Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball

Hawkeye basketball continues to make history this season. 

Unfortunately, it's for playing basketball they would rather forget. 

Iowa started off the season by losing its first two games, something the team had not done since 1970. Then, they gained their first win of the season with a 68-46 throttling of last year's Mid-American Conference champions, Bowling Green. 

Freshman Eric May went 4-for-4 from behind the arch and led all Hawkeyes with 16 points.  Anthony Tucker picked up 13 points and nine assists in the win, as well.

The victory was a turning point for the team, Coach Todd Lickliter said.

Sadly, that turning point resembled a car turning into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed.

After the victory over the Bowling Green Falcons, Iowa headed to Kansas City for the second portion of the 2009 O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic, where Texas and Wichita State awaited.

The trip to Kansas City started with a loss to No. 3 ranked Texas by a score of 85-60.  Iowa kept it close in the first half, and even tied the game with a 70-foot buzzer-beater from freshman point guard Cully Payne to make the score at 38-38 at halftime.

But, Texas hit 66 percent of its second-half shots and went on a 17-0 run during the game’s final 20 minutes to seal Iowa's fate.  The Hawkeyes shot just 32 percent in the game.

Texas's Damion James and Dexter Pittman combined for 25 points, 20 rebounds, and six blocked shots against the Hawkeyes. 

The day after the Texas loss came the 74-57 loss to Wichita State in the consolation game.

The Shockers made five three point baskets in the game's first 10 minutes and grabbed nine offensive rebounds to help them maintain a comfortable lead for most of the game. Their bench outscored Iowa's 29-9.

The Hawkeyes lost all four of its CBE Classic games, averaging just over 54 points a game and shooting just over 35 percent.

"This has been a very, very demanding opening schedule," Lickliter reminded reporters after the Wichita State game.

Lickliter has a point.  The Hawkeye Nation will need to have a little patience this year and remember that the bulk of Iowa's team is in their first year of college.  While it is clear the freshman have some talent, they are still very green to college basketball and are learning as they go. 

Iowa is now 1-4 on the season, its worst start since 1929 when the Hawkeyes began the season 1-6.

The Hawkeyes return to action Saturday, November 28 against North Carolina Central, when former Hawkeye basketball legend Kenyon Murray makes his debut as Basketball Analyst for the Big Ten Network while calling the game.

Hopefully Iowa can give Murray a memorable game to call.

Iowa Hawkeye football started the 2009 season with a nine-game, history-breaking win streak that won't soon be forgotten.

The men's basketball team has started the 2009 season making a little history of its own.  Although, this history can't be forgotten by fans quick enough.

The Hawkeyes lost their second straight game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Tuesday night, the first time since 1931 that Iowa has lost its first two home games of the season.  It also marked the first time Iowa has started a season with two consecutive losses since 1970.

Adding insult to injury, it was the first time ever that Duquesne has won a game in a Big Ten arena.

Duquesne overcame second half shooting troubles and held off a late Iowa rally to win, 52-50.  Damian Saunders had 16 points, 16 rebounds, and six steals for the Dukes.  Bill Clark contributed 20 points, including the game winning three-pointer with 11.7 seconds left.

Anthony Tucker led the Hawkeyes in scoring with 16 points, but did so shooting 30 percent from behind the three point line.

"It's pretty frustrating," Tucker told reporters after the game. "I thought we played well enough to win, defensively. But we just have to generate some offense from somewhere."

Tucker wasn't the only Iowa player to struggle offensively.  Matt Gatens, the Hawkeyes' top returning scorer and rebounder from last season, was only 2-of-12 from the floor.

As a team, Iowa shot 32 percent from the field, a dismal 22 percent from behind the arc, and 8-of-15 from the free throw line.

Despite poor shooting, the Hawkeyes tried to make a game of it late.  Iowa rallied from an 11-point deficit to take the lead, 50-49, on a three-point play with 41 seconds left, but Clark's three point play with .8 seconds left on the clock sealed Iowa's fate in this game.

