2021-22 IOWA HAWKEYES FINAL NOTES
• The Hawkeyes have been ranked in the final AP Poll each of the last three years: #16 in 2022; #8 in 2021; #25 in 2020. The last time Iowa has been ranked in the final AP Poll three consecutive seasons was 1987 (#6), 1988 (#17) and 1989 (#14).
• Iowa has won 68 games combined over the last three seasons (20 in 2020; 22 in 2021; 26 in 2022). The 68 victories are the fourth most over a three-year stretch in program history and most since winning 77 contests from 1987-89.
• Iowa won four games in four days (Northwestern, Rutgers, Indiana, Purdue) to capture the 2022 Big Ten Tournament Championship, its third tournament title in program history and first since 2006.
• Iowa has qualified for six NCAA tournaments over the last eight completed seasons (2014-16, 2019, 2021, 2022) and nine postseason tournaments over the last 10 completed seasons (6 NCAA; 3 NIT). The 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID-19.
• Iowa won 26 games, the second most single season total in program history (30 in 1987).
• After his historic sophomore season, Keegan Murray declared for the NBA Draft. Murray is likely to become the program’s first NBA Draft first-round selection since Ricky Davis in 1998.
• Keegan Murray became Iowa’s single-season scoring leader (822 points). After going 117 years without a player scoring 700 points in a single season, the Hawkeyes have had a player score over 700 points in each of the last three seasons: Luka Garza scored 740 in 2020 and 747 in 2021.
• Iowa posted its ninth upper division Big Ten finish in the last 10 seasons. Furthermore, the Hawkeyes have finished fifth place or better in the Big Ten regular season standings six of the last eight years.
• Iowa led the Big Ten and ranked fifth nationally in scoring offense (83.2). The Hawkeyes have led the league in scoring five of the last nine seasons, including the last four.
• The Hawkeyes boasted a 15-3 record in home games in 2021-22. Iowa has won 14+ home contests each of the last four years.
• The Hawkeyes won eight of their last 10 games away from home (Maryland; Ohio State; Nebraska; Michigan; Northwestern; Rutgers; Indiana; Purdue).
• Consensus First-Team All-American Keegan Murray is the only player nationally to average 23+ points and 8+ rebounds in 2021-22.
• Twenty-one of Iowa’s 26 wins came by 10+ points, including 12 by 20 points or more.
• The Hawkeyes won 12 of their last 15 games — winning 10 of the 12 by double figures — dating back to Feb. 6. Iowa went 5-1 in neutral site contests in 2021-22.
• Iowa finished the season 12-3 after shifting Jordan Bohannon from off guard to point guard. Bohannon (2,033) became just the third Hawkeye to score 2,000 points.
• The Hawkeyes were tops in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.74); fourth in fewest turnovers per game (9.2); and seventh in turnover margin (4.4).
• The Hawkeyes posted four Quad 1 and eight Quad 2 wins. Six of Iowa’s ten losses were by a five-point margin or less.
• Keegan Murray ranked fourth in the country in points per game (23.5); 34th in field goal percentage (.554); 46th in blocks per contest (1.94); and 51st in double-doubles (10). Murray was a consensus first-team All-American, unanimous All-Big Ten, recipient of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, a six-time Big Ten Player of the Week honoree and was a finalist for the Wooden, Naismith, and Lute Olson national player of the year awards.
• Fran McCaffery has coached a first-team All-Big Ten honoree seven of the last nine years. He has guided Iowa to 20+ wins eight of the last 10 seasons, including four-straight.
• Iowa joined Michigan State as the only schools to have their football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball teams compete in the Big Ten Conference Championship all in the same season since the football championship game was introduced (2011-12).
• Iowa is the only school in the country in 2022 to have both a men’s (Keegan Murray) and women’s (Caitlin Clark) basketball finalist for both the Naismith and Wooden National Player of the Year awards.
HAWKEYES WIN 4 GAMES IN 4 DAYS, WIN BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TITLE
Iowa outscored ninth-ranked Purdue 12-4 over the final 2:45 to post a 75-66 triumph and capture the program’s third Big Ten Tournament championship in Indianapolis.
• The Hawkeyes (2001, 2022) joined Michigan (2017, 2018) as the only schools to win Big Ten Tournament titles twice by winning four games in four days.
• All-American Keegan Murray was named the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, while Murray and Jordan Bohannon were named to the all-tournament team.
• Murray broke the record for most points (103) and field goals made (38) in a single Big Ten Tournament, surpassing the previous mark of 92 points and 34 field goals made by Ohio State’s Duane Washington Jr. in 2021.
