Iowa Hawkeyes
Big Ten (20-12, 9-9)
You could kind of see this coming for Iowa in the late stages of last season. Iowa was a pretty good team that just could not generate enough quality wins to go dancing. Their run through the NIT (en route to a finals loss to Baylor) was a pretty good indication that the Hawkeyes would not bow out lightly in 2013-2014. Fran McCaffrey has done a tremendous job over the last four years. With star Roy Devyn Marble and a scorching offensive team, Iowa is in position to make a deep run in the tournament.
Big Wins: 11/28 vs Xavier (77-74), 1/12 at Ohio State (84-74), 2/8 Michigan (85-67)
Bad Losses: 2/27 at Indiana (86-93), 3/8 Illinois (63-66), 3/13 vs Northwestern (62-67)
Coach: Fran McCaffery (4 seasons at Iowa)
Why They Can Surprise:
Historically, Iowa has not always had the best luck in the NCAA Tournament. They have been to three Final Fours, but those are distant memories. This season they have as good of a shot as anybody to make the final weekend if for no other reason than their scoring ability. They are the sixth best scoring team in the country at nearly 83 points per game. They are well-coached and unselfish – two big advantages in tournament play. Another big advantage they have is their ability to rebound. They are tall down on the blocks. Aaron White and Melsahn Basabe are tied for the team lead in rebounds both average about 6 rebounds per game. They are not the biggest bruisers, but they are a long team with big men that can shoot. There is an advantage for them all over the court. Also, Marble is a star. Any team with a veteran stud like Marble leading the way can certainly go far in the postseason.
Why They Can Disappoint:
As stated above, history is working against Iowa a bit here. They have not made it out of the second round in the last decade and a half. They are not consistently making the dance of late, so they will not entirely know what to expect. In terms of overall talent, the Hawkeyes may be limited in that area as well compared to other teams. They are certainly a solid squad, but if they got matched up with a Duke or a Syracuse, they appear to be outmatched at most positions in terms of overall difference makers. They will also have to shoot better from 3-point range in the tournament. They only shot 35.8% from beyond the arc all season. To win six in a row, you need the long ball to help you out.
Probable Starters:
Roy Devyn Marble, Senior, Guard, 17.3 ppg, 3.5 apg
Mike Gesell, Sophomore, Guard, 8.1 ppg, 3.9 apg
Aaron White, Junior, Forward, 13.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg
Melsahn Basabe, Senior, Forward, 7.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Adam Woodbury, Sophomore, Center, 5.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Jarrod Uthoff, Sophomore, Forward, 7.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Gabriel Olaseni, Junior, Center, 6.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg
Zach McCabe, Senior, Forward, 6.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 82.6 (6th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 70.2 (176, 10)
Field-Goal Percentage: 46.9 (50, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.1 (67, 3)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.8 (212, 10)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.8 (111, 4)
Free-Throw Percentage: 72.9 (63, 5)
Rebound Margin: 7.4 (10, 2)
Assists Per Game: 16.3 (12, 2)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.5 (88, 8)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2013 NIT First Round win over Indiana State
2013 NIT Second Round win over Stony Brook
2013 NIT Quarterfinal win over Virginia
2013 NIT Semifinal win over Maryland
2013 NIT Final loss to Baylor
2012 NIT First Round win over Dayton
2012 NIT Second Round loss to Oregon
2006 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Northwestern State
2005 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Cincinnati
2004 NIT First Round loss to Saint Louis
2003 NIT Opening Round win over Valparaiso
2003 NIT First Round win over Iowa State
2003 NIT Second Round loss to Georgia Tech
2002 NIT First Round loss to LSU
*all team stats through 3/9
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
