MBB Notes: Black & Gold Spirit Game vs. Maryland

 

OPPONENT	Maryland (6-3, 0-0) at Iowa (7-1, 0-1)
DATE	Saturday, Dec. 6
LOCATION	Iowa City, Iowa | Carver-Hawkeye Arena (14,998)
KICKOFF	3 p.m. (CT)
TV	FS1
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: Saturday’s game will be televised on FS1 with Connor Onion (play-by-play) and Steve Prohm (color) on the call.

OPENING TIP
• Iowa brings a 7-1 record into Saturday’s Big Ten Conference home opener against Maryland.  The game will feature a pair of first-year head coaches in Ben McCollum and Buzz Williams.
• Saturday’s game is the Terrapins’ Big Ten opener.
• The Hawkeyes opened the season with seven straight wins -- the best start since 2021-22 -- before dropping their Big Ten opener at No. 7 Michigan State on Tuesday.  
• McCollum was the fourth Iowa coach all-time to open his tenure with seven consecutive wins -- the first since Dr. Tom Davis in the 1986-87 season.
• The Hawkeyes are 20st in the nation with a .514 field goal percentage, which includes a .592 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 scored a season-high 29 points in the win over the Rebels, making 9-of-20 field goals and six 3-pointers, tying a career-high.
• Redshirt freshman Cooper Koch posted his first career-double-double in the win over Ole Miss, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  The 10 rebounds were a career-high, while the 14 points tied a career high.
• 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.
• Stirz is averaging 18 points with .489/.442/.795 shooting splits, while averaging 5.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 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 (1,762) and assists (474) and he is one of six to have 1,500 points and 350 assists. 

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
• The Terps bring a 6-3 record into Iowa City following an 89-63 victory over Wagner on Tuesday in College Park.  
• Maryland’s three losses have come against Georgetown, Gonzaga and Alabama.  The Terps are 1-0 in true road games, winning 89-82 at Marquette on Nov. 15.
• The Terrapins have four players averaging in double figures and seven averaging at least 8.4 points this season.  Pharrel Payne leads the team with 18.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and eight blocks, while shooting 64.4 percent from the field.
• Darius Adams (13.8), David Coit (13.2) and Solomon Washington (10.0) are also in double figures.  Coit has a team-high 26 assists and 10 steals.
• Coit had a breakout performance in Maryland’s overtime win over Mount St. Mary’s, finishing with 41 points on 11-of-17 shooting with eight 3-pointers and an 11-of-11 night from the free throw line.  
• The Terps are averaging 78.6 points with a .410 field goal percentage and a .310 mark from long range.  Maryland has attempted nearly 100 more free throws (262-169) than its opponents.
• Maryland allows 78 points, having given up 80+ four times.  Opponents are shooting 44.7 percent from the field.
• The Terps have more turnovers than assists (121-106) in nine games.

SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday’s game is the 19th meeting in the all-time series between Iowa and Maryland.  The Terps are leading, 10-8.
• Maryland has won three straight in the series with two of the three victories coming in College Park.  
• Iowa has won three of the last four meetings in Iowa City, but the Terps won the most recent meeting -- 69-67 on Jan. 24, 2024.  
• The Hawkeyes are 4-3 against the Terps in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

LAST GAME: IOWA 59, GRAND CANYON 46
The Spartans limited Iowa to a season-low .378 field goal percentage and held a 37-18 advantage on the glass in a 71-52 victory on Tuesday night in East Lansing.
• Michigan State went 22-of-25 from the free throw line (Iowa had 17 attempts).  It was the first time this season a Hawkeye opponent had more free throw attempts.
• Senior Bennett Stirtz was the only Hawkeye in double figures, finishing with 14 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

MORE NOTABLES
• Junior Alvaro Folgueiras is averaging nine points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals.  He has 19 assists and six turnovers in eight games, while shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range.
• 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.  
• Junior Kael Combs averaged 36.7 minutes -- second behind Stirtz -- in the two games at the Acrisure Classic.  He averaged 6.5 points and 2.5 assists.  His best game came in the win over Xavier when he finished with 11 points -- one off a career-high -- and four assists in 32 minutes.  
• The Hawkeyes are averaging 33.4 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 fifth in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage (.373).  The team has made 10 or more 3-pointers in three contests and eight or more five times.
• Iowa has the No. 2 scoring defense in the conference (10th nationally), allowing 62.4 points per game.  The Hawkeyes are forcing 15.4 turnovers per games -- tops in the Big Ten.
• The Hawkeyes have held three opponents under 60 points this season and seven of eight opponents at 70 points or below.
• Iowa is third in the Big Ten in steals at 7.5 per game and the team has had 10+ steals twice 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, is averaging 19.9 makes per game -- fourth-most in the Big Ten and 29th-most nationally.
• Iowa has attempted more free throws than its opponent in seven of eight games this season.