| OPPONENT | Iowa (0-0) vs. Bethune-Cookman (0-0) |
| LOCATION | Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena) |
| DATE | Monday, Nov. 7 |
| TIP-OFF | 6:01 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | ESPNU |
The Setting
Iowa (0-0) will host Bethune-Cookman (0-0) on Monday, in the season opener. Tipoff is set for 6:01 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are 20 for adults and $10 for youth and UI Students.
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.
TV: Monday’s season opener will be televised on ESPNU. John Schifferen and Robbie Hummel will call the action.
SEASON OPENER STORYLINES
- Monday will be the first ever meeting between Iowa and Bethune-Cookman.
- The Hawkeyes have won 11 straight season openers dating back to the 2011-12 season.
- Iowa has won 77 of its last 82 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
- Fran McCaffery is in his 27th season as a head coach and is seven wins from 500.
- Six Hawkeyes are Iowa natives, two hail from Illinois, two are international (Serbia and England), and one each from New York, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Indiana. Iowa’s average height is 6-foot-5.
- 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 returns 52.4 percent of its scoring production from last season, third most among Big Ten teams.
- Iowa won four games in four days to capture the 2022 Big Ten Tournament Championship, its third tournament title in program history and first since 2006.
- Junior Ahron Ulis, who wore No. 4 the last two years, will wear No. 1 in 2022-23.
- The Hawkeyes have won 42 games over Big Ten teams — including conference tournament contests — over the past three seasons, second most in the league (Illinois, 47).
- Redshirt junior Connor McCaffery and redshirt freshman Patrick McCaffery are one of 22 father/coach and son/player duos in Division I in 2022-23. Of the 22 schools, the McCaffery’s are the only program with a father/coach and two sons on the roster.
- Iowa posted its ninth upper division Big Ten finish in the last 10 seasons. The Hawkeyes have finished fifth or better in the 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 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).
- 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.
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN
- Bethune-Cookman is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The Wildcats posted a 9-21 overall record, including a 7-11 conference mark, a year ago. The Hawkeyes are 17-0 all-time against current members of the SWAC.
- Bethune-Cookman ranked 46th in the country a year ago in steals per game (7.9).
- Returning Junior Damani Mcentire led the squad in steals last season, averaging 2.3 per game and ranked 32nd nationally in total steals (66). Junior Joe French is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 15.8 points per contest, and also led the squad in minutes per game (33).
- Bethune-Cookman’s roster of 16 is comprised of three seniors, five juniors, and eight freshmen.
- Reggie Theus, two-time NBA All-Star, is in his second season as both head coach and director of athletics at Bethune Cookman. Following his 13-year career in the NBA, Theus served as head coach with the Sacramento Kings, New Mexico State, and California State Northridge.
- Assistant coach Billy Garrett is a native of Indianapolis and served as an assistant coach for one season at Iowa under head coach Steve Alford in 2006-07.
MONDAY BASKETBALL DOUBLEHEADER LOGISTICS
- Zone C permit holders (media and fans) are asked to park in Lot 43N. Lot 40 will not be available.
- ADA patrons will park in Lot 40 as normal.
- Public parking will be available starting at 4 p.m. in Lot 43 west, Lot 43 northwest and Lot 65. Lot 43N will not be available to the public. Additional public parking will be available at 6:30 p.m. in Lots 33 and 75.
- Women’s basketball fans can arrive early and watch the men’s basketball game with the women’s basketball ticket; seating will be available in sections G and H (above row 15).
EXHIBITION GAME RECAP
Iowa outscored Truman State, 38-13 over the final 10 minutes of the first half en route to a convincing 118-72 win over the Bulldogs in an exhibition on Oct. 31, in Iowa City.
- Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures: Kris Murray (24), Tony Perkins (18), Filip Rebraca (14), Payton Sandfort (14), and Connor McCaffery (12).
- The Hawkeyes made seven of their first 11 3-point attempts (.636) and finished 14-of-25 (.560) from long distance. Connor McCaffery and Tony Perkins made all six of their 3-point tries in the first half.
- Perkins and Connor McCaffery combined for 30 total points on an efficient 11-of-13 shooting from the field.
- True freshman Dasonte Bowen was credited with a game-best eight assists.
- In addition to his 14 points, Rebraca pulled down six rebounds and blocked a game-best three shots.
- The Hawkeyes forced 19 turnovers, wand converted those miscues into 27 points.
- Iowa outscored Truman State, 24-2, in fast break points and 58-32 in the paint.
LEADER OF THE PACK
Connor McCaffery is Iowa’s career leader in assist-to-turnover ratio, amassing a 3.47 ratio in 134 career games (410 assists; 117 turnovers), nearly 1.0 above second-place Andre Banks (2.53). His assist-to-turnover ratio last year was 5.0, while he ranked fourth nationally in 2021 with a 3.73 ratio. In 202, he led the country with a 4.6 ratio.
MURRAY VOTED PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, KARL MALONE AWARD CANDIDATE
Junior Kris Murray was named to the 2023 Big Ten Preseason All-Big Ten Team and one of 20 candidates for the 2023 Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the top power forward in college basketball.
It marks the fourth straight season that one or more Hawkeyes have been selected to the preseason all-conference squad, voted upon by a selected panel of media. Joe Wieskamp was selected in 2019 and 2020, Luka Garza was tabbed the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year in 2020, while Kris’ twin brother Keegan was recognized in 2021. Keegan was also the recipient of the 2022 Karl Malone Award.
