Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa
in Iowa City
, Iowa
, as a member of the Big Ten Conference
and the National Collegiate Athletic Association
. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena
, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling
, and volleyball teams. Fran McCaffery
was named the Hawkeyes newest coach on Monday, March 29, 2010.
Throughout history, the Hawkeyes have enjoyed the successes of eight Big Ten regular-season conference championships, the last coming in 1979. More recently, Iowa has won the Big Ten tournament
twice, in 2001 and 2006. Iowa has also played in the Final Four on three occasions, reaching the semifinals in 1955 and 1980 and playing in the championship game against the University of San Francisco
in 1956.
The team was widely successful in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s under head coach
es Lute Olson
and Tom Davis
. Under Olson, the Hawkeyes won their last Big Ten regular season championship
and went to their last Final Four to date.
Prior to playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which opened in 1983, the Hawkeyes played in the Iowa Fieldhouse
, which is still used today by the school's swimming and gymnastics teams. In 2006, the Hawkeyes accumulated a school-record 21 consecutive wins at home before losing to in-state rival Northern Iowa
.
Following Rule's tenure, Iowa was coached by names such as John Griffith
, Walter Stewart, Floyd Thomas, Maury Kent, Edwin Bannick, and James Ashmore. Yet in that stretch of time, the best Iowa had finished in the Big Ten was 5th on three separate occasions. But all that changed when Sam Barry
was hired as the Iowa's tenth head coach. In Barry's first season, 1923, Iowa went 13-2 overall and won a Big Ten championship
for the first time in school history. And the winning did not stop there: Before Barry's departure in 1929, the Hawkeyes also tied for the Big Ten championship in 1926, along with Indiana
, Michigan
, and Purdue
.
, who would coach Iowa on two occasions, from 1930–42 and in 1951. Although Williams' winning percentage stands at 51.5%, his long tenure at Iowa allowed him to become the winningest coach in Iowa history until Lute Olson and Tom Davis both surpassed him. Perhaps the most interesting event during Williams' tenure, however, occurred in 1929, when Iowa was suspended from participation in the Big Ten for violating conference rules. After a Big Ten investigation uncovered an illegal slush fund
and possible recruiting violations, Iowa relented to the Big Ten's demands and was eventually reinstated into the conference on February 1, 1930. 14 players, including four on the basketball squad, were declared ineligible as a result of the Big Ten's findings.
emerged from the depression
, so did Iowa's basketball fortunes. Following a rocky 7-10 season in 1943, Pops Harrison led the Hawkeyes to their third overall Big Ten title (and first unshared title) in 1945. In the following decade, from 1946–56, the Hawkeyes had but one non-winning season in 1949, Harrison's last full season as head coach.
Following short tenures by both Frank "Bucky" O'Connor in 1950 and Rollie Williams in 1951, O'Connor once again became Iowa's coach and would hold that position until his death on April 22, 1958. Under O'Connor, Iowa would see unparalleled success in what some consider the most successful era in Iowa history.
In 1953, Iowa finished second in the Big Ten behind the efforts of a starting lineup fully composed of sophomores. As juniors, the "Fabulous Five" won the Big Ten outright and eventually finished fourth in the nation. In 1956, as seniors, they again won the Big Ten outright and finished second in the nation only to Bill Russell
and the undefeated San Francisco Dons
.
Despite losing in the championship game, for the only time in school history, the Hawkeyes recorded consecutive Big Ten championships. Sharm Scheuerman, Bill Seaberg, Carl Cain
, Bill Schoof, and Bill Logan, all members of the "Fabulous Five", had their jerseys retired in 1980.
from 1965-66 through 1969-1970, winning two Big Ten conference titles during that span. Miller joined the Hawks as head coach after completing a successful stint as head coach at Wichita State
.
The 1967–68 team tied for the Big Ten Title with Ohio State
with a 10–4 conference record, and a 16–9 overall record. This team was led by Sam Williams, a high-scoring forward who led the Big Ten in scoring that year.
The 1969–70 team was arguably the greatest team in Iowa basketball history. Known as the "Six-Pack" (because only 6 players played most of the minutes), this team stormed through the Big Ten with a perfect 14–0 record, one of the few Big Ten teams ever to go undefeated in the conference. The team averaged over 100 points in conference play, highlighted by a 108-107 victory in West Lafayette over Purdue
late in the season to clinch the outright title. Rick Mount of Purdue scored 61 points in that game in a losing effort. The Six Pack team was led by John Johnson
and "Downtown" Fred Brown, who both enjoyed long and successful NBA careers after playing for the Hawkeyes. Glenn "the Stick" Vidnovic and Chad Calabria also starred on this team. One amazing statistic about this team is that they averaged almost 80% accuracy as a team from the free throw line for the season.
To the chagrin of many Hawkeye fans, Ralph Miller left Iowa after the 1969–70 season to accept the head coaching job at Oregon State
, where he had a long and successful run. Miller's assistant (and Iowa's baseball coach), Dick Schultz
, succeeded Miller as head coach. Schultz resigned in 1974, after four second-division finishes in the Big Ten (with an overall winning record in only one of those seasons).
The 1978-79 squad won the outright Big-10 Title.
Olsons tenure was highlighted by an appearance in the Final Four in 1980 on a team led by Ronnie Lester
, with a wonderful supporting cast of Kenny Arnold, Steve Waite, Steve Krafcison, Vince Brookins, Kevin Boyle, Bobby Hanson and Mark Gannon.
