half, including 13 points in the final 3:20. Northwestern led Iowa by 15 points (72-57) with 4:30 left in the game and 11 points (76-65) with 2:09 remaining. Iowa out-scored Northwestern 23-7 to rally for the victory.
•   Freshman Joe Wieskamp made his first 3-pointer of the game on a banked 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left to propel the visiting Hawkeyes to a 71-69 win at Rutgers on Feb. 16. Iowa led the Scarlet Knights by two points in the closing seconds before Geo Baker rattled home a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining to give Rutgers a one-point advantage before Wieskamp’s heroics.
 
BOHANNON’S WEEK
Bohannon led Iowa to a pair of victories over Indiana (Feb. 7) and Northwestern (Feb. 10), averaging 20 points, 4.5 assists and one steal, while shooting 66.7 percent (8-12) from 3-point range and 54.5 percent (12-22) from the field.
    The native of Marion, Iowa, tied a season best with 25 points and also dished out a team-best six assists with no turnovers in a 77-72 win at Indiana. Bohannon scored Iowa’s final 11 points, including going 5-of-6 from the free throw line, over the final 90 seconds to preserve the win at Assembly Hall.
    Bohannon netted all 15 of his points over the final 5:28 of Sunday’s win over Northwestern to cap a 15-point Iowa comeback over the final 4:30, including sinking the game-winning 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining. The last second win was Iowa’s first since Adam Woodbury’s last second game-winner over Temple on March 18, 2016, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bohannon’s game-winning triple was the 239th of his career to tie Matt Gatens for second all-time in program history. Bohannon made two treys in the final 25 seconds against the Wildcats.
 
McCAFFERY RECORDS WIN NO. 20
Fran McCaffery and the Iowa Hawkeyes reached the 20-win plateau for the fifth time in seven seasons with its win at Rutgers. McCaffery joins Lute Olson (6) and Tom Davis (10) as the only Iowa head coaches to win 20 or more games in at least five seasons. Both Olson and Davis had 20+ wins over a span of six of seven seasons.
 
MOSS FILLIN’ IT UP
Redshirt junior Isaiah Moss has been on fire shooting the basketball the last eight games. Moss is 18-of-30 (.600) 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 on Jan. 27.
    Moss ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy (.453).
 
COOK, BOHANNON JOIN 1,000-POINT CLUB
Jordan Bohannon joined classmate Tyler Cook in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 12. Bohannon is 60 assists from becoming the sixth Hawkeye to amass 1,000 points and 500 assists. Bohannon also surpassed Matt Gatens for second in career triples made as a Hawkeye with his three treys in Iowa’s road victory at Rutgers on Saturday.
    Cook became the 13th Hawkeye to total 1,200 points and 500 rebounds with his scoring totals in Iowa’s win over Northwestern on Feb. 10. Cook is one of 15 players in Iowa history to have 14 or more double-doubles.
 
COOK ELEVATING HIS GAME
Tyler Cook has led the Hawkeyes in rebounding in 12 of Iowa’s last 17 games. 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 points and eight rebounds per game (Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ). Cook ranks in the top ten in the league in scoring (seventh), rebounding (fifth), and ninth in field goal percentage (.552). The St. Louis native registered his fifth double-double of the season in Iowa’s comeback win over Northwestern on Feb. 10.
 
RYAN KRIENER TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Junior Ryan Kriener posted his first career double-double in Iowa’s 15-point win over No. 5 Michigan on Feb. 1. Kriener was 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including making his only 3-point attempt, and was 2-of-4 from the foul line.
    Kriener has registered single-season bests in nearly every statistical category as a junior. His scoring (5.3) and rebounding (3.0) averages have improved, along with his shooting percentages. His 3-point accuracy (.364) has nearly doubled from his freshman (.200) and sophomore (.200) seasons.
    The native of Spirit Lake, Iowa, has tallied double figures six times this season.
 
IMPROVING HAWKEYES
Last season, Iowa posted a 14-19 overall record, including a 4-14 mark in conference play. The Hawkeyes have already more than doubled its Big Ten win total from a year ago and have six more victories than last season with six regular season games remaining.
    Iowa’s overall win total improvement and conference improvement from a year ago both rank among the best in the country among schools in Power 5 conferences.
    Iowa’s all-time winning coach, Tom Davis (1987-1999), had his lowest win total as a Iowa’s coach in his eighth season (11 wins) and rebounded in his ninth year with 21 victories. Fran McCaffery also had his lowest win total as Iowa’s coach in his eighth year (14 wins) and has rebounded this season with 20 wins and counting.
 
