BIG GAME TONIGHT.
Wednesday will be first time Iowa (10th) plays Michigan (21st) with both teams being ranked since Feb. 4, 2006 (Iowa 23 & Michigan 21).
— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) January 21, 2014
GAME NOTES. Iowa has two Michigan natives on the roster: Devyn Marble and Anthony Clemmons. Michigan leads the all-time series with Iowa 90-58. The Wolverines are riding a seven game win streak. For a game preview, check back later as Vint will have that this afternoon.
MICHIGAN'S JOHN BEILEIN SAYS IOWA REMINDS HIM OF ARIZONA. The Wolverines hosted the #1 ranked Wildcats in December. Zona escaped Ann Arbor with a 72-70 win. Beilein says Iowa's length and pace of play is similar to the nation's #1 team.
FOR MICHIGAN, WITHOUT MITCH MCGARY, IT'S ALL ABOUT NIK STAUSKAS. The early rumblings for Big Ten player of the year include Iowa's Devyn Marble, MSU's Keith Appling and Michigan's Stauskas. Michigan goes as Stauskas goes. Last season he was labeled as a three point specialist. This season he's showing he's much more than that and can break down teams with his ability to drive to the basket.
Fran McCaffery said of Stauskas,
"I didn't see him strictly as a shooter last year. Obviously, his role was different, but he's athletic, he's got a great handle, he can go off the dribble, he moves without the ball and he's a gamer. He's doing more of it this year."
McCaffery added,
"He shoots it off the dribble. He's not a catch-and-shoot, he's not a standstill. He can hit a step-back three off a double crossover. If you don't find him in transition, it's almost automatic. When you run at him, he can put it on the deck. He made a play in the Wisconsin game where he drove it and kicked it; it was a really, really good play. You think he's definitely going to shoot the ball in this situation, and the next thing you know, he's got an assist. That's the way the great ones play."
IOWA IS GETTING BIG PRODUCTION FROM THEIR "THREE POINT SPECIALIST." Josh Oglesby missed the first seven weeks of the season. He's proving now how big of a loss to the lineup that was. Since returning to the lineup, Oglesby is averaging 15.7 minutes, 7.2 points per game and has hit 12 of 20 three point attempts.
IOWA GOES AS MELSAHN BASABE GOES. Melsizzle was deemed Iowa's most pivotal player by the Big Ten Network. Iowa is 9-1 in the ten games Basabe has grabbed more than seven rebounds. When Basabe scores in double-digits, Iowa is a perfect 6-0.
MOAR RANKINGS. Fran's team checks in at #8 in the latest ESPN Power Poll. Jerry Palm, CBS bracket expert, puts Iowa in the NCAA Tournament as a three seed to face Georgia State in the first round.
LOOKING AHEAD.
The #Iowa #Hawkeyes next home game, Jan 28 vs. MSU, is a Black & Gold Spirit game pic.twitter.com/YJVbeokyYc
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairRIVALS) January 21, 2014
A PAIR OF FORMER HAWKEYES ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE SENIOR BOWL THIS WEEKEND. C.J. Fiedorowicz and Christian Kirksey will represent the North in the annual Senior Bowl. This week serves as a kickoff to the NFL Draft as the NFL Network covers each practice daily. That means both of these Hawks are evaluated at every turn. There's some Twitter buzz about both:
#Iowa LB Christian Kirksey showing some power & athletic ability this AM in full pads at North squad practice.
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) January 21, 2014
Christian Kirksey just trucked a RB. Nastiest run over I've ever seen. The Iowa LBer now has my attention.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) January 21, 2014
North TE group. #Wisconsin Jacob Pederson #Marshall Gator Hoskins and #Iowa CJ Fiedorowicz pic.twitter.com/tmkJrDoAsw
— Shane P. Hallam (@ShanePHallam) January 21, 2014
CJ Fiedorowicz said it got "very frustrating at times over his usage" but he's not one to complain to coaches. Just does his job #iowa
— Mike Loyko (@NEPD_Loyko) January 21, 2014
Got some strange looks when I had Iowa OLB Christian Kirksey in my Top 100... hearing great things from the Senior Bowl though.
— James Christensen (@NEPatriotsDraft) January 22, 2014
THERE'S MORE. I don't read too much into CJF talking about his usage. If a reporter asks a kid if he'd wanted the ball more, what's he expected to say? The Bears like to throw to the tight end and C.J. has been talking with them. Fiedorowicz, an Illinois native, called possibly playing for the Bears a dream come true.
IT'S MINNESOTA AT IOWA WRESTLING SATURDAY.
OTHER LINKS:
- Big week ahead for Michigan
- Podcast: ‘On Iowa' talks hoops, B1G football
- Don't look now, but Hawkeyes can shoot
- FB: Stat graphs - Iowa great vs. big play in '13
- List of nation's best 25 senior hoops players includes a Hawkeye
- WBB: Short Memory, Long Memory
- Hlas Podcast: Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press
- Brooks Thrives on Fast Pace
- Grilli Named B1G Diver of the Week
- Many could tell Iowa Top Ten tenures can be tenuous
- Stat graphs - Martin-Manley, Weisman climb the charts
- Upcoming games will have big impact on NCAA seed
- Iowa-Michigan capsule
- Michigan to test momentum against No. 10 Iowa
- First Look: Transition game, ball screens critical in Michigan-Iowa matchup
- Michigan, Iowa each with much to prove in top-25 showdown at Crisler Center
- Nik Stauskas named Big Ten player of the week after keying wins over Penn State, Wisconsin
- Michigan's John Beilein on No. 10 Iowa: 'We haven't played anybody like this'
- Michigan overcoming adversity at midseason mark
- Big Ten schedule wears on Hawkeyes
- Barfknecht: Hawkeyes, Wolverines have become two of Big Ten's best
- Behind Enemy Lines: Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery
- ‘High powered' Iowa offense presents unique challenges
- Border Brawl: Iowa hosts Minnesota on Saturday