In 1979-80 Iowa started out 7-0 when Lester was injured early in the season at Dayton, not returning until the regular season finale. Nineteen regular season wins earned Iowa a Five Seed in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament (then, a 36 team field).
In the four tournament wins that took Iowa to the Final Four, All-American Lester dished out 26 assists while committing only seven turnovers along with 51 points. Iowa opened by defeating Virginia Commonwealth 86-72 and #4 Seed NC State 77-64. In a huge upset, Iowa knocked off #1 seed Syracuse 88-77, setting up a matchup in the Elite Eight with #3 Georgetown.
Iowa earned an improbable Final Four trip to Indianapolis on March 16, 1980 defeating John Thompson's Georgetown squad 81-80. Iowa overcame a 10- point halftime deficit, making 17 of their final 21 shots and going 15-15 from the free-throw line. The winner was Steve Waite's three-point play in the closing seconds in the NCAA East Region final.
In the semi-final game against Denny Crum's Louisville team, Lester scored the first 10 points for Iowa. But after eight minutes of play reinjured his knee and exited the game, ending his Iowa career. In Lester's absence, Louisville bested Iowa by only eight (80-72) points and went on to win the tournament, defeating UCLA (Larry Brown) in the final. Lester's value to his team is evident in the numbers. Not counting the Louisville game, the 1979-1980 Iowa Hawkeyes were 15-1 with Lester, and 8-9 without him. Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who played two seasons at Michigan State University, once claimed Lester the toughest opponent he ever faced in the Big Ten. Lester was drafted 10th in the NBA Draft in 1980, but the knee issues limited him in the NBA. He currently is an Assistant General Manager for the Los Angeles Lakers and recently donated $100,000 to the University of Iowa.
came to Iowa from Washington State University
. Highly regarded for his ability to recruit, Raveling brought in Michigan high school stars B.J. Armstrong, Bill Jones, and Roy Marble
, Springfield High School teammates Ed Horton
and Kevin Gamble
, as well as USC transfer Gerry Wright, and Les Jepsen
, all of whom would go on to play in the NBA. During Raveling's three years with the program (1983–84 through 1985–86), the Hawkeyes made two trips to the NCAA tournament, losing in the first round on both occasions. Raveling left after the 1985–1986 season to take the head coaching position at USC.
84–81. Retaining their key stars B.J. Armstrong, Ed Horton
, and Roy Marble
for the following season, the Hawkeyes began the 1987–88 season ranked in the top 5 by most polls and publications. Iowa would make it to the Sweet Sixteen, avenging their loss to UNLV in the second round, before losing to former coach Lute Olson's Arizona Wildcats. In all, Davis led the Hawkeyes to nine NCAA Tournaments, winning every first round game in the process. In his final season, Iowa returned to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to eventual National Champion UCONN
. Under Davis the Hawkeyes also made two appearances in the National Invitational Tournament. He is the all-time winningest coach in Iowa history with 270 wins. The administration chose not to renew Davis's contract upon completion of the 1998–99 season, forcing Davis to retire. He would later come out of retirement to help rebuild the Drake University
program.
, a former Indiana Hoosier and a member of the Olympic gold-winning 1984 United States Basketball team, arrived at Iowa with great fanfare. In his first game as coach of the Hawkeyes, Iowa defeated the defending champion and #1-ranked Connecticut Huskies
in Madison Square Garden
. However, his first team would finish 14–16. During his second year (2000–01) the Hawkeyes were a highly regarded squad that included Indiana transfer Luke Recker and Reggie Evans
, who would lead the Big Ten Conference in rebounds and double-doubles during his two seasons with Iowa, as well as Iowa Mr. basketball 1997 Dean Oliver
, who had a career year with the hawkeyes. However, after a knee injury sidelined Luke Recker, the Hawkeyes dropped 6 of their last 7 conference games finishing 23–12 for the season season and 7–9 in the Big Ten Conference regular season. Despite the setback, they battled back and won the Big Ten Conference Tournament
with four straight wins against Northwestern
, Ohio State, Penn State
, and Indiana. This earned them a #7 seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament
, where they defeated Creighton
in the first round but lost to Kentucky in the second.
The Hawkeyes' conference record dropped to 5–11 during the 2001-02 season, but they defeated Purdue, Wisconsin, and Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament before losing to Ohio State in the finals. The Hawkeyes played in the National Invitation Tournament that season, but lost to LSU in the first round to finish with a 19-16 record. This was the first of three straight seasons that the Hawkeyes played in the NIT under Alford. They won the first two rounds of the 2003 tournament against Valparaiso
and Iowa State
before losing to Georgia Tech
, finishing with a 17–14 record. In 2004 they returned to the NIT, losing to St. Louis
in the first round of the NIT to complete the season at 16–13. The 9–7 conference record marked the first winning Big Ten Conference record under Alford.
The Hawkeyes finished 21–12 with a 7–9 conference record in the 2004-05 regular season, but they won their first two Big Ten Tournament games against Purdue and Michigan State
before losing the third game to Wisconsin, 59-56. They earned an at-large invitation to the 2005 NCAA Tournament
as a #10 seed, where they lost 76–64 to Cincinnati
in the first round. During the season, leading scorer Pierre Pierce
was dismissed from the team amid charges of sexual abuse; Pierce ultimately served one year in prison.