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 (11.8 ppg), second in rebounding (4.8 rpg), and third in steals (24). Wieskamp is shooting at a team-best 45 percent clip from 3-point range (44-of-98) and 51.9 percent overall from the field (98-of-189).
    Wieskamp has been the Big Ten Freshman of the Week two of the last five weeks. The native of Muscatine, Iowa, sank his first 3-pointer of the game with 0.2 seconds remaining and Iowa trailing by one point to propel the Hawkeyes to a 71-69 heart-stopping win at Rutgers on Saturday.
    Wieskamp matched a personal-best with 24 points in Iowa’s win over Illinois. His efforts in Iowa’s two victories five weeks ago earned Wieskamp, Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades on Jan. 21. The rookie 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 earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week laurels for the second time after totaling 16 points, seven rebounds, five steals, and two assists in Iowa’s 15-point win over No. 5 Michigan. The five steals are the most by a Hawkeye in a Big Ten game in two years. Wieskamp became the fourth freshman nationally to register 16+ points, 7+ rebounds and 5+ steals versus a ranked opponent in the last five seasons (LSU’s Ben Simmons; NC State’s Dennis Smith, Jr.; Pitt’s Trey McGowens).
    Two weeks ago, Wieskamp had a 13-point effort in Iowa’s win at Indiana — making all four of his 3-point attempts in the first half — and scored a team-best 21 points in the comeback victory over Northwestern.
    Wieskamp posted his first career double-double versus Pittsburgh on Nov. 27, totaling a team-best in points (18) and rebounds (11).
 
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.
 
MAKING THE FREEBIES
Iowa has made 42 more free throws than any other Big Ten team. The Hawkeyes have made 477 fouls shots, while Minnesota is second behind Iowa with 435 makes. The Hawkeyes rank first in the country in free throw makes (474) and 10th nationally in free throw attempts (635).
    The Hawkeyes are the only team with three players ranked in the top 10 in the league free throw percentage. Jordan Bohannon ranks third (.855, 71-of-83), Luka Garza is fourth (.853, 64-of-75), and Connor McCaffery is eighth (.795, 62-of-78).
 
SHOOTING FOR PERFECTION
Iowa had a player make all his 3-point attempts in the first half (min. four attempts) four times this season.
    Freshman Joe Wieskamp made all four of his 3-point attempts at Indiana (Feb. 7) and was 4-of-4 vs. Illinois (Jan. 20). Junior Isaiah Moss was 4-of-4 at Penn State (Jan. 16) and was 5-of-5 vs. Illinois (Jan. 20).
 
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,798 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,646-1,151 (.588). Iowa’s 1,646 wins are 41st most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,052-368 (.740) record in home games, a 588-781 (.429) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 775-783 (.497) mark in Big Ten games and a 457-142 (.763) 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.
 
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 421 overall wins and 171 victories while on the Iowa sidelines. He recently surpassed Lute Olson for second on Iowa’s coaching win chart with Iowa’s win at Indiana on Feb. 7. Tom Davis is Iowa’s all-time winningest coach with 269 wins.
 
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).
 
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).
 
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 23-5 in games in which Connor McCaffery has played, dating back to last season. McCaffery is second on the team in assists (71) and eighth in scoring (4.8 ppg).
 
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.
 
HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
•   Iowa’s 74 points versus No. 5 Michigan are the most the Wolverines have allowed in Big Ten play this year and the second most this season (78 vs. South Carolina). The Hawkeyes also limited the Wolverines to a season-low 32.3 percent (21-of-65) shooting from the field on Feb. 1.
•   Riley Till and Michael Baer earned Dean’s List recognition for their academic achievements in the Fall of 2018.
•   Iowa started the year 16-3, matching its best start in the Fran McCaffery era (2015-16).
•   Iowa posted back-to-back wins over Michigan and Indiana for the first time since 2007.
•   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).
•   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 won the 2K Empire Classic in New York City with wins over Oregon and Connecticut. The last time Iowa won an in-season tournament outside of the state of Iowa was the 1998 San Juan Christmas Shootout.
•   Iowa is 85-20 when scoring 80 points or more, the last nine seasons. The Hawkeyes are 70-2 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 UNI 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 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 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.
 
IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
    The Hawkeyes are 4-3 against nationally-ranked teams, beating No. 13 Oregon in New York City, No. 24 Nebraska, No. 16 Ohio State, and No. 5 Michigan 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.
    Iowa’s 15-point win over No. 5 Michigan is its highest win over a ranked opponent since beating No. 4 Michigan State on Jan. 14, 2016. Additionally, it marked the first time an unranked Iowa team (AP Poll) beat an AP Top 5 team by 15+ points since beating then-No. 5 Purdue, 88-69, on Feb. 18, 1998.
 
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.
 
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.
 
ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes remain in Iowa City on Friday, hosting Indiana at 8 p.m. (CT). Tickets are available for Iowa’s remaining home contests versus Indiana (Friday, Feb. 22); and Rutgers (Saturday, March, 2) at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.