Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Hawk Talk Monthly — February | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch | Game Notes (PDF)
| Iowa (21-8, 10-8) vs. #21 Wisconsin (20-9, 12-6) |
| DATE | Thursday, March 7 | 6:01 p.m. CT |
| LOCATION | Madison, Wisconsin | Kohl Center (17,287) |
| RADIO | LISTEN | Hawkeye Radio Network | Hawkeye All-Access |
| STREAM | ESPN |
| LIVE STATS | Sidearm Stats |
| LIVE UPDATES | @IowaHoops |
THE SETTING
Iowa (21-8, 10-8) will travel to Madison, Wisconsin to challenge No. 21 Wisconsin (20-9, 12-6). Tipoff is set for 6:01 p.m. (CT) inside the Kohl Center (17,287). Thursday’s game is sold out and is the Badgers’ home finale. Thursday will be Iowa’s ninth game of the season against a nationally-ranked opponent.
Wisconsin and Iowa last met in the conference opener on Nov. 30, 2018, in Iowa City.
ON THE AIR
Radio: Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Jim Albracht (play-by-play) and Bob Hansen (analysis) will 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: Thursday’s road game will be televised nationally on ESPN (WATCHESPN). Jason Benetti and Robbie Hummel will call the action.
GAME #30 STORYLINES
• Iowa’s final two games (Wisconsin, Nebraska) will involve “Senior Night” ceremonies.
• Iowa enters Thursday’s game having lost its last two contests. The Hawkeyes have lost consecutive games three times this season, but have not lost three straight games.
• Iowa’s Tyler Cook (15.8 ppg & 8.1 rpg) and Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ (17.8 ppg & 10.1 rpg) are the only Big Ten players to average better than 15 points and eight rebounds per game.
• The Hawkeyes have won four of their last six road contests (Northwestern, Penn State, Indiana, Rutgers), dating back to Jan. 9.
• Thursday will be the final game of Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery’s two-game suspension. Kirk Speraw will make the head coaching decisions Thursday at Wisconsin.
• Jordan Bohannon leads the nation in scoring (75 points) over the final two minutes of regulation and final two minutes of overtime.
• Iowa has won 21 games, matching the highest regular season win total in 13 seasons (2015 and 2016).
• Iowa’s last four victories have been decided by a combined 14 points.
• Jordan Bohannon (1,155 points) has surpassed brother Matt (1,092 at UNI) and is closing in on Jason (1,170 at Wisconsin) for most points scored in a career by a Bohannon.
• Senior Nicholas Baer is the only player in program history to total 725 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocked shots, 100 steals, and 100 3-pointers.
• Iowa 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.
• Iowa’s heart-stopping win at Rutgers on Feb. 16, 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 seven Quad 2 wins. Seven of Iowa’s eight setbacks have been Quad 1 losses.
• The Hawkeyes have already more than doubled their conference win total from a year ago with two league contests remaining. Iowa won four games in 2018, and enter Thursday’s game with a 10-8 record in the Big Ten.
• Tyler Cook’s 15 career double-doubles tie for 15th most in program history.
RUTGERS BEATS HAWKEYES
Freshman Ron Harper Jr. scored a career-high 27 points to lift the Scarlet Knights to an 86-72 win over Iowa in its home finale inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• Senior Nicholas Baer led Iowa in scoring for the first time this season in his final home game as a Hawkeye. Baer netted a season-high 17 points, bolstered by equaling a personal high with four 3-pointers made. Baer also grabbed six rebounds.
• Freshman Joe Wieskamp led the team in blocks (2), assists (3), and rebounding (9) to go along with five points.
• Rutgers made 48 percent of its 3-point attempts, with Ron Harper Jr. and Issa Thiam making four triples each.
• The Hawkeyes attempted 10 more free throws than Rutgers (36-26).
• Iowa held Rutgers’ top two leading scorers, Geo Baker and Eugene Omoruyi to a combined 11 points. In addition to Harper’s 27 points, Issa Thiam chipped in 13 points, Caleb McConnell tallied 11 points, while Montez Mathis had 10 points.
• Saturday’s game was played in front of a sellout crowd, Iowa’s fourth sell out of the season (Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Rutgers).