"I hope that they don’t get discouraged because they don’t deserve it," Hawkeyes coach Todd Lickliter expressed after the game. "If we fight, we’ll get better."

Iowa has another chance to improve on Friday at 8 p.m. CST, when the Hawkeyes face Bowling Green at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Coach Todd Lickliter is under a lot of pressure going into Friday’s game against Bowling Green. Not just the normal pressure of being a head coach or the pressure the fans are giving him and the team. But the pressure of repeating history over again and the results that followed it.

If Iowa (0-2) shall lose on Friday against Bowling Green (1-1), then this will be the third time in Iowa’s history that they lost the first three games of the season.

Last time this happened was the 1920-1921 season. Iowa finished that season 9-10 overall and 6-6 in the Big Ten under head coach James Ashmore. Back then it was good for a sixth place finishing in the conference. At the end of the season, Coach Ashmore was fired after coaching three seasons. His record was 29-28 overall and 17-17 in the Big Ten during his time at Iowa. His best team finished fifth in the Big Ten in his second year.

The only other time Iowa has lost that many games at the beginning of the season was the 1917-1918 season. That year the Hawkeyes lost the first six games of the season. Iowa finished 6-8 overall and 4-6 in the Big Ten for ninth place finish. Iowa’s coach was Maury Kent during that season. He suffered the same fate as Ashmore at the end of the season. Kent coached Iowa for five years. His best finish in the Big Ten was seventh place twice. His five year record at Iowa was 42-36 overall and 10-29 in the Big Ten.

Coach Lickliter is also feeling the pressure of finishing the season with a losing record. There was only one other time in history that Iowa had a losing record for three straight seasons. It was under coach Rollie Williams between 1929 and 1932 seasons. This was also Coach Williams first three seasons. He coached Iowa for 14 years and finished second in the Big Ten once. His teams mostly finished on the bottom half of the conference. He also had seven winning seasons in his 14 years with the Hawkeyes.

The bottom line is that this season as well as future seasons will be horrible unless coach Lickliter can change things around. He really needs to have his first winning season be this season. Lickliter has been focusing on the team’s defensive playing. It goes back to defenses will win the game. I believe this in some sports like football and soccer. In basketball, you need to have good scorers on the team if you want a chance to win.

The Butler coaching style is starting to show why it doesn’t work in the Big Ten.  The Big Ten is not the Horizon league.

Currently the Big Ten has six top 25 teams in the nation and is a tougher conference than the Horizon. I don’t see Coach Lickliter staying around much more than a few more seasons before he is replaced.

Things aren't looking so great for the Iowa men's basketball team. 

The Hawkeyes hadn't lost a home opener since 1962, but that changed Sunday night in a 62-50 loss to Texas-San Antonio.

This is the first time Iowa has started a season with a loss since a 79-78 defeat to Iowa State during the 1977-78 season.

In a defensive battle with a more experienced team, the Hawkeyes struggled to get anything going on offense. Iowa shot just 34 percent from the field.

Matt Gatens and Anthony Tucker, two of Iowa's returning players from last year, were a combined four out of 19 shooting. 

The Hawkeyes had to rely on Freshmen Eric May and Cully Payne for their scoring needs.  May came off the bench to score a team-high 13 points in his college debut. Payne added 12 points of his own, scoring three of the Hawkeyes' five three-pointers.

Iowa trailed for most of the game, partially due to their dismal 18.5 percent shooting from beyond the three-point line.

"Defensively, we were good," Payne told reporters after the game. "We just weren't making shots."

Throughout the game, Coach Todd Lickliter rode a roller-coaster of happiness and frustrations. At times, he applauded the effort of his players on defense, but he also buried his head in his hands more than a few times because of their shooting.

Give some credit to Texas-San Antonio for Iowa's loss. The Roadrunners had five players in double digits in scoring and shot 45 percent from behind the three point line. They played solid defense and kept pace with Iowa throughout the game.

