| OPPONENT | Iowa (2-0) at No. 8 Creighton (2-0) |
| LOCATION | Gavitt Tipoff Games | Omaha, Neb. (CHI Health Center) |
| DATE | Tuesday, Nov. 14 |
| TIP-OFF | 9:10 p.m. (CT) |
| RADIO | Hawkeye Sports Network |
| TV | FS1 |
The University of Iowa men’s basketball team hits the road for the first time this season, traveling west on I-80 on Tuesday for a Gavitt Tipoff Games matchup at No. 8 Creighton. The game will tipoff at 9:10 p.m. (CT) at the CHI Health Center and it will be televised live on FS1.
FOLLOW LIVE
Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Gary Dolphin (play-by-play) and Bobby Hansen (color) on the call. 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 includes a 60-minute pregame show.
TV: Tuesday’s game will be televised on FS1 with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Nick Bahe (color) on the call.
OPENING TIP
- The Hawkeyes are 2-0 for a third straight season after downing Alabama State, 98-67, on Nov. 10 in Iowa City.
- Iowa hits the road for the first time this season on Tuesday for a game against No. 8 Creighton in Omaha, Nebraska, as part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games. It is the Hawkeyes’ first game against the Bluejays since 2011.
- In two games, Iowa is averaging 104 points, while allowing 67.5 points. The Hawkeyes scored 110 points in the season opener against North Dakota — the most in an opener under head coach Fran McCaffery (sixth most in McCaffery era.)
- Junior Payton Sandfort is averaging a double-double (19 points, 10.5 rebounds) in Iowa’s first two games. The Waukee, Iowa, native notched his first career double-double (17/12) in the win over Alabama State.
- Iowa is “spreading the wealth” in terms of scoring. Six Hawkeyes landed in double figures in the opener and four against Alabama State. Five Hawkeyes are averaging in double figures and 10 players are playing between 12.8 and 24.5 minutes per game.
- Iowa’s newcomers have accounted for 83 points (40.9 percent of scoring) in the first two games. Valpo transfer Ben Krikke is third on the team in scoring (15.5 points/6.0 rebounds), while freshman forward Owen Freeman is averaging 11 points. Freshman guard Brock Harding has 14 assists in 25 minutes.
- Share & Take Care: Iowa has 50 assists to 13 turnovers in the first two games of the season. The team has assisted on 68.5 percent of its field goals.
- Iowa has won 85 of its last 91 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
- McCaffery is nine wins from becoming the winningest coach in Iowa basketball history. Tom Davis has 271 victories as Iowa’s head coach.
- Iowa is one of 10 teams in the country to make the last four NCAA Tournaments and one of only three Big Ten teams to accomplish the feat (Purdue, Michigan State).
- The Hawkeyes have placed fifth or better in the Big Ten standings in five straight and 10 of the last 11 years.
- Iowa has won 10 or more Big Ten games in eight of the last nine seasons.
- The Hawkeyes led the Big Ten and was 18th nationally in scoring offense (80.1). Iowa has led the league in scoring in seven of the last 11 seasons, including six straight years.
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE
- The Bluejays bring a 2-0 record into Tuesday’s game, winning their first two games by an average of 40 points per game.
- Four Creighton players are averaging in double figures with Trey Alexander leading the way with a 20.5 scoring average on 71.4 percent shooting. Alexander also averages 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals.
- The Bluejays have made 30 3-pointers and are shooting 58.7 percent in their first two games, while being +23 on the glass.
- Creighton has a 6-foot-7 guard (Baylor Scheierman), a 6-foot-9 forward (Mason Miller) and a 7-foot-1 center (Ryan Kalkbrenner).
- Creighton received four first place votes and was picked to finish second in the Big East Conference standings in 2023-24. Three players — Kalkbrenner (unanimous first), Alexander (first) and Scheierman (second) were preseason all-conference selections.
- The Bluejays are coached by former Northern Iowa and Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott, who is a native of Cascade, Iowa.
SERIES HISTORY
- Tuesday’s game is the 26th meeting in the all-time series, dating back to 1922. Iowa leads the all-time series, 14-11.
- The Hawkeyes last faced Creighton in 2011 — an 82-59 Bluejay victory in Des Moines. The two teams met in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, where Iowa won 69-56 in Long Island, New York.
- This is Iowa’s first road game at Creighton since 1999.
LAST GAME | IOWA 98, ALABAMA STATE 67
The Hawkeyes improved to 2-0 with a 98-67 victory over Alabama State on Nov. 10. Iowa had four players reach double digits with senior Patrick McCaffery leading the way with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Payton Sandfort tallied his first career double-double (17/12) and the Hawkeyes assisted on 27 of their 32 field goals.
SHARE & TAKE CARE
The Hawkeyes are leading the Big Ten and rank sixth nationally, averaging 25.0 assists per game. Iowa had 27 assists on 32 field goals in the Nov. 10 win over Alabama State.
• On the flip side, Iowa has just 13 turnovers (6.5 p/game) to rank fifth nationally (first in Big Ten). The 3.85 assist-to-turnover ration is second nationally.
• Iowa didn’t commit a turnover in the second half of the win over Alabama State.
FRESH ASSIST
The Hawkeyes assisted on 23 of their 40 field goals — 57.5 percent — against the Fighting Hawks on Nov. 7.
• True freshman Brock Harding had seven assists in 10 minutes of action in his first collegiate game.
• Sophomore Dasonte Bowen had a career high five assists (without a turnover) and he tied a career-high, scoring 12 points.
3 IS FOR ME
Freshman Brock Harding is an instant assist (and highlight reel), as the Illinois native has 14 assists (7.0 p/game) in just 25 minutes of court time this season. He had seven assists in 10 minutes in his first collegiate game and seven more assists in 15 minutes against Alabama State.
3 IS FOR ME
The Hawkeyes made 12 3-point field goals (on 24 attempts) against North Dakota in the season opener. Ten different players have hit at least one 3-pointer this season.
• Junior Payton Sandfort has seven 3-balls (in 17 attempts) to lead the team. The forward made four 3-pointers against Alabama State — his seventh career game with four or more 3s.
STRONG START
Junior Payton Sandfort is averaging 19 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first two games of the 2023-24 season.
• Sandfort notched his eighth career 20-point game in the opener, scoring 21 points against North Dakota. He scored 10 of Iowa’s first 16 points and 13 of 21 to open the game. He also had nine rebounds.
• In game two, Sandfort tallied his first career double-double, finishing with 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Late in the first half, he scored 12 points in a span of 111 seconds, including a four-point play.
P=MAC: 2-2
Senior Patrick McCaffery netted his sixth career 20-point game against Alabama State, making 7-of-12 field goals en route to a 22-point outing. The forward scored eight of Iowa’s first 12 points and 10 of the first 16 over the first 7 1/2 minutes.
• McCaffery is averaging 16.5 points on 56.3 percent shooting in two games. He is also made 12-of-13 attempts from the free throw stripe.