During the 2005-06 season, the Hawkeyes went undefeated at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time in school history and finished in a second-place tie with Illinois
with an 11–5 conference record, one game behind Ohio State. However, the Hawkeyes defeated Minnesota
, Michigan State, and Ohio State to win the Big Ten Tournament and finish 25–8 going into its third NCAA Tournament under Alford. They were ranked No. 11 nationally and seeded #3 in the Atlanta Regional of the 2006 NCAA Tournament
, but lost in a first-round upset to #14 seed Northwestern State
64–63, leaving Alford with only one NCAA Tournament win since taking over at Iowa. The game was lost on a last second shot, and the Hawkeyes have not returned to the NCAA Tournament since.
During the 2006–07 season, Alford led the Hawkeyes to an 8–6 non-conference record (which included a home loss to Drake
for the first time in 40 years) and an 9–7 record in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa was not invited to the post season, marking the first time since the 1976-77 that a Hawkeye team with a winning record failed to make either the NCAA tournament or the NIT.
At the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, Alford resigned from the University of Iowa to accept the coaching position at the University of New Mexico.
coach and reigning NABC Coach of the Year
Todd Lickliter
was hired. The graduation of Adam Haluska
and the transfer of leading scorer Tyler Smith
to Tennessee
created a void. The 2007–2008 Hawkeyes would finish 13–19 for the season, including 6–12 in the Big Ten. The 2008-9 Hawkeyes would improve slightly to 15-17. The 2009-10 Hawkeyes dropped to 10-22. After experiencing the worst three year run in the program's history, Lickliter was fired on March 15, 2010.
was announced as the new basketball coach on Monday, March 29, 2010. Iowa had an 11-20 record in 2010-11 but capped off the regular season with an upset of #6 Purdue. On the season, Carver-Hawkeye Arena witnessed its highest men's basketball attendance since 2006.
:
teams, hypothetical rosters of players considered the best in the nation at their respective positions. The National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) uses officially recognized All-America selectors to determine the consensus selections. Over time, the sources used to determine the consensus selections have varied. Currently, the NCAA uses four "major" selectors to determine consensus All-Americans: the Associated Press
, The National Association of Basketball Coaches
, the United States Basketball Writers Association
and Sporting News magazine. Since 1984, the NCAA has applied a standardized point system to those teams designated as "major" All-American teams to determine consensus teams. The point system consists of three points for first team, two points for second team and one point for third team. No honorable mention or fourth team or lower are used in the computation. The top five totals plus ties are first team and the next five plus ties are second team. Many other publications and organization compile their own "minor" All-America teams in addition to the selectors listed here.
Through the 2009 season, 17 Iowa players have earned 24 All-America
selections. Of Iowa's 17 All-Americans
, 11 players were first-team All-American selections, with Ronnie Lester
doing so twice. Iowa has had four consensus first and second team All-American selections; they are listed in bold in the table below.
has been awarded since 1946 by the Chicago Tribune
to the college basketball
player determined to be the Most Valuable Player
of the Big Ten Conference
. Three Hawkeyes have won the Big Ten MVP
award:
Since 1998, the Big Ten Conference
has held an annual basketball tournament at the end of its regular season. Every year, the Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
crowns a tournament MVP, and two Hawkeyes have won the annual honor:
, has been presented annually since 1993 to “a Hawkeye player who best exemplifies the spirit, enthusiasm, and intensity of Chris Street”:
located in Iowa City
, Iowa
. It opened in 1983 and is also the home of the university's wrestling
, women's basketball, and volleyball teams. Prior to playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeye men's basketball team played in the Iowa Field House, which is still used today by the school's swimming and gymnastics teams.
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, as a member of the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
and the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Carver–Hawkeye Arena is a 15,500-seat multi-purpose indoor arena located in Iowa City, Iowa. Opened in 1983, it is the home court for The University of Iowa Hawkeyes men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the university's wrestling, gymnastics, and volleyball teams. It was named for the...
, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling
Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling
The University of Iowa wrestling program is one of the most successful athletic programs in NCAA Division I. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes are a member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference. Iowa is second in NCAA history with 23 national championships, all of which have come since 1975...
, and volleyball teams. Fran McCaffery
Fran McCaffery
Fran McCaffery is an American college basketball coach and the current men's head basketball coach at the University of Iowa. He is the former head of the Siena men's basketball program. He previously served as head coach of Lehigh University and UNC Greensboro...
was named the Hawkeyes newest coach on Monday, March 29, 2010.
Throughout history, the Hawkeyes have enjoyed the successes of eight Big Ten regular-season conference championships, the last coming in 1979. More recently, Iowa has won the Big Ten tournament
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
twice, in 2001 and 2006. Iowa has also played in the Final Four on three occasions, reaching the semifinals in 1955 and 1980 and playing in the championship game against the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
in 1956.
The team was widely successful in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
es Lute Olson
Lute Olson
Robert Luther "Lute" Olson is a retired American men's basketball coach. He was most recently head coach at the University of Arizona for a period of 25 years. He was also head coach at the University of Iowa for 9 years and California State University, Long Beach for one season...
and Tom Davis
Tom Davis (basketball)
Dr. Thomas "Dr. Tom" Davis is an American former college men's basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Lafayette College, Boston College, Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and Drake University from 1971 to 2007....
