MBB Notes -- at Oregon

 

OPPONENT	RV/#25 Iowa at Oregon
DATE	Sunday, Feb. 1
LOCATION	Eugene, Ore. | Matthew Knight Arena
KICKOFF	7 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: Sunday’s game will be televised on FS1 with Guy Haberman (play-by-play) and Don MacLean (color) on the call.

OPENING TIP
• The Hawkeyes are 5-4 in Big Ten play, sitting above .500 in the league for the second time this season.
• Freshman guard Peyton McCollum suffered a foot injury in practice on Jan. 8 that will require him to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.   
• The Hawkeyes climbed as high as No. 19 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ Polls on Jan. 5.  It was Iowa’s highest ranking since being 16th in the final poll during the 2021-22 season.
• Iowa made its debut in the AP poll in Week 8.  It was the program’s first time in the AP poll since Nov. 21, 2022 (No. 25 ranking). 
• The Hawkeyes were in the Coaches’ Poll for seven consecutive weeks before falling out of the rankings on Jan. 19.  Iowa returned to the poll on Jan. 26, coming in at No. 25.
• In Big Ten play, Hawkeye opponents have attempted 46 more free throw attempts (145 to 191) and made 30 more free throws (114 to 144).  Iowa has been whistled for 18 more fouls than its opponents.
• Senior Bennett Stirtz won his 100th career game on Dec. 14 in the victory over Western Michigan.  During his collegiate career, Stirtz has posted a 106-17 record (.862 winning percentage).
• During the month of December, Iowa was the second-most efficient team in the country based on efficiency data by Torvik (trailing only Michigan).
• The Hawkeyes finished 10-1 in nonconference play -- the best record in non-league play since the 2021-22 season (10-1).
• Senior Bennett Stirtz is the 24th-most valuable player to his team nationally by Evan Miya.  He has been KenPom’s Game MVP nine times this season -- tied for the sixth-most in the nation.
• The Hawkeyes allowed just 39 points -- the fewest since 2013 (vs. UNC Wilmington) -- against Bucknell.   The 0.597 points allowed per possession was the fewest by the team since 2013.
• Iowa was +20 on the glass in the win over Bucknell, its largest rebounding advantage of the season.  The Hawkeyes have won the rebounding battle in 14 games (12-2 record).
• The Hawkeyes are averaging 32.9 points in the paint this season.  Iowa has scored 50 or more points in the paint in three games, including a season-high 54 points in the win over UMass Lowell on Dec. 29.
• 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 18 field goals this season with 16 coming 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 32nd nationally) with a .373 3-point field goal percentage.
• Iowa has made 10 or more 3-pointers in five contests and eight or more 12 times.
• The Hawkeyes attempted 44 free throws (made 36) in the season-opening win over Robert Morris.  Iowa has made 25 or more free throws in three games this season.
• Iowa has attempted more free throws than its opponent in 12 games this season and it is undefeated in those contests.  The team has shot above 90 percent from the foul stripe twice this season -- a season-high 91.7 percent (22-of-24) in the win over UMass Lowell on Dec. 29 and 91.3 (21-of-23) percent in the victory at Indiana on Jan. 17.
• It was the first time since 2019 that Iowa has shot at least 90 percent from the free throw line on the road (minimum 20 attempts).
• Assistant coach Luke Barnwell is in his first season on the coaching staff following a two-year stint at Texas Tech.  The Red Raiders advanced to the Elite Eight during the 2025-26 season.
• Director of basketball operations Kyle Denning is the lone holdover on Iowa’s staff.  Denning is in his 11th season with the program and fourth in his current position.

