MBB Notes -- Western Michigan

 

OPPONENT	Western Michigan at RV/#23 Iowa
DATE	Sunday, Dec. 14
LOCATION	Iowa City, Iowa | Carver-Hawkeye Arena
KICKOFF	2 p.m. (CT)
TV	BTN
RADIO	Hawkeye Radio Network

 

ON THE AIR
Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Gary Dolphin (play-by-play) and Bobby Hansen (color) on the call.  The network includes1 more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and includes portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.  The Hawkeye Radio Network includes a 60-minute pregame show.
TV:  Sunday’s game will be televised on BTN with Telly Hughes (play-by-play) and Jess Settles (color) on the call.

OPENING TIP
• The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday to host Western Michigan at 2 p.m. (CT).  Iowa is 6-0 at home this season.
• Iowa dropped a 66-62 road loss at No. 4 Iowa State on Thursday night in Ames. The Hawkeyes led by as many as 13 in the first half and rallied to within a field goal in the second half, despite trailing by as many as 10 points.
• Iowa’s 8-2 start is the best through 10 games since the 2020-21 season.
• The Hawkeyes two losses have come against top 10 teams on the road -- at No. 7 Michigan State, at No. 4 Iowa State.
• Iowa lost for the first time this season at Iowa State when shooting better than 50 percent (.510) from the floor and winning the rebounding battle (31-28).  
• Over the last three games, Iowa’s opponents are +43 points at the foul stripe, while attempting 52 more free throws (Iowa; 20-34; Opp; 63-86).
• The Hawkeyes are 17th in the nation with a .516 field goal percentage, which includes a .593 effective field goal percentage.  
• Iowa won the Acrisure Classic with victories over Ole Miss and Grand Canyon, while senior Bennett Stirtz was named the tournament MVP after averaging 21 points, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals with seven 3-pointers.
• Stirtz has a team-high four 20-point games, including a season-high 29 points in the win over Ole Miss, making 9-of-20 field goals and six 3-pointers.  He scored a game-high 25 points in the Dec. 6 win over Maryland.
• Iowa held Grand Canyon to 46 points -- the fewest allowed since 2010 -- and it was the team’s first win when scoring fewer than 60 points since 2020.
• Stirtz is averaging 17.9 points with .483/.441/.787 shooting splits, while averaging 4.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals. He ranks in the top nine in the Big Ten in points, assists and steals. 
• Amongst active players, Stirtz is the only player nationally ranked in the top 10 in points (1,797) and assists (480) and he is one of six to have 1,500 points and 350 assists. 

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
• The Broncos bring a 5-5 record into Sunday’s game into Iowa City.  Western Michigan is on a two-game winning streak with wins over Southern Indiana (88-74) and at SIUE (83-73).
• Western Michigan has been off since playing at SIUE on Dec. 6.
• The Broncos played a road game at Ohio State on Nov. 20, falling 91-58.
• WMU has two players averaging in double figures and six players averaging at least 7.3 points.  Guard Jalen Griffith leads the team with a 16.3 scoring average with a team-high 15 3-pointers, 41 assists and 11 steals.
• Guard Jayden Brewer averages 13.9 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds and 11 blocks.  
• The Broncos are shooting 46.3 percent from the floor and 35.4 percent from long range.  WMU is +3.5 on the glass (38.0-34.5), but the team has 12 more turnovers than assists.
• WMU is coached by long-time Michigan State assistant Dwayne Stephens, who is in his fourth season with the Broncos.

SERIES HISTORY
• Iowa leads the series over Western Michigan, 3-2, in a series that began in 1935.  The first three contests were all played in Kalamazoo.
• Iowa has won the last two meetings in 1951 and 2021 -- a 109-61 victory in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
• The Hawkeyes are 30-6 against current members of the Mid-American Conference.
• The Hawkeyes are 4-3 against the Terps in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

LAST GAME: IOWA STATE 66, IOWA 62
No. 4 Iowa State rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to down the Hawkeyes, 66-62, on Thursday in Ames.  The Cyclones used a 16-0 run and 19-4 spurt to start the second half to build a double digit lead, but Iowa closed to within a single possession 10 times, but couldn’t get over the hump.
• Iowa State’s 13-point deficit was its largest of the season.
• Tavion Banks led the team with 14 points with a pair of 3-pointers, while Cam Manyawu (10) and Bennett Stirtz (10) were also in double figures.
• Iowa lost despite having a higher field goal percentage (.510 to .423) and out-rebounding the Cyclones (31-28).  
• Iowa State forced Iowa into a season-high 16 turnovers and the Cyclones scored 14 more points at the free throw line (14-3).

MORE NOTABLES
• Freshman Tate Sage is averaging 10 points and four rebounds on 60 percent shooting over his last two games.  He is averaging 22.5 minutes during the stretch.
• Senior Tavion Banks led the team in scoring for the second time this season at Iowa State, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting with a season-high two 3-point field goals.
• Junior Cam Manyawu has led the team in rebounding in back-to-back games and he is averaging 6.3 boards over his last three contests.
• Sophomore Isaia Howard had a breakout game in the win over Grand Canyon, leading all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting with a season-high three 3-pointers.
• In two games at the Acrisure Classic, Howard averaged 11.5 points and five rebounds, while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.  
• The Hawkeyes are averaging 31.8 points in the paint this season.
• Senior Brendan Hausen has made 10 field goals this season -- all but one coming from 3-point range.  All but four of his attempts have come from distance.
• Iowa is third in the Big Ten (and 24th nationally) in 3-point field goal percentage (.391).  The team has made 10 or more 3-pointers in three contests and eight or more six times.
• Iowa has the No. 2 scoring defense in the conference (12th nationally), allowing 62.9 points per game.  The team has allowed fewer than 65 points five times and 70 or fewer in nine of 10 contests.
• The Hawkeyes are forcing 15 turnovers per games -- tops in the Big Ten.
• Iowa is second in the Big Ten in steals at 7.7 per game and the team has had 10+ steals three times this season.
• The Hawkeyes attempted 44 free throws (made 36) in the season-opening win over Robert Morris.  Iowa, who has made 25 or more free throws in three games this season.
• Iowa has attempted more free throws than its opponent in seven games this season.