. Under Olson, the Hawkeyes won their last Big Ten regular season championship
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball regular season champions
Big Ten Conference men's basketball regular season champions:-Championships by school:* Chicago withdrew from the conference in 1946.** Due to NCAA sanctions, Ohio State has vacated the records of 34 games in 1998-99, 16 games in ‘99-00 and the entire ‘00-01 and ‘01-02 seasons.-See also:* Big Ten...
and went to their last Final Four to date.
Prior to playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which opened in 1983, the Hawkeyes played in the Iowa Fieldhouse
Iowa Fieldhouse
The Iowa Field House is a multi-purpose arena in Iowa City, Iowa. Opened in 1927, it held up to 13,365 people at its height. It was home to the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team before they moved to the newly-constructed Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 1983...
, which is still used today by the school's swimming and gymnastics teams. In 2006, the Hawkeyes accumulated a school-record 21 consecutive wins at home before losing to in-state rival Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa Panthers
The Northern Iowa Panthers are the athletic teams of the University of Northern Iowa. The university is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 15 varsity teams in 11 sports:...
.
Early years
The roots of Iowa basketball lie in 1902, when Ed Rule coached the Hawkeyes to a 10-2 record in their very first season of basketball. Rule coached the Hawkeyes in four non-consecutive seasons from 1902–08, leading Iowa to a 37-15 record under his watch. Even today, Rule's winning percentage stands as the best among head coaches in Iowa basketball history.Following Rule's tenure, Iowa was coached by names such as John Griffith
John G. Griffith
John George "Red" Griffith was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball...
, Walter Stewart, Floyd Thomas, Maury Kent, Edwin Bannick, and James Ashmore. Yet in that stretch of time, the best Iowa had finished in the Big Ten was 5th on three separate occasions. But all that changed when Sam Barry
Sam Barry
Justin McCarthy "Sam" Barry was an American collegiate athletic coach who achieved significant accomplishments in three major sports. He remains one of only three coaches to lead teams to both the Final Four and the College World Series.-Early career:Barry was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota...
was hired as the Iowa's tenth head coach. In Barry's first season, 1923, Iowa went 13-2 overall and won a Big Ten championship
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball regular season champions
Big Ten Conference men's basketball regular season champions:-Championships by school:* Chicago withdrew from the conference in 1946.** Due to NCAA sanctions, Ohio State has vacated the records of 34 games in 1998-99, 16 games in ‘99-00 and the entire ‘00-01 and ‘01-02 seasons.-See also:* Big Ten...
for the first time in school history. And the winning did not stop there: Before Barry's departure in 1929, the Hawkeyes also tied for the Big Ten championship in 1926, along with Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
, Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, and Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
.
Depression years
Following Barry in the line of Hawkeye coaches was Rollie WilliamsRollie Williams
Rolland Franklin "Rollie" Williams was a player in the National Football League for the Racine Legion in 1923. He played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, also playing baseball and basketball....
, who would coach Iowa on two occasions, from 1930–42 and in 1951. Although Williams' winning percentage stands at 51.5%, his long tenure at Iowa allowed him to become the winningest coach in Iowa history until Lute Olson and Tom Davis both surpassed him. Perhaps the most interesting event during Williams' tenure, however, occurred in 1929, when Iowa was suspended from participation in the Big Ten for violating conference rules. After a Big Ten investigation uncovered an illegal slush fund
Slush fund
A slush fund, colloquially, is an auxiliary monetary account or a reserve fund. However, in the context of corrupt dealings, such as those by governments or large corporations, a slush fund can have particular connotations of illegality, illegitimacy, or secrecy in regard to the use of this money...
and possible recruiting violations, Iowa relented to the Big Ten's demands and was eventually reinstated into the conference on February 1, 1930. 14 players, including four on the basketball squad, were declared ineligible as a result of the Big Ten's findings.
The Fabulous Five
Just as the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
emerged from the depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, so did Iowa's basketball fortunes. Following a rocky 7-10 season in 1943, Pops Harrison led the Hawkeyes to their third overall Big Ten title (and first unshared title) in 1945. In the following decade, from 1946–56, the Hawkeyes had but one non-winning season in 1949, Harrison's last full season as head coach.
Following short tenures by both Frank "Bucky" O'Connor in 1950 and Rollie Williams in 1951, O'Connor once again became Iowa's coach and would hold that position until his death on April 22, 1958. Under O'Connor, Iowa would see unparalleled success in what some consider the most successful era in Iowa history.
In 1953, Iowa finished second in the Big Ten behind the efforts of a starting lineup fully composed of sophomores. As juniors, the "Fabulous Five" won the Big Ten outright and eventually finished fourth in the nation. In 1956, as seniors, they again won the Big Ten outright and finished second in the nation only to Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
and the undefeated San Francisco Dons
San Francisco Dons
The San Francisco Dons is the nickname of the athletic teams at the University of San Francisco .-History:Athletics at USF dates back to its founding in 1855, when founder Anthony Maraschi, S.J. organized ball games as recreation for the first students...
.
Despite losing in the championship game, for the only time in school history, the Hawkeyes recorded consecutive Big Ten championships. Sharm Scheuerman, Bill Seaberg, Carl Cain
Carl Cain
Carl Cecil Cain was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Cain played collegiately at the University of Iowa....
, Bill Schoof, and Bill Logan, all members of the "Fabulous Five", had their jerseys retired in 1980.