DOUBLE THE EXCITEMENT
Iowa is one of five schools from Power 5 conferences to have its men’s and women’s basketball teams with 21 wins or more. Joining Iowa are Kentucky and Mississippi State from the SEC, Florida State from the ACC, and Maryland from the Big Ten.
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDS
Thursday will be the 166th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin. The Badgers own a narrow 84-81 advantage in the all-time series. The Badgers won this season’s first meeting, 72-66, on Nov. 30, 2018, in both teams’ conference opener in Iowa City, Iowa.
Nine of the last 13 meetings, dating back to 2011, have been decided by seven points or less, with six of the last 11 having been decided by five points or fewer.
Wisconsin holds a 52-29 advantage in games played in Madison. Thursday will be Iowa’s first visit to Madison since a 59-57 come-from-behind win at the Kohl Center on March 2, 2017. The Badgers have won 12 of the last 14 games contested in Madison. Iowa is 4-12 at the Kohl Center, winning there in 2011 (72-65), 2000 (61-55), 1998 (79-76), and 2017 (59-57).
SCOUTING WISCONSIN
• Wisconsin (17 NET Ranking) has won three of its last four games, with the lone setback coming in overtime by two points at Indiana on Feb. 26.
• Wisconsin’s last eight games have all been decided by single digits, winning five of those contests. The Badgers’ last four outings have been decided by six points or less.
• Wisconsin is 20-9 overall, boasting an 11-3 home record inside the Kohl Center. The Badgers have reached the 20-win plateau 15 of the last 17 seasons.
• Ethan Happ (17.8), D’Mitrik Trice (12.3), and Brad Davison (11.0) account for 59 percent of Wisconsin’s offense. Happ has registered 19 double-doubles this season, tying for fifth nationally. The redshirt senior is just the fifth player in NCAA history to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 400 assists, joining Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, Danny Ferry, and Stacey Augmon.
• Wisconsin edged Penn State, 61-57, Saturday afternoon at the Kohl Center. The Badgers out-scored the Nittany Lions, 12-0 in points off turnovers, forcing 11 Penn State miscues. Brevin Pritzl led the Badgers with 17 points, while Ethan Happ contributed 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
• Wisconsin ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (.382); second in scoring defense (61.6) and field goal percentage defense (.396); third in field goal percentage.
• Wisconsin assistant coach Dean Oliver was a three-time third-team All-Big Ten performer (1999-01) as a Hawkeye. Oliver’s 561 assists are third most in Iowa program history.
• Greg Gard is in his fourth season as collegiate head coach (77-45, .615).
LAST MEETING
Wisconsin outscored Iowa 12-5 over the final 1:35 in a back-and-forth contest in a 72-66 victory for the Badgers on Nov. 30, 2018, in Iowa City in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
• Both teams attempted 24 triples with Wisconsin (8) making two more triples than the Hawkeyes (6).
• Three starters netted double figures to lead the Hawkeyes: Tyler Cook (19), Luka Garza (11), and Jordan Bohannon (11).
• Tyler Cook totaled 19 points and a career-best 15 rebounds to post his first double-double of the season. The Hawkeye junior also dished out a team-best four assists.
• Cook’s 15 rebounds are the most in a game by a Hawkeye since Luka Garza grabbed 16 versus Wisconsin last season.
• Wisconsin was 10-of-14 from the free throw line. Three Badgers were a combined 9-of 10, while Ethan Happ was 1-of-4 from the charity stripe.
• Three Badgers scored in double digits: D’Mitrik Trice (20), Ethan Happ (13), and Brevin Pritzl (12).
• Wisconsin’s win snapped a two-game win streak by the Hawkeyes over the Badgers.
COOK, BOHANNON JOIN 1,000-POINT CLUB
Jordan Bohannon joined classmate Tyler Cook in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 12. Bohannon is 49 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.
Cook became the 13th Hawkeye to total 1,200 points and 500 rebounds with his scoring totals in Iowa’s win at Northwestern on Jan. 9. Cook is one of 15 players in Iowa history to have 15 or more double-doubles.
MR. CLUTCH
Jordan Bohannon has scored when it matters most down the stretch. The junior guard is averaging 4.0 points in the first half and 7.65 points in the second half this season.
There have been four games (Green Bay, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Indiana) where he has been held scoreless in the first half but finished in double figures. In 17-of-29 games, Bohannon has scored more points in the second half than the first. He has scored 10 or more points in the second half 10 times this season.