After the game, Cedar Rapids Gazette writer Marc Morehouse offered a helpful bit of information for Hawkeye fans through his Twitter page. "Don't worry. John Wooden opened his third season @ UCLA with a home loss to UTSA," Morehouse reminded .

Whether or not Lickliter can pull a Wooden with the Hawkeyes remains to be seen.  Unfortunately, Iowa's schedule doesn't leave him much time to figure things out.

Iowa (0-1) hosts Duquesne tonight as part of ESPN's round-the-clock College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. Duquesne will be without sophomore Melquan Bolding, who was expected to miss up to six weeks following wrist surgery.

The game will be televised nationally at 8 p.m. CST on ESPNU.

This article is also featured on IowaHawkeyes.Net , a nerd's blog dedicated to all that is Hawkeye.

When a school's football team is competing for a conference title, sometimes the basketball team gets a little overlooked. 

That might be the case at Iowa right now, but Coach Todd Lickliter has his team ready to open the season strong this weekend, nonetheless.

The Hawkeyes host Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners Sunday in Carver Hawkeye Arena for the preliminary round of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic.  The game will be televised on ESPNU, with Jim Barbar and Mike Kelley calling the play-by-play.

Lickliter thinks his team is ready, and better than people think.  "I've never been one to put limitations on what I believe a team can do. I believe we have made progress and will continue to do so. I believe in our players, too, and we now have a group that is truly all on the same page," Coach Lickliter was quoted as saying at a recent press conference.

Iowa looks to exceed expectations this year and improve upon two straight losing seasons.  It won't be easy for a team rebuilt almost from the ground up, after losing four players last year to transfer and with a school full of fans focused on a history-making football team.

The starting five for Iowa consists of of freshman Cully Payne, sophomore Matt Gatens, sophomore Aaron Fuller, junior Jarryd Cole, and senior Devan Bawinkel.

The young Hawkeye team did well last Sunday, beating Marian University 76-53 in an exhibition match. Iowa guard Anthony Tucker, who missed much of the season due to illness and academic issues, led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting.

Tucker's 21 points included five three pointers and demonstrated that Iowa has a few shooters in the mix this year.  Matt Gatens, who scored 14 points in Sunday's game, also demonstrated this. 

Gatens is Iowa's top returning scorer and rebounder from last season and started in all 32 games as a freshman

Lickliter hopes he can use the guard-centric team's shooting strength to offset an obvious weakness in rebounding.  Glancing at the sidelines, it is clear Iowa lacks a true "big" man to battle in the paint for rebounds. 

That weakness shouldn't be a problem in the home opener, though, as Texas-San Antonio is also a smaller team. 

The Roadrunners finished 19-13 last season, and now start four seniors and a junior.  The junior in that mix, Devin Gibson, is only the third player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in steals as a freshman. 

They look to give the younger Hawkeye team a run for its money.  UTSA is 5-0 in exhibition games, and look to start their regular season play with a win in Iowa City.

While most of the state's attention is focused on winning a Big Ten championship in football this weekend, Lickliter has his team prepared and focused on starting regular season play against an experienced UTSA team.
 
Iowa's basketball season officially tips off at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday. 

Conference View

The Big Ten conference sent seven teams to the NCAA tournament last year, as well as two teams to the NIT tournament. This includes sending Michigan State to the NCAA finals as well as sending Penn State to the NIT finals.

This year the Big Ten is expected to do the same as last year with six teams in the top 25 preseason AP poll. The conference has a good shot of sending even eight teams to the NCAA tournament.

Hawkeyes Overview

Coach: Todd Lickliter (third season, 28-36 at Iowa, 159-97 overall)

Last season’s record: 15-17 overall, 5-13 in Big Ten (10th in league)

Postseason: None

Last time they made the NCAA field: 2005-2006 season

Returning starters: Four

The Hawkeyes are coming off their second consecutive losing season. In the last two years, Iowa has a combined 11-25 record in Big Ten play and a combined 28-36 overall record. Iowa hasn’t had back-to-back losing seasons since before Tom Davis was head coach of the Hawkeyes.