Ralph Miller era
Iowa enjoyed 5 years of tremendous success under Ralph MillerRalph Miller
Ralph H. Miller was an American basketball coach. A native of Chanute, Kansas, Miller coached at the University of Wichita , the University of Iowa and Oregon State University , compiling a 657-382 overall record in 38 seasons combined...
from 1965-66 through 1969-1970, winning two Big Ten conference titles during that span. Miller joined the Hawks as head coach after completing a successful stint as head coach at Wichita State
Wichita State Shockers men's basketball
The Wichita State Shockers basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
.
The 1967–68 team tied for the Big Ten Title with Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
with a 10–4 conference record, and a 16–9 overall record. This team was led by Sam Williams, a high-scoring forward who led the Big Ten in scoring that year.
The 1969–70 team was arguably the greatest team in Iowa basketball history. Known as the "Six-Pack" (because only 6 players played most of the minutes), this team stormed through the Big Ten with a perfect 14–0 record, one of the few Big Ten teams ever to go undefeated in the conference. The team averaged over 100 points in conference play, highlighted by a 108-107 victory in West Lafayette over Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
late in the season to clinch the outright title. Rick Mount of Purdue scored 61 points in that game in a losing effort. The Six Pack team was led by John Johnson
John Johnson (basketball)
John Howard Getty "J.J." Johnson is a former American basketball player.Johnson was a 6’7” small forward who played high school basketball at Messmer High School, and collegiately for Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and for the University of Iowa...
and "Downtown" Fred Brown, who both enjoyed long and successful NBA careers after playing for the Hawkeyes. Glenn "the Stick" Vidnovic and Chad Calabria also starred on this team. One amazing statistic about this team is that they averaged almost 80% accuracy as a team from the free throw line for the season.
To the chagrin of many Hawkeye fans, Ralph Miller left Iowa after the 1969–70 season to accept the head coaching job at Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
, where he had a long and successful run. Miller's assistant (and Iowa's baseball coach), Dick Schultz
Dick Schultz
Dick Schultz , a native of Kellogg, Iowa, is the former head baseball and basketball coach at the University of Iowa and served as the executive director of the NCAA and USOC.-Biography:...
, succeeded Miller as head coach. Schultz resigned in 1974, after four second-division finishes in the Big Ten (with an overall winning record in only one of those seasons).
Lute Olson era
Iowa hired Long Beach State coach Lute Olson to replace Schultz in 1974. After progressive improvements from 1975 to 1977, Olson coached the Hawkeyes to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 1978–79 through 1982–83.The 1978-79 squad won the outright Big-10 Title.
Olsons tenure was highlighted by an appearance in the Final Four in 1980 on a team led by Ronnie Lester
Ronnie Lester
Ronnie Lester is an American sports figure in the areas of collegiate and professional basketball.-High school career:...
, with a wonderful supporting cast of Kenny Arnold, Steve Waite, Steve Krafcison, Vince Brookins, Kevin Boyle, Bobby Hanson and Mark Gannon.
In 1979-80 Iowa started out 7-0 when Lester was injured early in the season at Dayton, not returning until the regular season finale. Nineteen regular season wins earned Iowa a Five Seed in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament (then, a 36 team field).
In the four tournament wins that took Iowa to the Final Four, All-American Lester dished out 26 assists while committing only seven turnovers along with 51 points. Iowa opened by defeating Virginia Commonwealth 86-72 and #4 Seed NC State 77-64. In a huge upset, Iowa knocked off #1 seed Syracuse 88-77, setting up a matchup in the Elite Eight with #3 Georgetown.
Iowa earned an improbable Final Four trip to Indianapolis on March 16, 1980 defeating John Thompson's Georgetown squad 81-80. Iowa overcame a 10- point halftime deficit, making 17 of their final 21 shots and going 15-15 from the free-throw line. The winner was Steve Waite's three-point play in the closing seconds in the NCAA East Region final.
In the semi-final game against Denny Crum's Louisville team, Lester scored the first 10 points for Iowa. But after eight minutes of play reinjured his knee and exited the game, ending his Iowa career. In Lester's absence, Louisville bested Iowa by only eight (80-72) points and went on to win the tournament, defeating UCLA (Larry Brown) in the final. Lester's value to his team is evident in the numbers. Not counting the Louisville game, the 1979-1980 Iowa Hawkeyes were 15-1 with Lester, and 8-9 without him. Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who played two seasons at Michigan State University, once claimed Lester the toughest opponent he ever faced in the Big Ten. Lester was drafted 10th in the NBA Draft in 1980, but the knee issues limited him in the NBA. He currently is an Assistant General Manager for the Los Angeles Lakers and recently donated $100,000 to the University of Iowa.
George Raveling era
When Lute Olson left for Arizona, George RavelingGeorge Raveling
George Raveling is a former college men's basketball coach and FOX Sports Net color commentator. He was the head coach at Washington State University , the University of Iowa , and the University of Southern California . The Washington, D.C. native attended St...
came to Iowa from Washington State University
Washington State Cougars men's basketball
The Washington State Cougars Men's Basketball team represents Washington State University and competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I...
. Highly regarded for his ability to recruit, Raveling brought in Michigan high school stars B.J. Armstrong, Bill Jones, and Roy Marble
Roy Marble
Roy Lane Marble, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player, 6'6" tall, who played as swingman....
, Springfield High School teammates Ed Horton
Ed Horton
Edward "Ed" C. Horton is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Washington Bullets in the 2nd round of the 1989 NBA Draft. He was a 6'8", 230 lb...
and Kevin Gamble
Kevin Gamble
Kevin Douglas Gamble is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. At 6'5" he played as both a shooting guard and small forward...