Iowa is 7-3 when Bohannon scores double-digit points in the second half.
Bohannon ranks first in the nation in most points in the final two minutes of regulation and final two minutes of overtime this season with 75 points. In the final two minutes of games, Bohannon is shooting 57.7 percent (15-of-26) from the field, 55.6 percent (10-of-18) from 3-point range, and 87.5 percent from the foul line (35-of-40).
Bohannon is 11 three-pointers from surpassing Jeff Horner (2003-06) to become Iowa’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made.
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.
COOK ELEVATING HIS GAME
Tyler Cook has led the Hawkeyes in rebounding in 11 of Iowa’s last 21 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 13 Hawkeyes in program history to total 1,200 points and 500 rebounds.
Cook is one of two Big Ten student-athletes to average better than 15 points and eight rebounds per game (Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ). Cook ranks in the top ten in the league in scoring (seventh), rebounding (sixth), and field goal percentage (seventh). The St. Louis native registered his team-leading sixth double-double of the season at Ohio State on Feb. 26.
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.
The native of Spirit Lake, Iowa, has registered single-season bests in nearly every statistical category as a junior. His scoring (5.5) and rebounding (3.1) averages have improved, along with his shooting percentages. His 3-point accuracy (.348) has nearly doubled from his freshman (.200) and sophomore (.200) seasons.
Kriener has tallied double figures six times this season.
RELIVING BACK-TO-BACK BUZZER BEATERS
Iowa won consecutive games in thrilling fashion, upending Northwestern and Rutgers in mid-February 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.
IMPROVING HAWKEYES
Last season, Iowa was 14-19 overall, 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 seven more victories than last season with two 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 21 wins and counting.
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 made two treys in the final 25 seconds against the Wildcats.
SHOOTING FOR PERFECTION
Iowa had a player make all his 3-point attempts in the first half (min. four attempts) four times this season.
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).
MAKING THE FREEBIES
Iowa has made 80 more free throws than any other Big Ten team. The Hawkeyes have made 549 fouls shots, while Minnesota is second behind Iowa with 469 makes. Iowa has made more free throws than five Big Ten teams have attempted. The Hawkeyes rank first in the country in free throw makes (549) and ninth nationally in free throw attempts (734).
Individually, Jordan Bohannon ranks second in the conference (.873, 89-of-102), Luka Garza is sixth (.818, 72-of-88).
CONSISTENT PLAY OUT OF FRESHMAN WIESKAMP
Joe Wieskamp has been a consistent contributor for the Hawkeyes as a freshman. The shooting guard ranks fourth on the team in scoring (11.1 ppg); second in rebounding (4.7 rpg); third in steals (26). Wieskamp is shooting 43.4 percent clip from 3-point range (49-of-113) and 49.8 percent overall from the field (106-of-213). His 43.4 percentage from 3-point range ranks third in the Big Ten.
Wieskamp has twice earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. The native of Muscatine, Iowa, sank his first 3-pointer of the game with 0.2 seconds left and Iowa trailing by one point to propel the Hawkeyes to a 71-69 thrilling win at Rutgers on Feb. 16.
Wieskamp matched a personal-best with 24 points in Iowa’s win over Illinois. His efforts in Iowa’s victories over Illinois and at Penn State in mid-January 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).
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).
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 422 overall wins and 172 victories while on the Iowa sidelines. He 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).
HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
• Iowa was nationally ranked for 16 straight weeks in either the Associated Press or Coaches Poll (Nov. 19-Feb. 25).
• 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.
• Iowa won all of its non-conference games for the first time since the 1986-87 season.
• Iowa recorded its first regular season sweep over Indiana since the 2010-11 season.
• 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.
• 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 HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,802 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,647-1,154 (.588). Iowa’s 1,647 wins are 41st most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,053-370 (.740) record in home games, a 588-782 (.429) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 776-786 (.497) mark in Big Ten games and a 458-144 (.761) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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.
IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
Thursday will be Iowa’s ninth game against a ranked opponent this season. The Hawkeyes are 4-4 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, No. 6 Michigan State in Iowa City, and No. 24 Maryland 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.
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.
ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes will finish out the regular season at Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT).
