The Iowa game.

IU last played in Iowa City exactly one year ago. The tables have turned. Last year, Iowa entered the game with sub-200 computer ratings and IU harbored Final Four aspirations. While the Hawkeyes remain NCAA Tournament longshots, they are vastly improved, as are most Big Ten teams. Further, at this point, IU would kill for Iowa's 6-12 Big Ten record of 2008. As most of you know, the Hawkeyes are led by former Butler coach Todd Lickliter, and the style of play is as expected. Iowa is the slowest-paced team in Division I, averaging only 57.2 possessions per game. Like Lickliter's Butler teams, Iowa is very efficient offensively. The Hawkeyes average 1.13 points per possession, rank #4 nationally in effective field goal percentage, and are in the top thirty in two point, three point, and free throw shooting percentage. The Hawkeyes take good care of the ball, turning the ball over less than 20 percent of the time, and they assist 60 percent of their made field goals. Like those Butler teams, Iowa doesn't place a priority on offensive rebounding, but barely into Lickliter's second season, he has dramatically reshaped the program. Iowa's defensive numbers are not as outstanding but are above-average nearly across the board. The Hawkeyes are highly three-point reliant, so IU's only (slim) hope is a poor shooting night.

Iowa's best win came against Kansas State, currently #18 in Pomeroy, in Las Vegas. Really, that is Iowa's only signature win, and the losses have all been respectable: West Virginia, Boston College, Drake, and Ohio State (Iowa lost by three on the road on New Year's Eve).

Freshman Anthony Tucker is Iowa's leading scorer at only 11.8 points per game, with freshman Matt Gatens and sophomores Jeff Peterson and Jake Kelly (Daniel Moore's high school teammate at Carmel) close behind. Tucker shoots 43 percent on over 7 three point attempts per game. Gatens is shooting 53 percent from behind the arc and Peterson 41. Cyrus Tate seems to be the only true big man who plays much role in the scoring offense.

The Hawkeyes are not as physicially imposing as some of the very tall teams IU has played thus far, but they are very effective at what they do, and IU will need to play much better, and hope for some cold Iowa shooting, to be competitive.