Game Notes: Iowa vs Slippery Rock

THE SETTING
Iowa will host Slippery Rock (Division II) on Friday, in an exhibition game. Tipoff is set for 7:01 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,056). Tickets are $5 for adults, and free for youth and UI students. The game will be streamed on mobile devices on B1G+ ($) and will be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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: Friday’s exhibition will be streamed on mobile devices at B1G+ ($). Steven Grace and former Hawkeye Jess Settles will call the action.

EXHIBITION GAME STORYLINES
• Iowa has won 10 straight season openers dating back to the 2011-12 season.
• Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25: No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Purdue, No. 11 Illinois, No. 17 Ohio State, and No. 21 Maryland. One Iowa nonconference opponent, Virginia, is also ranked (No. 25).
• Iowa has won 70 of its last 75 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
• Iowa returns an average percentage of its production from a year ago: scoring (39%), rebounding (43%), assists (68%), steals (60%), and blocks (40%).
• Iowa has won an NCAA Tournament game each of its last four tournament appearances.
• The Hawkeyes lost four major contributors to last season’s team: consensus national player of the year Luka Garza, second-team All-Big Ten Joe Wieskamp, guard CJ Fredrick, and forward Jack Nunge. Garza and Wieskamp were each picked in the second round of the NBA Draft by Detroit and San Antonio, respectively. Fredrick and Nunge transferred.
• Jordan Bohannon returned for his sixth season. He is Iowa’s career leader in assists (639), free throw percentage (.887), games played (143), and 3-pointers (364).
• Redshirt senior Connor McCaffery ranked fourth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio last season (3.7) and ranked first nationally in 2020 (4.6).
• Iowa has won 14 home games each of the last three seasons. The Hawkeyes have averaged just over 13 home victories since Fran McCaffery’s arrival in Iowa City in 2011.
• Iowa is the only Division I program with two sets of brothers on the 2021-22 roster, with one being identical twins. Connor and Patrick McCaffery are two years apart, while Keegan and Kris Murray are identical twins. The Murray twins are one of four twins on Division I rosters this season (Arizona State, San Diego State, and SIUE).
• Iowa earned a No. 2 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, matching its highest seed ever in NCAA Tournament history (No. 2 seed in the 1987 Tournament).
• True freshman Keegan Murray was one of only five players nationally — and only bench player — to amass 200+ points, 35+ blocks, 25+ steals, and 15+ 3-pointers in 2020-21.
• The Hawkeyes went wire-to-wire inside the AP Top 15 for the first time since the 1988-89 season, including ascending as high as No. 3. Iowa began the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and finished the regular season ranked fifth, which is the program’s highest ranking the first week of March since being ranked fifth on March 5, 1956.
• Iowa’s 14 conference wins in 2021 are its highest total in a season since 1987 (14).
• Iowa broke three school single season records in 2021: fewest turnovers per game (9.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.02), and 3-pointers made (301).
• Jerry West Award Finalist Joe Wieskamp became the first junior in school history with 1,250+ points, 550+ rebounds, 175+ 3-pointers, 100+ assists, and 75+ steals.
• Iowa ranked first in the Big Ten in scoring offense for the third straight season; Iowa’s 83.7 points per game average in 2021 is its highest since the 1988-89 season (89.6). The Hawkeyes have led the conference in scoring four of the last eight seasons.
• Fran McCaffery has coached a first-team All-Big Ten honoree six of the last eight seasons. He has guided Iowa to 20+ wins seven of the last nine seasons and fifth place or better finishes in the Big Ten five of the last seven years.
• Head Coach Fran McCaffery enters his 26th season as a head coach and is four wins from his 450th career victory and six wins from victory No. 200 as Iowa’s head coach.
• Fran McCaffery has guided Iowa to 20 wins or more in seven of the last nine seasons. He has led Iowa to Big Ten upper division finishes eight of the last nine years. Iowa, Michigan State, and Wisconsin have each recorded a Big Ten-best eight first division finishes since 2013.

SCOUTING SLIPPERY ROCK
• Slippery Rock did not compete in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only four players remain on its roster from the last time The Rock competed in 2019-20. Junior guard Amante Britt averaged 6.1 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 2020, while sophomore forward Lindsey Lashon averaged 3.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 2020.
• Posted a 15-14 overall record and finished sixth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West division in 2020.
• Slippery Rock’s roster of 15 is comprised of mostly underclassmen: four true freshmen, four redshirt freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors, and three seniors.
• Seven of Slippery Rock’s players hail from Pennsylvania. Other eastern states represented include Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
• Ian Grady is in his 13th season at Slippery Rock, including his fourth season as head coach. His 34 wins over the first two seasons are the most among all active head coaches in the PSAC. Grady came to Slippery Rock as a graduate assistant prior to the 2010 season after finishing his collegiate career at Fairmont State, where he started all 29 games as a senior, averaging 7.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

NUMBER CHANGES
Two Hawkeyes changed numbers from last season. Junior Joe Toussaint, who wore No. 1 the last two years, will wear No. 2 in 2021-22. Kris Murray is now No. 24 after wearing No. 20 last season.