• Murray posted his team-leading 10th double-double of the year (19 points, 11 rebounds).
• Indianapolis native, Tony Perkins, netted 11 points, reaching double figures four of the last six outings.
• Iowa boasted a +11 turnover margin, forcing 17 turnovers while committing only six.
• Both Iowa’s men’s and women’s basketball teams won the Big Ten Tournament title in the same year for a second time (2001 and 2022).
RICHMOND UPENDS HAWKEYES AT NCAA TOURNAMENT
Iowa lost an NCAA Tournament First Round game for the first time since 2014 (First Four) on March 17, when Richmond edged the fifth-seeded Hawkeyes, 67-63, in Buffalo.
• Keegan Murray scored a team-high 21 points and finished with nine rebounds. It was his 26th game with 20 or more points this season.
• Patrick McCaffery tied a season high, netting 18 points. The Hawkeyes made a total of six triples (6-of-29), with McCaffery making a personal-best four 3-point field goals. Iowa’s 20.7 percentage from 3-point range was its second lowest percentage from long distance in 2021-22.
• The Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle, 40-36. It marked the first time in 2021-22 that Iowa lost when winning the rebounding battle (20-1).
• Iowa went on an 11-0 run in the second half. It was the 27th run of 10 or more points in 2021-22.
• Iowa was held to 63 points, its lowest output since Jan. 19 at Rutgers (46 points).
• The Hawkeyes had won at least one game in each of its last four NCAA Tournament appearances.
HISTORY BOOK UPDATE
The 2022 Hawkeyes etched their name in the school record book with a number of top single-season team performances:
• New school record – 331 3-point FGM (previous record was 301 set in 2021)
• New school record – 912 3-point FGA (previous record was 791 set in 2017)
• New school record – 2,322 field goals attempted (previous record was 2,194 set in 1987)
• Third most – 2,995 points (highest single season point total since 3,181 in 1988)
• 264 steals are most in a single season since collecting 268 in 1999
• Averaged 83+ points each of the last two seasons; last time Iowa averaged 83+ points in back-to-back seasons was 1994-95
• 156 blocked shots are most in a season since rejecting 156 in 2016
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT RECORD BREAKERS
The Hawkeyes put together one of the most dominating runs in Big Ten Tournament history, breaking six team single Big Ten Tournament records: total points (351); field goals made (123); field goal attempts (245); 3-point field goals made (48); 3-point field goal attempts (111); and assists (75).
Iowa tied Big Ten Championship game for steals, equaling Ohio State’s 13 established in the 2002 title game.
In Iowa’s second round victory over Northwestern, the Hawkeyes broke four Big Ten Tournament records: total points (112); 3-pointers made (19); field goals made (43); and margin of victory (36). Iowa also broke/tied eight team records in a Big Ten Tournament game in the victory over the Wildcats: total points (112); points in a half (64); field goals (43); 3-pointers made (19); 3-point attempts (29); field goal percentage (.614); 3-point field goal percentage (.655); and assists (25).
Iowa broke another school Big Ten Tournament game record in its quarterfinals triumph over Rutgers, sinking 92.6 percent (25-of-27) from the foul line.
All-American Keegan Murray broke the record for most points (103) and field goals made (38) in a single Big Ten Tournament, surpassing the previous mark of 92 points and 34 field goals made by Ohio State’s Duane Washington Jr. in 2021. Additionally, his eight 3-pointers made (10 attempted) tied the tournament single game record.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT NOTEABLES
Other than the numerous team and individual records broken, there were plenty of highlights during Iowa’s four days to a championship.
• Iowa rallied from double-digit first-half deficits in its quarterfinals and semifinals wins (10, Rutgers and 12, Indiana).
• Jordan Bohannon drained a game-winning 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to lift Iowa to a 77-74 win over Indiana in the semifinals. The sixth-year senior made three of his four triples over the final 2:30 against the Hoosiers.
• All-American Keegan Murray tallied a game-best 32 points, bolstered by shooting a blistering 8-of-10 from 3-point range, and pulled down a team-best nine rebounds in the win over Indiana.
• Trailing by six (71-65), Iowa outscored the Hoosiers 15-6 over the final 3:27.
• Iowa made 77 percent (57-of-74) of its free throw attempts in the four games. The Hawkeyes missed only four combined free throws versus Rutgers and Indiana (35-of-39, .897). Iowa made its first 22 attempts from the charity stripe versus the Scarlet Knights.
• Bohannon became just the third Hawkeye to score 2,000 points when he reached the milestone against Rutgers. He has scored in double figures 100 times in his career.
