MBB Preview \\ Utah

The University of Iowa men’s basketball team will travel to the Mount Rushmore State for a Saturday neutral site tilt against Utah.  The game, which will be played at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will begin at 5:07 p.m. (CT) and be televised on BTN.

FOLLOW LIVE
Radio: Saturday’s game will be 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.
Television: Saturday’s game will be televised on BTN with Chris Vosters (play-by-play) and Shon Morris (color) on the call.

OPENING TIP

• The Hawkeyes will play in Sioux Falls for the fourth time, facing Utah on Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon.  It is Iowa’s first game in Sioux Falls since Dec. 18, 2021 -- a 94-75 victory over Utah State.
• Iowa surpassed the century mark for the second time this season in a 104-57 victory over New Orleans on Dec. 15 in Iowa City.  It was the Hawkeyes’ largest margin of victory since 2021.  
• The Hawkeyes shot a season-high 62.7 percent in the win over New Orleans and 13 different players scored.  Iowa scored 57 points in the first half -- a season-high point total.   Conversely, Iowa held the Privateers to 37.3 percent shooting -- a season low.
• Sophomore Owen Freeman made 10-of-12 field goals to tie a career high with 22 points in the win over New Orleans.  It was his second 20-point game of the season and the fourth of his career.
• Junior Josh Dix is averaging 15.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, while shooting 52.5 percent from the field (31-of-59) with 12 3-point field goals over his last five games.  He scored 22 points and had a buzzer-beating 3 in the win over Northwestern on Dec. 3.  Dix has made all 14 of his free throw attempts this season.
• Sophomore Brock Harding has scored in double digits in five of the last six games. He had a 20-point, 10-assist, four-steal double-double in the win over USC Upstate.  He is the only player in the nation with a 20-point, 10-assist, 4-steal game this season.
• Harding is averaging 13.2 points, 6.8 assists and 2.7 steals over his last six games.
• Payton Sandfort has made 14 3-point field goals over his last four games, where he’s averaging 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds. 
• The Hawkeyes have made at least eight 3-point field goals in 10 games, including 10+ in six contests. Iowa made 18 in the win over Southern -- the most since 2022 -- and 14 against New Orleans.  Iowa is leading the Big Ten (20th nationally), averaging 10.6 per game.  
• Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (20.0, 3rd in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.98, 4th in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in five games.  Iowa has committed fewer than 10 turnovers in three straight games.

 

SCOUTING UTAH
• The Utes have won two straight games to bring an 8-2 record into Saturday’s game in Sioux Falls.  Utah downed Florida A&M, 89-59, on Dec. 17.
• Utah has played all but one of its games at home this season.  The Utes played a neutral site game against Mississippi State on Nov. 17, falling 78-73.  
• The Utes are leading the nation in assists (21.0), while ranking fifth in scoring margin (22.6), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.94), seventh in 3-pointers per game (11.3) and ninth in field goal percentage defense (37.0).  
• Gabe Madson leads the Utes, averaging 19.8 points on .458 shooting with a team-high 39 3-point field goals.  Twin brother, Gabe, has 31 3-pointers en route to a 11.1 scoring average.  Gabe also is tops on the team with a 45.6 3-point field goal percentage.
• Utah has four players averaging in double figures and six players averaging at least 8.1 points per game.  The Utes average 42.4 rebounds per game -- second in the Big 12 -- with seven players averaging at least four rebounds per contest.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday’s game is the third meeting in the all-time series between Iowa and Utah.  The Utes lead 2-0.
• Utah won the first meeting, winning 92-88 in Los Angeles in 1964.  
• Last season in the NIT, the Utes won 91-82 in Salt Lake City behind a 31-point performance from Gabe Madsen.  The guard drained seven 3-pointers in the game.

IOWA IN SIOUX FALLS
The Hawkeyes are 2-1 in three games in Sioux Falls at the Sanford Pentagon since 2017.  

12/22/17    Colorado    W, 80-73
12/19/20    Gonzaga    L, 88-99
12/18/21    Utah State    W, 94-75

LAST GAME: IOWA 104, NEW ORLEANS 57
The Hawkeyes shot a season-high 62.7 percent and drained 14 3-pointers in a 104-57 victory over New Orleans on Dec. 15 in Iowa City.  It was Iowa’s largest margin of victory since 2021.
• Iowa had five players finish in double figures and 13 different Hawkeyes score.  Owen Freeman netted 22 points to tie a career high and freshman Cooper Koch played in his first game since Nov. 22, finishing with six points, five rebounds and two blocks.  
• Iowa assisted on 28 of its 42 field goals in the game and finished with a season-high 38 fast-break points.

MORE NOTABLES

• Head coach Fran McCaffery has the most victories in Iowa history with 288, including a record 137 Big Ten wins.
• The Hawkeyes are 7-1 at home this season and the program has won 95 of its last 102 nonconference home games, dating back to 2012.
• Iowa is second in the Big Ten, averaging 16.27 fast-break points per contest.  
• Iowa had a season-high 38 fast-break points against UNO; the team is averaging 16.3 fast-break points this season.
• The Hawkeye reserves have outscored their counterparts in nine of the team’s 11 games.  
• Iowa has held 10 of its 11 opponents under 50 percent shooting (and two under 40 percent), has forced at least 18 turnovers in five games and has held four opponents under 70 points.   The Hawkeyes are 97-3 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points over the past 14+ seasons.
• The Hawkeyes have had four games decided by single digits (1-3 record) and two games decided by a single possession (1-1 record). 
• The Hawkeyes have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in five victories, including a season-best 62.7 percent in the win over New Orleans on Dec. 15.
• Graduate Drew Thelwell won the 100th game of his collegiate career in Iowa’s victory over USC Upstate on Nov. 26. 
• Iowa limited Rider to a single 3-point field goal on Nov. 19 in Iowa City -- the fewest 3-pointers the program has allowed in nearly a decade (0 vs. Alcorn State on Dec. 9, 2014).
• The Hawkeyes have had 10 or more steals in five contests this season. Iowa is fourth in the Big Ten, averaging 8.4 steals per game.
• Iowa had 11 blocked shots in its win over New Orleans on Dec. 15, the fifth-most in a game under McCaffery.
• Thelwell finished with 15 points -- his Hawkeye high -- and had four steals and three assists in the win over USC Upstate.  He has been in double figure six times.
• The Hawkeyes have had five players hit the 20-point mark in a game this season -- Payton Sandfort (3), Josh Dix (2), Owen Freeman (2), Pryce Sandfort (1), Brock Harding (1).
• Harding has 68 assists to 25 turnovers in 11 games. His 6.2 assists per game rank third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally.  He has had five or more assists in nine games and 8+ in three contests.
• Iowa has two players in the top six in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio -- Drew Thelwell (1st, 4.57) and Brock Harding (6th, 2.72).  Thelwell is fourth nationally in the category.  As a team, Iowa is No. 1 in the Big Ten (4th nationally) with a 1.98 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Iowa went 3-0 to win the team title at the Kenny Arnold Challenge.
• Sandfort currently has an 89.1 career free throw percentage (197-of-221), which is the best mark in program history.  He has currently made 12 straight free throws dating back to Nov. 22.