Todd Lickliter has a lot of rebuilding to do this year after losing four players due to them transferring out of Iowa and going to other schools. They are Jake Kelly (Indiana State), Jeff Peterson (Arkansas), Jermain Davis (Minnesota State), and David Palmer (NKU).

Iowa was well on its way to becoming a Big Ten contender in a couple years, but now the program is in ruins due to all of the transfers. This can be a make or break season for Coach Lickliter as well as Iowa's basketball program. Iowa will need to finish with a winning record and out of the conference basement for Lickliter to avoid the hot seat and keep his job safe.

Iowa is picked by everyone to finish in last place in the Big Ten Conference. Rivals have Iowa ranked at No. 134, and CollegeHoops.net has them at a ranking of 123. Iowa is currently ranked 121st in the RPI heading into this season.

Roster Breakdown

Projected Starting Five

Matt Gatens, Sophomore, Guard, 10.8 points per game

Anthony Tucker, Sophomore, Guard, 10.4 points per game

Cully Payne, 6'1", Freshman, Guard

Aaron Fuller, Sophomore, Forward, 4.0 points per game

Jarryd Cole, Junior, Forward, 3.7 points per game

Iowa only has six players returning from last year’s team that have any game time experience. With that said, there are a lot of questions that will need to be answered before the start of Big Ten play. Since four players transferred out, there are holes that will need to be filled by existing players or by last year’s recruiting class.

If Iowa can answer most of their questions, then they will have a team that has two inside players that can block shots, rebound, and score as well, as having four outside threats that can hit the long ball.

Senior guard Devan Bawinkel and redshirt freshman guard John Lickliter can drain the three-point shot as well as Gatens and Tucker. Junior forward Devon Archie could be one of Lickliter’s best recruits of last year and could help them in blocking shots as well as scoring and rebounding.

Iowa is also battling the injury bug early this year. Archie injured his shoulder in practice and is out four to seven weeks. He will return before the start of Big Ten play. Freshman Cully Payne is fighting through a sprain ankle that he got during last weekend’s Black and Gold scrimmage. Tucker is also dealing with a hurt back at the beginning of this season.

List of incoming freshman and JUCO players

F Devon Archie, 6'9", jr., Indianapolis

F Brennan Cougill, 6'9", fr., Sioux City, Iowa

G John Lickliter, 5'11", redshirt fr., Iowa City

G Eric May, 6'5", fr., Dubuque, Iowa

G Nick Neari, 6'2", fr., St. Charles, Ill.

G Cully Payne, 6'1", fr., Schaumburg, Ill.

Schedule Breakdown

The Hawkeyes have a decent schedule this year. Iowa plays non-conference teams like third-ranked Texas and Pittsburgh in the CBE tournament as well as playing at Northern Iowa.

They also play all six preseason ranked Big Ten Teams this year at home and on the road. They are second-ranked Michigan State, seventh-ranked Purdue, 15th-ranked Michigan, 16th-ranked Ohio State, 23rd-ranked Illinois, and 25th-ranked Minnesota.

Season Outlook

There will be too many questions for Iowa to answer this year. Iowa will get their first winning season under Coach Lickliter, but they are still going to be in the lower half of the conference standings.

The Hawkeyes will need to get an inside person to score and rebound as well as block shots. If this happens, then Iowa will become a wild card in the Big Ten conference with a chance to make it to a postseason tournament. Iowa can score on the outside if they are open but need help inside to help win the rebounding game.

A 7-11 finish in conference is my prediction, with a small chance of making any tournament in the postseason, and a 17-15 overall record.

Watching Iowa basketball in the early 1990s was a roller coaster of extreme ups and downs. 

The low point came with the tragic death of Chris Street following a team dinner in 1993.  The high point came when the Hawkeyes made it to the NCAA tournament in Chris Street's honor that same year.

During this period of Iowa basketball, several players made an impact.  Players like Acie Earl, James Moses, Jess Settles, Andre Woolridge and Russ Millard all became household names throughout the state.  These players were just fun to watch.