• Murray surpassed 2021 National Player of the Year Luka Garza’s single-season scoring record on March 11 versus the Scarlet Knights.
• All 14 players scored in Iowa’s 36-point victory over Northwestern in the second round.
• The Hawkeyes drained a staggering 19 3-pointers against Northwestern. Ten different Hawkeyes made at least one 3-pointer against the Wildcats.
• Iowa tallied 64 first-half points against Northwestern, the most the Hawkeyes scored in a half (first or second) this season.
BACK-TO-BACK HERCULEON EFFORTS
Big Ten players with 23+ ppg, 8+ rpg, and 55+% field goal percentage since 1970-71:
1970-71 to 2019-20 (50 seasons)
Mychal Thompson (MINN): 1975-76
Alan Henderson (IND): 1994-95
2020-21 to 2021-22 (2 seasons)
Luka Garza (IOWA): 2020-21
Keegan Murray (IOWA): 2021-22
MURRAY IN ELITE COMPANY
Sophomore Keegan Murray amassed 822 points, 68 blocked shots and 66 3-pointers in 2021-22. Murray joins Kevin Durant (2006-07) as the only two players nationally over the last 30 years with 800+ points, 50+ blocks, and 50+ 3-pointers in a single season.
Murray is just the eighth men’s basketball player in Big Ten history win 800 points in a single season and second this century (Purdue’s Carsen Edwards, 874).
Murray amassed 1,046 points in 66 games as a Hawkeye. He is just the fifth Hawkeye to reach over 1,000 career points in their first two seasons, joining Sam Williams, John Johnson, Fred Brown and Reggie Evans. He is the 51st Hawkeye with 1,000 career points.
McCAFFERY CLIMBS WINS CHART
Fran McCaffery and the Hawkeyes have reached 20 wins eight of the last 10 seasons. McCaffery and Tom Davis (10) are the only Iowa coaches to win 20 or more games in at least eight seasons.
Iowa finished the 2021-22 season with 26 wins, second most in school history (30 in 1987).
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.
BACK-TO-BACK-BACK
Iowa became the first school to have a men’s basketball player lead the Big Ten in scoring three straight seasons since Purdue from 1968-70.
Iowa’s Luka Garza led the conference in scoring average in 2020 (26.2 ppg) and 2021 (21.9 ppg). Keegan Murray led the league in 2022, averaging 23.5 points per game in all games. Murray finished the 20-game league schedule as the Big Ten’s leading scorer, averaging 22.8 points per contest.
Purdue legend Rick Mount led the Big Ten in scoring in 1968 (29.7 ppg), 1969 (35.2 ppg), and 1970 (39.4 ppg).
IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,908 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,718-1,190 (.591). Iowa’s 1,718 wins are 36th most among Division I programs. That includes a 1,097-377 (.744) record in home games, a 621-813 (.433) record in contests away from Iowa City, an 814-813 (.501) mark in Big Ten games and a 501-151 (.768) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
KEEGAN MURRAY ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST
Keegan Murray had a breakout sophomore campaign putting together the greatest season by an underclassman in program history. Murray earned consensus first-team All-America honors as well as being a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten honoree. Murray was the recipient of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and was a finalist for the Naismith, Wooden and Lute Olson Player of the Year awards, and the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Murray became the program’s fourth consensus first-team All-American, joining Murray Wier (1948), Charles Darling (1952), and Garza (2020 and 2021).
Murray, who declared for the NBA Draft, totaled 303 rebounds, 68 blocks, 66 3-point field goals, 52 assists, 45 steals and a school single-season record 822 points in his historic sophomore campaign. He is only the second player in Division I history to amass more than 800 points, 60 blocks, and 60 3-pointers in a single season (Texas’ Kevin Durant in 2007). Additionally, he is the first player with more than 800 points and 300 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 55 percent or better in a single season since North Carolina’s Antawn Jamison in 1998.
Murray ranked first in the country in Player Efficiency Rating (37.8); fourth in points per game (23.5); 34th in field goal percentage (.554); 46th in blocks per contest (1.94); and 51st in double-doubles (10). His 23.5 points per game average is tops among players from a major conference and marks the third consecutive season a Hawkeye has led the Big Ten in scoring (Garza in 2020 and 2021). Murray was the only player nationally to average 23+ points and 8+ rebounds in 2022.
Murray averaged 7.2 points per game last year and averaged 23.5 this season (+16.3), which is the largest points per game increase by a Big Ten player in 49 years (Illinois’ Rick Schmidt’s scoring average improved +17.6 from 1972-73).