Murray was Iowa’s leading scorer (9.7) and rebounder (4.3) off the bench last season. He improved his scoring average by 9.1 points and rebounding average by 3.7 per outing. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was second on the team in 3-point percentage (.397), blocks per game (0.9) and field goals made (124), third in offensive (1.6) and defensive (2.7) rebounds per contest, and fourth in steals (0.8) per game. Murray 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. His 31 blocks and 43 triples rank seventh and eighth, respectively, by a Hawkeye sophomore. He shared the team’s Most Improved Player Award with Tony Perkins.
Murray’s best game in 2022 came in leading the Hawkeyes to victory over Indiana on Jan. 13, 2022 (29 points; 11 rebounds; 3 steals; 3 blocks).
IOWA SCHEDULE NOTES
- Iowa will open the regular season with three of four games at home, including two straight.
- The Hawkeyes will play back-to-back conference road games four times.
- Iowa has a stretch of four straight home contests in December (ISU, Wisconsin, SE Missouri State and Eastern Illinois).
- Iowa has seven weekend home contests (three on Saturdays and four on Sundays), including six against Big Ten opponents. The Hawkeyes have home games inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on a Saturday or Sunday four of the final six weekends of the regular season.
- The Hawkeyes have a stretch of four of five league home games in early January. Iowa will host Indiana (Jan. 5), Michigan (Jan. 12), Maryland (Jan. 15) and Northwestern (Jan. 18).
- Iowa is scheduled to play at Penn State on New Year’s Day. The Hawkeyes have played on New Year’s Day 10 previous times, most recently in 2017, versus Michigan in Iowa City. Prior to 2017, Iowa’s last New Year’s Day contest was in 1946 versus Saint Louis. The last time the Hawkeyes played a road game on New Year’s Day was at Toledo in 1940.
- Iowa has three trips to the Tri-State Area, traveling to New Jersey twice (Nov. 16 at Seton Hall and Jan. 8 at Rutgers) and New York once (Dec. 6 versus Duke at Madison Square Garden).
- Iowa will play on Super Bowl Sunday for the fourth straight season and sixth time in eight years, playing its only regular season game against Minnesota in Minneapolis on Feb. 12.
- Five of Iowa’s final eight league games will be on the road.
HAWKEYES WELCOME NEWCOMERS
Iowa welcomes four new faces to the 2022-23 roster: Dasonte Bowen, Josh Dix, Dante Eldridge, and Amarion Nimmers.
Bowen and Dix are true freshman, hailing from Boston and Council Bluffs, respectively. Eldridge and Nimmers are non-scholarship student-athletes. Eldridge, a junior, is the son of assistant coach Courtney Eldridge.
ANOTHER SIXTH-YEAR PLAYER
After six seasons and multiple broken records, Jordan Bohannon has exhausted his collegiate eligibility. Bohannon 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. His 455 triples are the most in Big Ten history and 192 more than any other Hawkeye.
Connor McCaffery decided to utilize his COVID bonus year and return for his sixth season with the Hawkeyes.
FRAN MCCAFFERY CONTINUES TO WIN
- With Iowa’s Big Ten Tournament win last March, McCaffery joined Hall of Fame coaches Rick Pitino, Bob Huggins, Eddie Sutton and Lefty Driesell as the only Division I coaches to lead teams to conference tournament titles in four or more different leagues.
- Fran McCaffery has guided Iowa to 20 wins or more in eight of the last 10 seasons. He has led Iowa to Big Ten upper division finishes nine of the last 10 years. Iowa, Michigan State, and Wisconsin have each recorded a Big Ten-best nine first division finishes since 2013.
- Fran McCaffery has coached a first-team All-Big Ten honoree seven of the last nine seasons. He has guided Iowa to 20+ wins seven of the last nine seasons and fifth place or better finishes in the Big Ten six of the last eight years.
STAFF CHANGES
Fran McCaffery has a couple changes to his staff following last season. Assistant Coach Kirk Speraw retired and Assistant Coach Billy Taylor left for a head coaching position at Elon. Replacing Speraw and Taylor are Courtney Eldridge and Matt Gatens. Eldridge was on staff the previous six seasons, most recently as director of player development and recruiting director. Gatens is a former Hawkeye and most recently was an assistant coach at Drake.
Tristan Spurlock, who played basketball at UCF, is the new Director of Player Development. Al Seibert’s title changed to Chief of Staff, while Kyle Denning is now the team’s Director of Operations.
PATRICK MCCAFFERY FINISHED LAST SEASON STRONG
Patrick McCaffery, who was Iowa Men’s Basketball’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree in 2022, netted double figures in scoring 11 of the last 18 games played last season.
The forward made at least one 3-pointer in 12 of the last 18 games, including sinking multiple triples in six contests during that stretch.
PROFESSIONAL HAWKEYES
A number of recent Iowa basketball graduates are playing professionally: Keegan Murray (NBA Sacramento Kings), Luka Garza (G League Iowa Wolves), Jordan Bohannon (G League Iowa Wolves), Joe Wieskamp (G League Wisconsin Herd), Jarrod Uthoff (Japan), Devyn Marble (Poland), Tyler Cook (G League Salt Lake City Stars), Anthony Clemmons (Turkey), Gabriel Olaseni (Turkey), Ryan Kriener (Matsuyama), Melsahn Basabe (Nicaragua), and Aaron White (Serbia).