2021-22 SCHEDULE NOTES
• Iowa will play its first six regular season games at home on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• The Hawkeyes will play back-to-back games away from home five times in 2020-21. beginning with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Virginia on Nov. 29, and the Big Ten opener at Purdue on Dec. 3.
• Iowa’s final two games of the regular season will be on the road at Michigan (March 3) and at Illinois (Dec. 6). It marks the second time in three seasons that the Hawkeyes will be on the road for their final two contests.
• Iowa will host a three-game Big Ten homestand in mid-February hosting Nebraska (Feb. 13), Michigan (Feb. 17), and Michigan State (Feb. 22).
• The Hawkeyes’ conference opener will be on Monday, Dec. 6 versus border-rival Illinois.
• Iowa has won 14 home games each of the previous three seasons.

KEEGAN MURRAY TABBED PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN
Sophomore forward Keegan Murray has been named to the 2021-22 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.

It marks the third straight season that one or more Hawkeyes have been selected to the preseason list, voted upon by a selected panel of media. Joe Wieskamp was selected in 2019 and 2020, while Luka Garza was tabbed the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year in November, 2020.

Murray is one of the league’s top emerging players after being named to the five-player All-Big Ten Freshman Team a year ago. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native was one of only five players nationally — and only bench player — to amass 200 points, 35 blocks, 25 steals, and 15 3-pointers. He was the team’s leading scorer (7.8) and rebounder (5.5) off the bench in conference play. Murray led team in blocks 12 times and steals five times. The 6-foot-8 forward was second on the team in steals (26) and ranked 11th in the Big Ten in blocked shots per game (1.26). His 39 blocks tie for fourth most by a freshman in program history.

Murray totaled 13 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three assists, and a steal in Iowa’s first-round victory over Grand Canyon to become the first Hawkeye ever to stuff the stat sheet with those numbers in an NCAA Tournament contest.

HAWKEYES SPLIT TWO GAMES IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa beat No. 15 seed Grand Canyon (86-74) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and fell to seventh-seeded Oregon (95-80) in Indianapolis.
• Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures against Grand Canyon: Luka Garza (24), Joe Wieskamp (16), Keegan Murray (13), and Jordan Bohannon (13).
• The 86 points Iowa scored against Grand Canyon are the most for the Hawkeyes in an NCAA Tournament game since scoring 98 versus Texas in first round in 1992.
• Keegan Murray totaled 13 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and one steal. No Hawkeye has posted that stat line in any NCAA Tournament game.
• Joe Wieskamp finished the contest with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The only other Hawkeye to post those numbers in an NCAA Tournament game is James Moses versus Texas in the Round of 64 in 1992.
• Iowa’s bench of Keegan Murray, Patrick McCaffery, Joe Toussaint, and Tony Perkins totaled 26 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocked shots.
• Luka Garza poured in 36 points in his final game in Iowa’s 95-80 loss to Oregon. The 36 points were the most points scored by any player in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and most by a Hawkeye in an NCAA Tournament game in 65 years (36, Bill Logan vs. Temple, 3/22/56). Garza tallied double figures in scoring for the 100th time in career.
• Garza was 14-of-20 from the floor against the Ducks. His 14 field goals made equaled his second highest total in a single game in his career (17 at Michigan, Dec. 6, 2019).
• Joe Wieskamp netted 17 points, scoring 15+ points for the 18th time in 2020-21. He also was credited with five assists, tying a career high set last game versus Grand Canyon.
• Joe Wieskamp, Luka Garza, and Jordan Bohannon became Iowa’s highest scoring trio on the same team in school history. The trio increased their career point total to 5,227 points, surpassing the trio of Ed Horton, B.J. Armstrong, and Roy Marble (5,193 points).

5 HAWKEYES GARNER POSTSEASON ALL-BIG TEN RECOGNITION
Five Hawkeyes earned postseason recognition by the Big Ten last season: Luka Garza, Joe Wieskamp, Jordan Bohannon, CJ Fredrick, and Keegan Murray.

Garza was named Player of the Year and a unanimous first team honoree for the second year in a row. Wieskamp was a second-team all-conference honoree, Murray was selected to the five-player All-Freshman Team, while Bohannon and Fredrick earned honorable mention recognition.

Garza became the first Hawkeye to earn the prestigious honor twice, since the award was introduced by the Big Ten Conference in 1985, and the third player in the history of the league to win the award in consecutive seasons (Ohio State’s Jim Jackson, 1991-92; Michigan State’s Mateen Cleaves, 1998-99).