The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native tallied 20+ points 26 times and 25+ points 16 times this season, both of which ranked first nationally. Murray was voted the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player after totaling a tournament record 103 points and 38 field goals made in four games in leading the Hawkeyes to their third tournament championship and first since 2006. He tied a Big Ten Tournament single game record with eight made 3-pointers (10 attempts), in a 32-point outburst in a semifinal win over Indiana.
He was named Big Ten Player of the Week a program-best six times this season (Nov. 22; Dec. 20; Jan. 3; Feb. 14; Feb. 28, March 6). Murray joins Ohio State’s Evan Turner (7 in 2009-10) and Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan (6 in 2016-17) as the only Big Ten players since the weekly award was introduced prior to the 1981-82 season to earn six or more weekly honors by the Big Ten in a single season.
Iowa has had a player named a Wooden Award National Semifinalist three straight years and four of the last seven. Former Hawkeye Luka Garza earned the 2021 John R. Wooden Award and was a finalist in 2020, while Jarrod Uthoff was a semifinalist in 2016. Garza was also the recipient of the 2021 Lute Olson Award.
Murray is the program’s first sophomore to be voted to the All-Big Ten First Team since Ronnie Lester in 1978.
Murray totaled 26 points or more an NCAA-best 16 times this year. He is also the only Hawkeye underclassman (freshman or sophomore) with five 30+ performances in a single season.
His 303 rebounds are 10th most in Iowa single-season history, while his 68 blocks rank eighth best.
Murray, who posted a team-leading 10 double-doubles this season, combined for 65 points in two games against Maryland.
Murray poured in a career-best 37 points, six rebounds, and a game bests in steals (3) and blocks (2) against Nebraska on Feb. 13. The 37 points are believed to be the third most by any men’s basketball player in Carver-Hawkeye Arena’s 39-year history (45 by Brian Quinnett of Washington State in 1986; 41 by Iowa’s Luka Garza in 2020).
Murray became the first Hawkeye to score 30+ points in back-to-back Big Ten games since Matt Gatens 10 years ago in 2012 (30 vs. Indiana and 33 vs. Wisconsin).
Murray exploded for a then career-best 35 points versus Utah State. He scored 18 straight Iowa points spanning 6:08 in the first half. Murray was six points from the Sanford Pentagon record.
Murray had a historic stat line against N.C. Central, registering 27 points, 21 rebounds, and four blocks. He became the fourth Hawkeye over the last five decades, and first since 1977, to score 20+ points and grab 20+ rebounds.
2022 KEEGAN MURRAY HONORS
• Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year
• John R. Wooden Award Finalist, All-American
• Naismith Player of the Year Trophy Finalist
• Lute Olson National Player of the Year Finalist
• Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Finalist
• Consensus First Team All-America
• Sporting News First Team All-America
• Associated Press First Team All-America
• USBWA First Team All-America
• The Athletic First Team All-America
• NABC Second Team All-America Team
• NABC First Team All-District Team
• USBWA All-District VI Team
• All-Big Ten First Team honoree (unanimous)
• Associated Press All-Big Ten First Team selection (unanimous)
• Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team
• NABC First Team All-District
• The Athletic Midseason Second Team All-America
• Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week (Feb. 14)
• Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (March 7)
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Feb. 28)
• Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (Feb. 14)
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Jan. 3)
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Dec. 20)
• Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 22)
BOHANNON JOINS SIBLINGS IN WINNING A TOURNAMENT TITLE
Jordan Bohannon became the third Bohannon sibling to win a basketball conference tournament title.
Matt and the Northern Iowa Panthers won the Missouri Valley Tournament title his redshirt senior year in 2016.
Jason and the Wisconsin Badgers won the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship as a sophomore in 2008.
Zach did not win a conference tournament title, but Zach and the Wisconsin Badgers advanced to the 2014 Final Four.
3 HAWKEYES GARNER POSTSEASON ALL-BIG TEN RECOGNITION
Keegan Murray was a unanimous first team selection by both the media and coaches, marking the third straight season a Hawkeye has been a unanimous first team selection (Luka Garza in 2020 and 2021). Murray was also tabbed a unanimous first-team all-conference honoree by the Associated Press. Jordan Bohannon earned honorable mention recognition, while Patrick McCaffery is the recipient of Iowa’s Big Ten Men’s Basketball Sportsmanship Award.