, as well as USC transfer Gerry Wright, and Les Jepsen
Les Jepsen
Leslie Burnell "Les" Jepsen is a retired American professional basketball player who had a brief career in the National Basketball Association during the early 1990s....
, all of whom would go on to play in the NBA. During Raveling's three years with the program (1983–84 through 1985–86), the Hawkeyes made two trips to the NCAA tournament, losing in the first round on both occasions. Raveling left after the 1985–1986 season to take the head coaching position at USC.
Tom Davis era
Dr. Tom Davis took over from George Raveling and coached the Hawkeyes for 13 seasons from 1986-87 to 1998–99. Davis's signature was running the full court press defense for the entire game and using rapid, continuous substitution. In his first season, the Hawkeyes won their first 18 games and obtained the #1 ranking in the AP and UPI polls for the first time in school history. That squad would eventually win a school-record 30 games and make it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, losing to UNLVUNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2011 when they received an at–large bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, earning an 8-seed in...
84–81. Retaining their key stars B.J. Armstrong, Ed Horton
Ed Horton
Edward "Ed" C. Horton is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Washington Bullets in the 2nd round of the 1989 NBA Draft. He was a 6'8", 230 lb...
, and Roy Marble
Roy Marble
Roy Lane Marble, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player, 6'6" tall, who played as swingman....
for the following season, the Hawkeyes began the 1987–88 season ranked in the top 5 by most polls and publications. Iowa would make it to the Sweet Sixteen, avenging their loss to UNLV in the second round, before losing to former coach Lute Olson's Arizona Wildcats. In all, Davis led the Hawkeyes to nine NCAA Tournaments, winning every first round game in the process. In his final season, Iowa returned to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to eventual National Champion UCONN
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
. Under Davis the Hawkeyes also made two appearances in the National Invitational Tournament. He is the all-time winningest coach in Iowa history with 270 wins. The administration chose not to renew Davis's contract upon completion of the 1998–99 season, forcing Davis to retire. He would later come out of retirement to help rebuild the Drake University
Drake Bulldogs
The Drake Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Drake University. Athletic scholarships are offered in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. However, all football players are walk-ons as Drake does not offer athletic scholarships in that sport...
program.
Steve Alford era
Steve AlfordSteve Alford
Stephen Todd Alford is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team...
, a former Indiana Hoosier and a member of the Olympic gold-winning 1984 United States Basketball team, arrived at Iowa with great fanfare. In his first game as coach of the Hawkeyes, Iowa defeated the defending champion and #1-ranked Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. However, his first team would finish 14–16. During his second year (2000–01) the Hawkeyes were a highly regarded squad that included Indiana transfer Luke Recker and Reggie Evans
Reggie Evans
Reginald Jamaal "Reggie" Evans is an American professional basketball player. The power forward most recently played for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA...
, who would lead the Big Ten Conference in rebounds and double-doubles during his two seasons with Iowa, as well as Iowa Mr. basketball 1997 Dean Oliver
Dean Oliver (basketball)
Dean Oliver is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association. An undrafted 5'11" guard from the University of Iowa, Oliver played with the Golden State Warriors from 2001-02 to 2002-03.Oliver attended Mason City High School in Mason City, Iowa...
, who had a career year with the hawkeyes. However, after a knee injury sidelined Luke Recker, the Hawkeyes dropped 6 of their last 7 conference games finishing 23–12 for the season season and 7–9 in the Big Ten Conference regular season. Despite the setback, they battled back and won the Big Ten Conference Tournament
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
with four straight wins against Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats
The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern has eight men's and eleven women's Division I sports teams. The mascot is Willie the Wildcat...
, Ohio State, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from boisterous Rec Hall during the 1995–96...
, and Indiana. This earned them a #7 seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament
2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 2001 with the play-in game, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in...
, where they defeated Creighton
Creighton Bluejays men's basketball
The Creighton Bluejays basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007...
in the first round but lost to Kentucky in the second.
The Hawkeyes' conference record dropped to 5–11 during the 2001-02 season, but they defeated Purdue, Wisconsin, and Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament before losing to Ohio State in the finals. The Hawkeyes played in the National Invitation Tournament that season, but lost to LSU in the first round to finish with a 19-16 record. This was the first of three straight seasons that the Hawkeyes played in the NIT under Alford. They won the first two rounds of the 2003 tournament against Valparaiso
Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball
The Valparaiso Crusaders Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2004. The Crusaders are currently...
and Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball
The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team represents Iowa State University and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.-Johnny Orr era :...
before losing to Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team represents the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division I basketball. The team plays its home games in Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Under the tenure of Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech established itself as a national force in basketball...
, finishing with a 17–14 record. In 2004 they returned to the NIT, losing to St. Louis
Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball
The Saint Louis University Billiken's men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Saint Louis University. The school competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Rick Majerus is the current head coach. Chaifetz Arena is home to the Billikens. The Billikens have...
in the first round of the NIT to complete the season at 16–13. The 9–7 conference record marked the first winning Big Ten Conference record under Alford.