Head coach Fran McCaffery has coached a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in six of the last eight seasons, the most over an eight-year span since 1955-62. Garza (2020 and 2021) joins Devyn Marble (2014), Aaron White (2015), Jarrod Uthoff (2016), and Peter Jok (2017) as first team selections.

Garza averaged 21.9 points per game during the 20-game conference schedule, becoming the third player since 1990 to lead the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (Michigan State’s Steve Smith and Evan Turner of Ohio State). He is the first Hawkeye to average 20+ points per game in consecutive seasons (23.9 in 2020 and 23.7 in 2021) since Sam Williams in 1967 (22.6) and 1968 (25.3). Garza broke the school’s 32-year old scoring record held by Roy Marble on Feb. 21, 2021. His 2,306 points rank seventh best in Big Ten history.

Wieskamp ranked second on the team in points per game (14.8) and rebounds per contest (6.6). The Muscatine, Iowa, native ranked fourth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers made per game (2.35) and seventh in defensive rebounds per game (5.45). He led all players in 3-point accuracy, making 49.5 percent of his attempts (51-of-103) in Big Ten play. Wieskamp scored in double figures 27 times in 2020-21. He made a season-high five 3-pointers six times this season, second most by a major conference player in 2020-21.

Bohannon ranked first in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy (.390), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.07) and 3-pointers made per game (2.58), and fifth in assists per game (4.4). He is Iowa’s all-time leader in assists (639), 3-pointers made (364), free throw percentage (.887) and games played (143). His 364 triples are second most in Big Ten history. The native of Marion, Iowa, is one of only four Division I players since the 1992-93 season to amass more than 600 assists and 350 3-pointers.

Fredrick ranked fourth on the team in scoring (7.5 ppg) and 3-pointers (36), shooting at a 47 percent clip (36-of-76) from 3-point range in 2020-21.

Murray is the 10th Hawkeye to be voted to the five-player All-Freshman Team since the honor was first introduced in 2003. Murray, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native is the eighth rookie to be recognized on the All-Freshman Team under Fran McCaffery and the fifth in five years (Jordan Bohannon and Tyler Cook in 2017; Joe Wieskamp in 2019; CJ Fredrick in 2020).

Murray was the team’s leading scorer (7.8) and rebounder (5.5) off the bench in conference play. Murray was second on the team in total steals (26) and ranked 11th overall in the Big Ten in blocks per game (1.3). He netted double figures eight times. He became the first Hawkeye to stuff the stat sheet with the following in an NCAA Tournament game: 13 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists, and one steal versus Grand Canyon.

VALUING THE BASKETBALL
Iowa ranked first in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.02) last season. The Hawkeyes had two players ranked high nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Connor McCaffery was fourth in the country with a 3.73 ratio (112 assists; 30 turnovers), while Jordan Bohannon was 13th with a 3.07 ratio (135 assists; 44 turnovers).

Iowa had teammates who recorded 10-assist/0-turover games in consecutive games in 2020-21. Connor McCaffery and Jordan Bohannon were the first Division I duo from the same team to accomplish the feat in the last 10 years. McCaffery had 10 assists and zero turnovers at Maryland, while Jordan Bohannon was credited with 14 assists and zero turnovers versus Minnesota.

HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
• The Hawkeyes opened their season with 93+ points in each of their first six games for the first time in program history.
• Iowa’s Luka Garza (24.1) and Joe Wieskamp (14.8) combined to average 38.9 points per game, the fifth highest scoring duo in the country and second highest from a major conference: Oral Roberts (43.2), South Dakota (40.6), Detroit Mercy (39.6), LSU (39.3).
• Iowa amassed 12 combined Quad 1 (7) and Quad 2 (5) wins.
• Fran McCaffery is one of four coaches to record multiple regular season sweeps of Michigan State during Tom Izzo’s tenure (Steve Fisher, John Beilein, and Matt Painter).
• The Hawkeyes have won 10 or more Big Ten games six of the last seven seasons.
• The Hawkeyes ranked second in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency (points scored per 100 possessions).
• Iowa ranked first in the Big Ten and fifth in the country in scoring offense in 2020-21, averaging 83.7 points per game. The Hawkeyes have led the Big Ten in scoring offense each of the last three seasons. Its 83.7 scoring average is the highest by a Hawkeye team since the 1988-89 season (89.6).
• Iowa is 109-26 when scoring 80 points or more, the last 11 seasons. The Hawkeyes are 84-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last 11 years.
• Iowa advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2006.
• Luka Garza is the first Hawkeye since Jeff Horner and Greg Brunner in 2006 to be voted to the Big Ten Men’s Basketball All-Tournament Team.
• Iowa earned the No. 3 seed at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament, its second highest seed in the 23-year history of the tournament (No. 2 seed in 2006).
• Assistant Coach Billy Taylor was named to the class of 2021 for the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
• Jordan Bohannon joined Bob Hansen, Kevin Boyle, and Mark Gannon as the only Hawkeyes to register four victories over the Cyclones in their career.
• The Hawkeyes have won six of their last eight ACC/Big Ten Challenge games.
• Iowa has qualified for five NCAA tournaments over the last seven completed seasons (2014-16, 2019, 2021) and eight postseason tournaments over the last nine completed seasons (5 NCAA; 3 NIT).