Head coach Fran McCaffery has coached a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in seven of the last nine seasons, the most over a nine-year span since 1944-52. Murray joins Devyn Marble (2014), Aaron White (2015), Jarrod Uthoff (2016), Peter Jok (2017), and Garza (2020 and 2021) as first team selections.
Murray ranked first in the country in Player Efficiency Rating (37.8); fourth in points per game (23.5); 34th in field goal percentage (.554); 46th in blocks per contest (1.94); and 51st in double-doubles (10). His 23.5 points per game average was tops among players from a major conference.
Bohannon earned postseason conference recognition for a fifth time, earning third team accolades as a junior, honorable mention honors three times, and voted to the All-Freshman Team in 2017. He ranked first on the team in 3-pointers made per game (2.53), second in scoring (11.0), first in free throw accuracy (.889, 80-of-90) and fourth in assists per game (1.8).
McCaffery ranked third on the team in points per game (10.5), and fourth in rebounds (3.6) and blocks (0.5) per contest.
TWICE AS NICE
Sophomores Keegan and Kris Murray ranked first and fourth, respectively, in team scoring. Keegan averaged 23.5 points, while Kris was Iowa’s leading scorer (9.7 ppg) and rebounder (4.3 rpg) off the bench. Keegan also ranks first on the squad in rebounds per game (8.7), blocks per game (1.94), 3-point accuracy (.398, 66-of-166) and free throws made (142); while Kris ranks second on the squad in blocks per contest (0.9), 3-point accuracy (.397, 43-of-111), third in rebounds (4.3) and fourth in steals (29).
Keegan was a phenomenal finisher around the rim, hitting 62 percent on 2-point tries and a team-best 39.8 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
Kris averaged 21.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per 40 minutes played as a sophomore. He posted single season bests in every statistical category, improving his scoring average by +9.1 points per game and rebounding average by 3.7 per outing.
Kris’ 31 blocks tie for Glen Worley (2002) for seventh most and his 43 3-point field goals are eighth most by a Hawkeye sophomore.
Kris made at least one 3-pointer in a team-best 17 consecutive games (Jan. 22-March 13). He recorded multiple steals in 10 games and multiple blocks in nine contests.
BOHANNON WINS 3-POINT CONTESTS
The Big Ten’s all-time 3-point leader Jordan Bohannon won the 2022 Men’s College 3-Point Contest held on March 31, in New Orleans, the site of the Final Four.
Bohannon becomes the second Hawkeye in six years to win the 3-Point Contest; Peter Jok was the last Hawkeye to compete in the event and was crowned champion of the 2017 event in Phoenix.
Bohannon defeated a field that included Brad Davison (Wisconsin), Alfonso Plummer (Illinois), Sasha Stefanovic (Purdue), Carl Pierre (Rice), Alex O’Connell (Creighton) and Davion Mintz (Kentucky).
Bohannon edged Davison in the finals, 18-17. Bohannon went into the final three racks with just five points, but he made eight straight shots, including a perfect rack at the top of the key. Bohannon trailed by three going into the final rack, but he delivered by sinking the first four balls.
Bohannon then went on to win the “Battle of the Champions,” edging Kendall Spray of Florida Gulf Coast, 21-19. Bohannon made 11 straight shots and drained his last money ball attempt, which proved to be the difference.
JORDAN BOHANNON HOLDS 5 IOWA RECORDS
Jordan Bohannon, who competed in his sixth season, is the program’s career leader in four statistical categories: assists (704), 3-pointers made (455), games played (179), and free throw percentage (.887, 370-417). He sank a school and Xfinity Center record 10 3-pointers at Maryland on Feb. 10, 2022. The 10 triples were one shy of tying the Big Ten record. His 455 triples are the most in Big Ten history and 192 more than any other Hawkeye.
He made 91 treys this season, second most in the Big Ten and 39th nationally.
Bohannon (179) is the NCAA all-time leader in career games played. He is fourth in the NCAA with 455 career 3-point field goals made. The 455 triples are the second most by a player from a major conference (457 by Duke’s J.J. Reddick). He ranks third in career scoring at Iowa (2,033) and sixth in field goals made (604).
In four games at the Big Ten Tournament, he averaged 13 points a game, shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 43.3 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the foul line. He connected on the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining in the semifinal win over Indiana. He was one of two Hawkeyes named to the all-tournament team.
Bohannon, an honorable mention all-conference honoree in 2021 and 2022, is the only Division I player over the last 25 years to make 75+ 3-pointers in five seasons.
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).
He is the only Division I player to amass more than 700 assists and 450 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.
HAWKEYE FASTBREAKS
• Iowa made its 28th NCAA Tournament appearance, only 15 schools playing in 2022 tournament competed in more. The Hawkeyes were the overall 20th seed.
