MBB Notes -- UMass Lowell

 

OPPONENT	UMass Lowell at #25/23 Iowa
DATE	Monday, Dec. 27
LOCATION	Iowa City, Iowa | Carver-Hawkeye Arena
KICKOFF	4 p.m. (CT)
TV	BTN
RADIO	Hawkeye Radio Network

 

ON THE AIR
Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Jon Swisher (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: Monday’s game will be televised on BTN with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Jess Settles (color) on the call.

OPENING TIP
• Iowa closes out regular season nonconference play, hosting UMass Lowell on Monday at 4 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court.  The Hawkeyes are 7-0 at home this season.
• Iowa’s 10-2 start is the best start for the program since the 2020-21 season (12-2 record).
• The Hawkeyes’ two losses have come against top 10 teams on the road -- at No. 7 Michigan State, at No. 4 Iowa State.
• Iowa had a season-high 19 steals -- tied for the fourth-most in a game in program history -- in the neutral site win over Bucknell on Dec. 20.  Sophomore Isaia Howard had seven steals -- the most by a Hawkeye since 2010 and tied for the fourth-most in school history -- in the contest.
• Senior Bennett Stirtz is eight assists shy of 500 for his collegiate career.
• Iowa ranks in the top 14 nationally in field goal percentage (sixth, .529) and 3-point field goal percentage (14th, .398).
• The Hawkeyes allowed just 39 points -- the fewest since 2013 (vs. UNC Wilmington) -- against Bucknell.   The .597 points allowed per possession was the fewest by the team since 2013.
• Iowa is allowing 59.9 points per game -- the fewest in the Big Ten and third-fewest nationally. Iowa has held five opponents under 60 points this season; the past three seasons the team held opponents under 60 points five times combined.
• The Hawkeyes have four wins by 30+ points, including back-to-back games in victories over Western Michigan and Bucknell. 
• 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.
• Stirtz is averaging 16.7 points with .493/.424/.792 shooting splits, while averaging five assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals. He ranks in the top 14 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 (1,818) and assists (492) and he is one of six to have 1,500 points and 350 assists. 

SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL
• The River Hawks bring a 5-9 overall record into Monday’s game in Iowa City.  Four of UMass Lowell’s wins have come in its last seven games.
• UMass Lowell fell 88-76 at Boston University on Dec. 21, dropping the team’s record to 1-8 in road contests. The lone road win came at Stonehill, 75-64, on Nov. 26.
• In two Power Conference games, the River Hawks fell 110-47 at UConn in the second game of the season and 109-75 at Wake Forest on Nov. 16.
• The River Hawks have four players averaging in double figures for a team that averages 78 points per game.  Austin Green has a team-best 15 points and 7.9 rebounds, while shooting 63.2 percent from the field.
• JJ Massaquoi (10.6), Darrel Yepdo (10.3) and Xavier Spencer (10.0) are also in double digits.  Spencer also has a team-high 45 assists and 17 steals.
• UMass Lowell shoots 47.5 percent from the floor, but makes just 33.3 percent of its 3-point field goals.  The team is +3.2 on the glass, while having 196 assists and 196 turnovers.

SERIES HISTORY
• Monday’s game is the first meeting between Iowa and UMass Lowell.
• The Hawkeyes are 6-0 all-time against current members of the America East Conference.

LAST GAME: IOWA 94, BUCKNELL 39
The Hawkeyes crushed Bucknell, 94-39, on Saturday afternoon at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines to notch their 10th win of the season.  The 55 point victory is the 17th-largest in program history.
• Iowa’s defense allowed 10 points in the first three minutes and 29 points the rest of the way.  The Hawkeyes limited the Bison to 15 field goals and 36.6 percent shooting.
• Three Hawkeyes landed in double figures with Alvaro Folgueiras leading the way with a season-high 17 points.  Tavion Banks narrowly missed a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds and Kael Combs tied a career high with 13 points.

MORE NOTABLES
• The Hawkeyes are ranked 25th in the Associated Press poll and 23rd in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.  It is the first time Iowa has been in the AP poll since Nov. 21, 2022 (No. 25 ranking). 
• Iowa has been in the Coaches’ Poll in each of the last four weeks and the No. 23 ranking is tied for a season high.
• In its last two games, Iowa’s defense has held its opponents to 90 points (45 per game) with a .327 (32-of-98) field goal percentage and 11 total 3-point field goals.
• In the last two games, Iowa has held opponents 21 or fewer points in three of the four halves.  
• Junior Alvaro Folgueiras scored 13 points in eight minutes in the first half and led the team with 17 points in the win over Bucknell.  He made 7-of-10 field goals, including three 3-pointers, to lead the team in scoring for the second time this season.
• Iowa was +20 on the glass in the win over Bucknell, its largest rebounding advantage of the season.
• Freshman Tate Sage is averaging 9.5 points and 4.6 rebounds on 61.5 percent shooting over his last four games.  He is averaging 22.5 minutes during the stretch.
• Junior Kael Combs tied a career-high, making 6-of-7 field goals in Iowa’s win over Bucknell.  It was his second game in double figures this season.
• 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.
• Banks had 16 points and nine rebounds against Bucknell, narrowly missing his second double-double of the season.  
• 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 33.8 points in the paint this season.  Iowa scored 50 points in the paint against Xavier and Bucknell.
• Senior Brendan Hausen scored a season-high 13 points and made a season-best four 3-pointers on Dec. 14 against Western Michigan. Hausen has made 17 field goals this season with 15 comnig from long range.  
• The Hawkeyes made a season-high 14 3-point field goals with six different players making at least one in the win over Western Michigan.  Iowa is third in the Big Ten (and ranks 14th nationally) with a .398 3-point field goal percentage.
• Iowa has made 10 or more 3-pointers in four contests and eight or more eight times.
• 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 eight games this season.