JORDAN BOHANNON HOLDS 4 IOWA ALL-TIME RECORDS
Jordan Bohannon completed his fifth season as the program’s career leader in four statistical categories: assists (639), 3-pointers made (364), games played (143), and free throw percentage (.887, 290-327). His 364 triples are second most in Big Ten history behind Ohio State’s Jon Diebler (374) and 102 more than any other Hawkeye.

Bohannon, an honorable mention all-conference honoree in 2021, is one of 30 Division I players over the last 25 years to make 75+ 3-pointers in four seasons. Bohannon made five or more triples in a team-best seven games in 2020-21.

Bohannon ranked first in the league in 3-point accuracy (.394) and second in 3-pointers made per game (2.58) in 2021. He was second in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.07) and fourth in assists per contest (4.4).

Bohannon’s 80 3-pointers in 2021 are fourth most and his 135 assists are ninth most by a senior in program history.
Eighty percent of his made field goals last season were 3-pointers (80-of-100). He is one of only three Division I players since the 1992-93 season to amass more than 625 assists and 360 3-pointers.

Bohannon is one of only three Hawkeyes to post four 100-assist seasons (Jeff Horner, Dean Oliver).

He has accumulated seven points-assists double-doubles, the most in school history. Bohannon registered a school-record eight games with 10 or more assists.

GIVE ME THREE OF THESE, PLEASE
Iowa established a new single-season 3-point field goals made record last season, sinking 301 to best the previous benchmark of 300 set four seasons ago in 2017. Iowa made 38.6 percent of its attempts (301-of-780), its highest percentage since the 1996-97 season (218-of-543). Iowa’s 38.6 percentage from long distance in 2020-21 is impressive considering the Hawkeyes attempted 237 more attempts than the 1997 squad. The school record for 3-point percentage in a single-season is 41.5 percent (188-of-453) in 1987-88; that team attempted 327 fewer 3-point shots.

QUIET CONFIDENCE
Small forward Keegan Murray, who was named to the five-player All-Big Ten Freshman Team, played with a quiet confidence when his name was called coming off the bench last season.
He ranked fourth on the team in rebounding (5.1), second in blocks (39), and sixth in 3-pointers made (16) a year ago. He was the team’s leading scorer (7.8) and rebounder (5.5) off the bench in league play.

Murray played in all 31 games, including four starts. He was one of only five players nationally — and only bench player — to amass 200+ points, 35+ blocks, 25+ steals, and 15+ 3-pointers. Murray scored in double figures seven times as a true freshman.

His 39 blocks tie for fourth most by a freshman in program history. Murray led the team in blocks 12 times and steals five times.

Murray totaled 13 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and one steal in Iowa’s first round win over Grand Canyon. No Hawkeye has posted that stat line in any NCAA Tournament game, and the four blocked shots were a career high.

Murray and his twin, Kris, gained a year of experience following high school graduation playing at DME Academy in Florida in 2019-20 prior to arriving in Iowa City. The Murray twins are legacy Hawkeyes; their father Kenyon played for head coach Tom Davis for four seasons (1993-96).

McCAFFERY CLIMBING WINS CHART
Fran McCaffery and the Iowa Hawkeyes have reached the 20-win plateau seven of the last nine seasons. McCaffery and Tom Davis (10) are the only Iowa head coaches to win 20 or more games in at least seven seasons.

Among Iowa’s head basketball coaches, McCaffery ranks second in tournament appearances behind Davis (9). Davis is Iowa’s all-time winningest coach, while McCaffery is second.

RECENT GRADUATES PLAYING PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
A number of recent Iowa basketball graduates are playing professionally: Joe Wieskamp (NBA San Antonio Spurs), Luka Garza (NBA Detroit Pistons), Jarrod Uthoff (Japan), Devyn Marble (Israel), Tyler Cook (NBA Chicago Bulls), Anthony Clemmons (Italy), Gabriel Olaseni (Turkey), Ryan Kriener (Matsuyama), Bakari Evelyn (Germany), Peter Jok (France), Melsahn Basabe (Puerto Rico), and Aaron White (Serbia).