• Eight of Iowa’s nine losses during the 2021-22 regular season came to teams who qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
• The Big Ten matched its highest number of teams to qualify for an NCAA Tournament with nine. The conference also sent nine in 2021.
• Iowa has been a top five seed in the last three B1G Tournaments.
• The Hawkeyes were 20-1 in 2022 when outrebounding their opponents and 12-0 when Iowa shot 50 percent or better from the field. The lone setback came in Iowa’s final game against Richmond in the NCAA Tournament.
• Iowa has won 10 or more Big Ten games seven of the last eight seasons.
• Iowa scored 700 points over an eight-game stretch from Feb. 10 to March 3 (87.5 ppg). That is the most points by any team in an eight-game span of Big Ten play since 1995, when the Hawkeyes themselves had 709 in eight games from Feb. 9 to March 8.
• The Hawkeyes had scoring runs of 10-0 or more a combined 27 times in 2021-22.
• The Hawkeyes notched at least one regular season victory over Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Indiana for the first time in the same season since 2006.
• Iowa is 130-28 when scoring 80 points or more, the last 12 seasons. The Hawkeyes are 91-3 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points, the last 12 years.
• Iowa went 7-1 during the month of February, its most wins in February since winning all eight February contests in 1981.
• The Hawkeyes had six players score in double figures in its double-digit win at Nebraska on Feb. 25. The last time Iowa had six score double figures in a game was versus Green Bay on Nov. 11, 2018. The last time that occurred in a conference game was Jan. 30, 2018, against Minnesota.
• The Hawkeyes posted three regular season sweeps over Big Ten opponents this season. Iowa swept Maryland, Minnesota and Nebraska. Iowa notched single-play wins over Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Ohio State.
• Iowa has won 77 of its last 82 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
• Keegan and Kris Murray led the squad in 3-point accuracy. Keegan made 39.8 percent (66-of-166) of his attempts, while his brother Kris was narrowly second (.397, 43-of-111). Keegan made a combined 11-of-18 (.611) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and championship.
• The Hawkeyes advanced to the Big Ten Tournament Championship game for the fourth time and captured their third tournament title in program history (2001, 2006, 2022, lost in 2002).
• Jordan Bohannon (30) and Keegan Murray (30) became the first Hawkeye duo to score 30+ points in the same game (at Maryland) since Bruce King (36) and Scott Thompson (30) at Michigan on Jan. 31, 1976.
• Iowa made the most of its trips to the foul line. The Hawkeyes shot 74.9 percent from the foul line, which ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 67th nationally. Iowa’s 522 free throw makes were second in the Big Ten and 19th most in the NCAA. Iowa made its first 22 free throw attempts in the tournament win over Rutgers and ended the game 25-of-27, setting an Iowa tournament record for accuracy (.926).
• Iowa’s Keegan Murray (7 games this season) and Luka Garza (19 in a row) are the only two Big Ten men’s basketball players to have scored 20+ points in seven straight games over the last decade.
• Keegan Murray and Kansas State’s Michael Beasley (2007-08) are the only two players from a major conference to score 24+ points in each of their first five games of the season over the last 15 years. He is one of three Big Ten players since the 2002-03 season with six consecutive 20-point games to start the season.
• Iowa posted school single-game records in 3-pointers made (20) and attempted (44) against Alabama State on Nov. 18, besting the previous records of 19-of-43 against Savannah State on Dec. 22, 2018. Iowa’s 20 3-pointers made equals the Carver-Hawkeye Arena record (20 by Purdue on Jan. 20, 2018).
• The Hawkeyes topped the century mark in three of their first five games (Longwood, Alabama State, Western Michigan). The last time an Iowa team scored 100+ points in three of its first five games was the start of the 1997-98 season.
• Iowa was 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 five twins on Division I rosters this season (Arizona State, San Diego State, SIUE and Wisconsin).
• Iowa has won three straight games over Michigan State, dating back to 2021; that is the longest win streak over the Spartans since 2006. The Hawkeyes have defeated the Spartans by a combined 56 points in its last two victories — 88-58 on Feb. 13, 2021, in East Lansing and 86-60 on Feb. 22, 2022. The 26-point victory is the largest margin in Iowa City since 1996 (83-47).
• Virginia has allowed 75+ points at home only six times under head coach Tony Bennett. Iowa has accounted for two of those six (75 in 2021 and 75 in 2013).