The Hawkeyes finished 21–12 with a 7–9 conference record in the 2004-05 regular season, but they won their first two Big Ten Tournament games against Purdue and Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
before losing the third game to Wisconsin, 59-56. They earned an at-large invitation to the 2005 NCAA Tournament
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
as a #10 seed, where they lost 76–64 to Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
in the first round. During the season, leading scorer Pierre Pierce
Pierre Pierce
Pierre Antoine Pierce is an American professional basketball player. A former member of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes men's team, Pierce was convicted of several crimes relating to a violent incident with a former girlfriend, leading to his dismissal from the Hawkeyes and eventual imprisonment...
was dismissed from the team amid charges of sexual abuse; Pierce ultimately served one year in prison.
During the 2005-06 season, the Hawkeyes went undefeated at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time in school history and finished in a second-place tie with Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
with an 11–5 conference record, one game behind Ohio State. However, the Hawkeyes defeated Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
, Michigan State, and Ohio State to win the Big Ten Tournament and finish 25–8 going into its third NCAA Tournament under Alford. They were ranked No. 11 nationally and seeded #3 in the Atlanta Regional of the 2006 NCAA Tournament
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
, but lost in a first-round upset to #14 seed Northwestern State
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
64–63, leaving Alford with only one NCAA Tournament win since taking over at Iowa. The game was lost on a last second shot, and the Hawkeyes have not returned to the NCAA Tournament since.
During the 2006–07 season, Alford led the Hawkeyes to an 8–6 non-conference record (which included a home loss to Drake
Drake Bulldogs men's basketball
The Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa, in NCAA Division I basketball competition.The team's current coach is Mark Phelps, previously an assistant at Arizona State, who was hired after the 2007-08 season...
for the first time in 40 years) and an 9–7 record in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa was not invited to the post season, marking the first time since the 1976-77 that a Hawkeye team with a winning record failed to make either the NCAA tournament or the NIT.
At the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, Alford resigned from the University of Iowa to accept the coaching position at the University of New Mexico.
Todd Lickliter era
Following Alford's departure, ButlerButler Bulldogs men's basketball
The Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League, of which it has been a member since 1979...
coach and reigning NABC Coach of the Year
NABC Coach of the Year
The NABC Coach of the Year Award has been presented by the National Association of Basketball Coaches since 1959. It is currently sponsored by the UPS Store.-Award winners:-External links:*...
Todd Lickliter
Todd Lickliter
Todd Lickliter is a basketball coach. He was the head coach of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and Butler University Bulldogs men's basketball team. In 2011 he became an assistant coach at Miami .-Early years:...
was hired. The graduation of Adam Haluska
Adam Haluska
Adam Haluska is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'5" tall shooting guard who is a free agent.-2003-2007:...
and the transfer of leading scorer Tyler Smith
Tyler Smith (basketball)
David Tyler Smith, commonly known as Tyler Smith, is an American basketball player who currently plays for Bornova Belediye in Turkey. He played college basketball for Iowa and Tennessee, but his college career came to an end when he was dismissed from the Tennessee program in January 2010...
to Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers basketball
The Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA men's basketball competition. The Volunteers currently compete in the Southeastern Conference...
created a void. The 2007–2008 Hawkeyes would finish 13–19 for the season, including 6–12 in the Big Ten. The 2008-9 Hawkeyes would improve slightly to 15-17. The 2009-10 Hawkeyes dropped to 10-22. After experiencing the worst three year run in the program's history, Lickliter was fired on March 15, 2010.
Fran McCaffery era
Siena's former coach Fran McCafferyFran McCaffery
Fran McCaffery is an American college basketball coach and the current men's head basketball coach at the University of Iowa. He is the former head of the Siena men's basketball program. He previously served as head coach of Lehigh University and UNC Greensboro...
was announced as the new basketball coach on Monday, March 29, 2010. Iowa had an 11-20 record in 2010-11 but capped off the regular season with an upset of #6 Purdue. On the season, Carver-Hawkeye Arena witnessed its highest men's basketball attendance since 2006.
Retired jerseys
Nine Hawkeye players have had their jerseys retired by the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
:
| Number | Player | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | B.J. Armstrong | 1992 |
| 12 | Ronnie Lester Ronnie Lester Ronnie Lester is an American sports figure in the areas of collegiate and professional basketball.-High school career:... |
1980 |
| 21 | Carl Cain Carl Cain Carl Cecil Cain was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Cain played collegiately at the University of Iowa.... |
1980 |
| 22 | Bill Seaberg | 1980 |
| 31 | Bill Logan | 1980 |
| 33 | Bill Schoof | 1980 |
| 40 | Chris Street Chris Street (basketball) Christopher "Chris" Michael Street was a college basketball power forward for the Iowa Hawkeyes. A potential NBA player, he died in an automobile accident during his junior year at Iowa.-Biography:... |
1993 |
| 41 | Greg Stokes Greg Stokes Gregory Lewis "Greg" Stokes is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round of the 1985 NBA Draft. A 6'10" forward-center from the University of Iowa, Stokes played in 2 NBA seasons for the 76ers and Sacramento Kings... |
1985 |
| 46 | Sharm Scheuerman | 1980 |
All-American selections
Each year, numerous publications and organizations release lists of All-AmericaNCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
teams, hypothetical rosters of players considered the best in the nation at their respective positions. The National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) uses officially recognized All-America selectors to determine the consensus selections. Over time, the sources used to determine the consensus selections have varied. Currently, the NCAA uses four "major" selectors to determine consensus All-Americans: the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, The National Association of Basketball Coaches
National Association of Basketball Coaches
The National Association of Basketball Coaches , headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of college men's basketball coaches...