SCOUTING OREGON
• The Ducks have lost seven straight games, dating back to Jan. 5, dropping their record to 8-13 overall and 1-9 in Big Ten play.  
• Oregon’s lone Big Ten victory came at Maryland on Jan. 2, winning 64-54.  The Ducks are 7-5 at home overall, but 0-5 in Big Ten play in Eugene.
• The Ducks are without their two leading scorers in Nate Bittle (16.3) and Jackson Shelstad (15.6).  Bittle is out with a foot injury, while Shelstad is out for the season with a hand injury.
• Two players -- Kwame Evans, Jr. (13.3) and Takai Simpkins (12.4) average in double figures.  Evans also pulls in a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game, while Simpkins has a team-high 37 3-pointers and 20 steals.
• The Ducks average 72.3 points per game, while giving up 74.1.  Oregon has scored in the 50s in each of its last three and four of the last five contests.
• Oregon shots 42.4 percent from the floor and 32.8 percent from 3-point range, while opponents have a .437/.343 shooting clip.  The Ducks have only 33 more assists than turnovers this season.
• The Ducks average 12.48 offensive rebounds per game, which are the third-most in the Big Ten.

SERIES HISTORY
• Sunday’s game is the 10th meeting in the all-time series between Iowa and Oregon.  The Hawkeyes lead, 6-3.
• Iowa is 0-1 all-time in Eugene, falling 108-98 in the second round of the 2012 National Invitation Tournament.
• Oregon has won three of the last four in the series.  Iowa’s last win came in the 2K Classic in 2018 at Madison Square Garden when the Hawkeyes upset the 13th-ranked Ducks, 77-69.
• The Ducks knocked out second-seeded Iowa, 95-80, in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis and won 80-78 last season in Iowa City in their first meeting as Big Ten foes.

 

LAST GAME: IOWA 73, USC 72
Senior Bennett Stirtz made two free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining and USC missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Hawkeyes held on for a 73-72 victory over the Trojans on Wednesday in Iowa City.  
• The Hawkeyes started slow, falling behind 10-0 and 18-8 in the first 10 minutes.  Iowa trailed 28-27 at the break before opening the second half on a 20-4 run and led by as many as 17 points in the second half.
• Behind Kam Woods’ 33-point outburst, USC rallied to take the lead on a putback with eight seconds left, outscoring Iowa, 31-17 over the final 10 minutes.
• Stirtz and Tavion Banks both finished with 20 points, making 11-of-23 field goals with four 3-pointers and combining to go 14-of-14 from the free throw stripe.
• Junior Alvaro Folgueiras scored 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting.

IOWA'S BENNETT STIRTZ IS...
• 14 points shy of reaching the 2,000 career point mark.
• one of four players nationally with 365+ points, 95+ assists, 40+ 3s, 50+ rebounds and 30+ steals.
• the only player in the Big Ten (one of nine nationally) with 365+ points, 95+ assists, 30+ steals and 50+ rebounds.
• the only player in the Big Ten with 365+ points and 95+ assists (one of 17 nationally).
• the eighth on the active career scoring list in collegiate basketball (all levels).
• looking to become the first Hawkeye in 26 years to lead the team in scoring, assists and steals.  Dean Oliver led the team in all three categories during the 1999-00 season. (The last player to lead the team in points and assists was Devyn Marble during the 2012-13 season).

IOWA IS... 
• 13-1 when scoring 70+ points this season.  The lone loss was at No. 5 Purdue.
• 13-1 when allowing fewer than 69 points this season.
• 12-0 when shooting more free throws than its opponents.
• 12-1 when having a higher field goal percentage.
• 12-2 when out-rebounding its opponent.
• 13-2 when leading at halftime.
• 9-0 when junior Alvaro Folgueiras scores in double figures.

T APPROACHES IOWA FREE THROW RECORD
Senior Tavion Banks has made 30 consecutive free throws dating back to the Dec. 20 game against Bucknell.  He made all 10 of his attempts at Indiana on Jan. 17 and went 8-for-8 in the win over USC on Jan. 28.
• Banks is four free throws shy of tying the late Chris Street and Jordan Bohannon for the longest consecutive free throws made streak in program history.  
• Street made 34 consecutive free throws during the 1992-93 season before his 1993 death in a car accident in Iowa City.  His record stood for 25 years until Bohannon tied it in 2018 and then purposely missed the 35th shot to honor Street’s legacy.

MOST WINS BY A FIRST-YEAR HAWKEYE
Through 20 games, Iowa’ Ben McCollum has the third-most wins by a first-year head coach in program history with 15 victories.

Dr. Tom Davis (1986-87) - 30
Bucky O’Connor (1951-52) - 19
Ben McCollum (2025-26) - 15