• At Virginia and versus Illinois, the Hawkeyes committed a season-low four turnovers, tying the third fewest total in a single-game in the Fran McCaffery era. The four turnovers against the Cavaliers are the fourth lowest in any Big Ten/ACC Challenge contest.
• The Hawkeyes have won seven of their last nine, including four straight, Big Ten/ACC Challenge games.
• Florida State has won an NCAA-record 13 straight overtime games, dating back to January, 2018. The last team to beat the Seminoles in overtime was Iowa (78-75) on Dec. 2, 2015, in Iowa City. That game featured 21 lead changes.
STEALING THE ROCK
Iowa ranked first in the Big Ten and 88th nationally in steals per game (7.3). The last time a Hawkeye team led the conference in steals was during the 2016-17 season (8.1 per game).
Iowa was credited with 13 steals versus the Boilermakers in the Big Ten Tournament title game, which tied the team record for most thefts in a Big Ten Championship game (Ohio State, 2002).
The Hawkeyes recorded 10 steals in wins over Northwestern and Michigan the last week of the regular season.
PATRICK McCAFFERY PLAYING HIS BEST BASKETBALL
Redshirt sophomore Patrick McCaffery, who was Iowa Men’s Basketball’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree in 2022, played his best basketball over the last two months of the season. McCaffery netted double figures in scoring 11 of the last 18 games played. He did not play in Iowa’s home win over Northwestern due to a hip injury.
McCaffery scored a season-high 18 points and tied a career high with seven rebounds in Iowa’s win over Minnesota on Feb. 6 and totaled 18 points, bolstered by a personal-best four 3-pointers made, in the NCAA Tournament game versus Richmond on March 17. McCaffery made at least one 3-pointer in 12 of the last 18 games, including sinking multiple triples in six contests during that stretch.
He added 13 points and five rebounds in a home loss to Michigan. He contributed seven points and five rebounds in Iowa’s win at No. 18 Ohio State and five points and six rebounds in a victory over Michigan State. He netted 10 points at Nebraska (Feb. 25). He also sat out Iowa’s game at Illinois due to his hip injury and a non-COVID illness. He returned to the starting lineup and scored 10 points in the Big Ten Tournament win over Northwestern and scored 16 points in the semifinal victory over Indiana.
VALUING THE BASKETBALL
The Hawkeyes were tops in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.74); fourth in fewest turnovers per game (9.2); and seventh in turnover margin (4.4).
Connor McCaffery continued his mastery of limiting turnovers in 2021-22 with 65 assists and only 13 turnovers (one per 44.6 minutes played), boasting a robust 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
McCaffery is Iowa’s assist-to-turnover ratio career leader, averaging 3.47, nearly 1.0 above second-place Andre Banks (2.53).
Joe Toussaint’s 2.33 ratio was sixth best in the league and 36th nationally.
Iowa ranked first in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.02) a year ago. The Hawkeyes had two players ranked high nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio in 2020-21. Connor McCaffery was fourth in the nation with a 3.73 ratio (112 assists; 30 turnovers), while Jordan Bohannon was 13th with a 3.07 ratio (135 assists; 44 turnovers).
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).
SPOTLIGHTING KEEGAN MURRAY’S DOMINATING EFFORT
Keegan Murray posted 27 points, 21 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in Iowa’s win over N.C. Central on Nov. 16. He accomplished something that has not been done in over four decades by a Hawkeye.
Murray became the first Hawkeye to total 25+ points and 20+ rebounds in a game since Bruce King in 1977. King had 31 points and 21 rebounds vs. Ohio State in 1977.
Murray became one four players over the last five decades to post a 20-20 game: Kevin Kunnert (24-23) vs. Illinois in 1972; Fred Haberecht (29-20) vs. Wisconsin in 1975; Bruce King (42-20) vs. Pittsburgh in 1976; Bruce King (31-21) vs. Ohio State in 1977.
The last Big Ten player to have a 20-20 performance was Purdue’s Trevion Williams at Michigan on Jan. 9, 2020 (36-20).
Murray became the first Hawkeye since Greg Brunner in 2006 to grab 20+ rebounds in a game; Brunner had 23 against Minnesota on Jan. 18, 2006. Murray became the first major conference player with 27+ points, 21+ rebounds, and 4+ blocks since Kansas State’s Michael Beasley versus Sacramento State on Nov. 9, 2007.
SPOTLIGHTING JORDAN BOHANNON’S RECORD PERFORMANCE
Jordan Bohannon added another school record to his collegiate resume on Feb. 10, 2022, at Maryland.