, the United States Basketball Writers Association
United States Basketball Writers Association
The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:...
and Sporting News magazine. Since 1984, the NCAA has applied a standardized point system to those teams designated as "major" All-American teams to determine consensus teams. The point system consists of three points for first team, two points for second team and one point for third team. No honorable mention or fourth team or lower are used in the computation. The top five totals plus ties are first team and the next five plus ties are second team. Many other publications and organization compile their own "minor" All-America teams in addition to the selectors listed here.
Through the 2009 season, 17 Iowa players have earned 24 All-America
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
selections. Of Iowa's 17 All-Americans
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
, 11 players were first-team All-American selections, with Ronnie Lester
Ronnie Lester
Ronnie Lester is an American sports figure in the areas of collegiate and professional basketball.-High school career:...
doing so twice. Iowa has had four consensus first and second team All-American selections; they are listed in bold in the table below.
| Key | ||
|---|---|---|
First-team selection |
Second-team selection |
Third-team selection |
EWLINE
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Big Ten Most Valuable Players
The Chicago Tribune Silver BasketballChicago Tribune Silver Basketball
The Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball was an award that was presented annually by the Chicago Tribune to the Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Conference for both men's and women's basketball in the United States through 2007. The Chicago Tribune awarded the Silver Basketball for men's basketball...
has been awarded since 1946 by the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
to the college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
player determined to be the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. Three Hawkeyes have won the Big Ten MVP
Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball
The Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball was an award that was presented annually by the Chicago Tribune to the Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Conference for both men's and women's basketball in the United States through 2007. The Chicago Tribune awarded the Silver Basketball for men's basketball...
award:
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Murray Wier Murray Wier Murray Neal Wier , nicknamed "Rampaging Redhead" and "Wizard Wier," is an American former professional basketball player for the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Waterloo Hawks... |
| 1952 | Charles Darling Charles Darling (basketball) Charles Frick "Chuck" Darling was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Darling played collegiately at the University of Iowa.... |
| 1968 | Sam Williams |
Since 1998, the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
has held an annual basketball tournament at the end of its regular season. Every year, the Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
crowns a tournament MVP, and two Hawkeyes have won the annual honor:
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Reggie Evans Reggie Evans Reginald Jamaal "Reggie" Evans is an American professional basketball player. The power forward most recently played for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA... |
| 2006 | Jeff Horner Jeff Horner Jeff Horner is best known as the point guard for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball team. Jeff currently holds the University of Iowa career three point record at 232 shots made. Horner was born in Mason City, Iowa where he excelled at a young age. His father Bob Horner was Mason City... |
Other annual awards
Coaches and media of the Big Ten also make annual selections for additional individual honors:| Big Ten Conference Award | Recipient(s) and year received |
|---|---|
| Defensive Player of the Year | Acie Earl Acie Earl Acie Boyd Earl is a retired American professional basketball player, who appeared in four NBA seasons, as a 6'10" center.-High school/college:... (1992); Erek Hansen Erek Hansen Erek Hansen is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Kolejlíler. Ranks third in career blocked shots with 212. In 2006 he had 89 blocked shots, the third best single season total at Iowa. His 83 blocked shots in 2005 ranks fourth best for a single season... (2006) |
| Sixth Man of the Year | Doug Thomas (2006) |
| Freshman of the Year | Kevin Boyle (1979); Michael Payne (1982); Roy Marble Roy Marble Roy Lane Marble, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player, 6'6" tall, who played as swingman.... (1985); Jess Settles (1994); Joey Range (1999) |
All-conference selections
Through the 2010 season, Iowa has had 101 All-Big Ten selections, including 31 first-team selections. 28 players were multiple All-Big Ten selections, and nine players were three-time All-Big Ten selections.| Key | ||
|---|---|---|
First-team selection |
Second-team selection |
Third-team selection |
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Most Valuable Players
The Iowa Most Valuable Player Award was presented annually to an Iowa player or players from 1946-2007:EWLINE
|
EWLINE
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Chris Street Award
The Chris Street Award, named in honor of former Hawkeye Chris StreetChris Street (basketball)
Christopher "Chris" Michael Street was a college basketball power forward for the Iowa Hawkeyes. A potential NBA player, he died in an automobile accident during his junior year at Iowa.-Biography:...
, has been presented annually since 1993 to “a Hawkeye player who best exemplifies the spirit, enthusiasm, and intensity of Chris Street”:
EWLINE
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Facilities
Iowa's men's basketball team plays their home games at Carver–Hawkeye Arena, a 15,500-seat multi-purpose indoor arenaArena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. It opened in 1983 and is also the home of the university's wrestling
Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling
The University of Iowa wrestling program is one of the most successful athletic programs in NCAA Division I. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes are a member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference. Iowa is second in NCAA history with 23 national championships, all of which have come since 1975...
, women's basketball, and volleyball teams. Prior to playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeye men's basketball team played in the Iowa Field House, which is still used today by the school's swimming and gymnastics teams.
See also
- Iowa HawkeyesIowa HawkeyesThe Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
- University of IowaUniversity of IowaThe University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
- University of Iowa Athletics Hall of FameUniversity of Iowa Athletics Hall of FameThe University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame is a sports history museum located at the Roy G. Karro Building in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S. The museum pays tribute to the most legendary and influential Iowa Hawkeye sports heroes. Opened in September 2002, The building is located at the northwest...
- College basketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesNCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesThis is a list of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Regional Championships by coach. The current names of the NCAA Tournament regions are the East, Southeast, Southwest, and West...