University of North Carolina Athletics
Know Your Opponent: Iowa
December 2, 2014 | Men's Basketball
It's hard to make definitive statements about any college team after just seven games, but Iowa is even more difficult than most to pin down. The Hawkeyes have been more or less dominant in five wins over inferior competition (best wins are KenPom No. 136 Pepperdine and No. 140 North Dakota State), but they dropped a pair of games at Madison Square Garden to Texas and Syracuse. The Texas loss was particularly tough, as UI led by as many as 12 late in the first half before being outscored by 20 after the break.
Despite the uneven start, Iowa has three more big non-conference opportunities, starting Wednesday in Chapel Hill. Prior to the Christmas break, the Hawkeyes will get in-state rivals Iowa State and Northern Iowa in consecutive games. While bragging rights in the state are important, bagging a résumé-building win prior to the gauntlet of Big 10 play is crucial.
Fran McCaffery's fifth Hawkeye team figures to be his best, with four of five starters back from a team that made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. The loss of leading scorer Roy Devyn Marble was a big one, but senior forward Aaron White is back to lead a front line that goes 6-9 (White), 6-9 (Jarrod Uthoff), 7-1 (Adam Woodbury). Iowa ranks No. 4 nationally in effective height and No. 6 in average height, with 6-10 shot-blocker Gabriel Olaseni logging significant minutes as well.
White is a handful, and he possesses that dangerous combination of being skilled at drawing fouls and very effective at the free throw line. On the year, White is 41-48 from the charity stripe (85.4%) and 35-55 (63.6%) inside the three-point line. White, Woodbury and Olaseni are all solid on the offensive glass.
Iowa has played a fairly up-tempo style over the last season and a half, with junior Mike Gesell handling the bulk of the work at point guard. He has struggled with his shot in the early going (only 11 made field goals on 42 attempts), but he protects the ball well (27 assists against just 11 turnovers). Josh Oglesby and Anthony Clemmons split time at the off-guard spot, but it's Uthoff who has proven to be the most dangerous outside threat, making 48.3% from 3 so far.
The word out of Iowa City this week has been "opportunity", so Carolina can expect the Hawkeyes' best shot, especially with a pair of players in Gesell and Woodbury who were AAU teammates of UNC guard and Iowa native Marcus Paige.
NOTE: Olaseni, a native of London, lost his father last week and is planning to return home for funeral services following Wednesday's game. "We'll accommodate his wishes, whatever he wants to do," McCaffery said Monday. "We'll get him home, we'll get him back, whatever is comfortable for him and his family."
Our thoughts are with Gabriel and his family during this difficult time.