Bohannon drained a school-record 10 3-pointers, surpassing the school’s 28-year record previously set twice by Chris Kingsbury (9) in 1994. His 16 3-point attempts tied a personal high (16 versus North Carolina in 2020).
The 10 triples are an Xfinity Center record and ties for second most by a Big Ten player ever. Bohannon’s previous high was eight 3-pointers (at Maryland in 2017 and vs Nebraska in 2021).
Bohannon finished the contest with 30 points in 30 minutes, tying his career high (versus UAB on Nov. 22, 2017).
GUARD COMBINATION CONTRIBUTES
In addition to senior Jordan Bohannon scoring in double figures in 11 of the last 14 games, the guard combination of Tony Perkins, Joe Toussaint and Ahron Ulis played well during Iowa’s 9-2 record in its last 11 contests.
That trio contributed 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists at No. 18 Ohio State, with just two turnovers in a combined 49 minutes of action.
Against the Spartans the trio added 12 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and just two turnovers in a combined 52 minutes.
Perkins had a career-best 20 points in the win at Nebraska, hitting 8-of-10 field goal attempts, and matching a career best with five boards. He also was credited with a personal-best five steals in the home win over Northwestern. In the win at Michigan, the group added 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals.
Perkins continued his balanced play in the loss at No. 20 Illinois, collecting his first career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, along with five assists and a steal, with just one turnover in 34 minutes.
Playing in his hometown of Indianapolis, Perkins played a key role for the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Tournament. In four games he averaged 10.3 points and three rebounds, with 18 assists and two steals. He notched 16 points and three assists in the tournament win over Rutgers; eight points and five assists in the semifinal win over Indiana; and 11 points, four assists, and four rebounds in the championship victory over No. 9 Purdue.
LUKA GARZA’S NO. 55 FORMALLY RETIRED
The University of Iowa Athletics Department formally retired two-time National Player of the Year Luka Garza’s No. 55 on Feb. 22.
Iowa also retired the jerseys of former Hawkeye greats Charles “Chuck” Darling, Roy Marble and Murray Wier.
Additionally, all other retired numbers and jerseys for the Iowa men’s and women’s basketball programs are now hanging from the Carver-Hawkeye Arena rafters.
Garza swept all major postseason men’s basketball awards in 2021 (Wooden, Naismith, Associated Press, Oscar Robertson, NABC, Lute Olson, Sporting News) to become the program’s first consensus National Player of the Year. Garza is Iowa’s only two-time unanimous consensus first-team All-American and only recipient in program history of the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year.
He was named national player of the year by six national outlets in 2020, as well being a two-time honoree of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year and Pete Newell Big Man of the Year.
MARGARET McCAFFERY RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED AWARD
Margaret McCaffery, wife of head coach Fran McCaffery, received the American Cancer Society’s distinguished St. George Award on Feb 13.
The St. George Award is one of the highest volunteer honors of the American Cancer Society and is presented to outstanding volunteers nationwide who have made significant contributions to the American Cancer Society’s strategic goals.
Margaret has served on the ACS National Board of Directors since 2018. Margaret, along with Fran, have been a champion for the Coaches vs. Cancer program and have raised significant funds to support American Cancer Society efforts, including more than $4.5 million the past 20 years. In addition to their work with the American Cancer Society and Coaches vs. Cancer, the McCaffery’s helped spearhead the launch of the new Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Program in Iowa City. The American Cancer Society awarded the McCafferys with the Fighting Spirit Award in 2015.
First conceived in 1949, the St. George National Award has been presented to more than 1,400 Society volunteers nationwide.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Fran McCaffery has the most experienced coaching staffs in the country. The Iowa men’s basketball staff has 75 years of combined collegiate head coaching experience and more than 125 years of collegiate coaching under their belts.
3 HAWKEYES DECIDE TO TRANSFER
Junior point guard Joe Toussaint, sophomore center Josh Ogundele and redshirt senior Austin Ash entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.
Toussaint led the team in assists (3.2) and steals (1.4) per game (3.2) and averaged 4.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 36 games this past season. In three seasons with the Hawkeyes, Toussaint played in 98 games, including 41 starts, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest.
In two seasons with the Hawkeyes, Ogundele saw limited action in 27 games. The London native totaled 29 points, 24 rebounds, five blocks, and four steals in 19 games as a sophomore.
Ash was an integral part of four NCAA Tournament teams (2020 tournament was canceled due to COVID). He saw action in 44 combined games over the past four seasons. Ash posted season bests in points (52), assists (11), rebounds (10), 3-pointers (8), and free throws made (10), and missed only four free-throw attempts last year.