One of the most exciting players to step foot on the court for Iowa during this time was Kenyon Murray.

Murray came to Iowa as the reigning Mr. Basketball for the state of Michigan and played under Dr. Tom Davis from 1992 to 1996.  While at Iowa, Murray compiled a very impressive career.

He played in all 122 games during his four-year career, starting 95 of them.  With 1,230 points, Murray is 16th on Iowa's all-time scoring list.  His 200 career steals has him sitting third all-time.

Murray still holds the Iowa record for most steals in a single game with nine against Ohio State in 1995.

After Iowa, Murray went on to play professional basketball in the CBA and IBL.  In 1998, he was runner up for the league MVP, averaging 25 points, eight assists and eight rebounds a game.

After injuring his ankle, Murray traveled back to the states, where he started a family and pursued his interests in coaching and business.

In addition to his current position as Territory Manager for a company based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Murray now coaches freshman boys' basketball at Prairie High School and serves on several committees at the University of Iowa.

He recently found out he will also have another title to go by: Basketball Analyst for the Big Ten Network. 

Murray will be calling six Iowa basketball games for the Big Ten Network this winter.  He can be heard commentating during Big Ten games against Michigan State, Illinois and Northwestern.

As a result of the recent news, I recently caught up with Kenyon Murray for an email interview.  With the help of Google and a few social networks, I was able to get a few questions over to Kenyon, who was more than willing to answer.

BF: You currently live in Cedar Rapids, IA with your wife and three children.  How is the Cedar Rapids area treating you?

KM: We have been in the Cedar Rapids area since 2001 and it has treated us well. My wife has worked between St. Lukes and Mercy Hospital and our kids are in the Prairie (College Community) school district. I have a great network of friends here and don't see us moving any time soon.

BF: Can we expect your two twin sons to play basketball for the Hawkeyes some day?  

KM: I hope so. Would mean the world to me if my boys decided to wear the Black & Gold. They are only in third grade, so we have some time.

BF: What was your favorite moment as an Iowa Hawkeye?

KM: Like many people, the MSU and Michigan games after Chris Street passed. We definitely had someone watching over us and it showed in how we were able to perform under those circumstances.

BF: You played basketball with the likes of Jess Settles and Andre Woolridge.  Do you still keep in touch with any of them?

KM: I stay in touch with alot of my teammates. I regularly speak with Glasper (Monter), Bowen (Ryan), Koch (JR), Moore (Darryl), Skillett (Kevin), Millard (Russ), Bartels (Jim), Earl (Acie) and Barnes (Val).

BF: What's it like sharing the record for most steals in a game (9 steals, OSU '95) with Acie Earl?

KM: Well, I think mine was a little harder. Ha Ha. All he did was play "rover" at the back of our full court press. No, seriously, any time you get that many steals, you are doing a great job of anticipating on defense.

BF: You are still very active in the Hawkeye community and serve on a few committees at the University.   While some are picking Iowa to finish toward the bottom of the Big Ten, no one really knows what to think about this year's team.  What can we expect out of the Hawkeye basketball team this year?

KM: People will start to see Coach Lickliter's vision become a reality. The wins may not reflect the players development, but Coach L has the players that fit his system. We will be able to see the offense look to take the first "good" shot, even in transition. More importantly, the current players are able to teach the incoming players the system. That is how you build a winning program and Iowa will be back.

BF: Now that you are a color commentator for the Big Ten Network , can we expect you on Twitter any time soon like the rest of the BTN crew?

KM: I have too many things going on that aren't that important for people to follow. But "never say never"!

BF: You are the freshman boys' basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie and have also coached a little at Indian Hills Community College in the past.  You were a color analyst for WMT radio covering high school basketball games, as well.  Is coaching basketball something you want to get more into in the future?  Or do you want to go the commentator route now that the Big Ten Network opportunity has opened up?

KM: Coaching is something that comes natural and I love working with the Prairie kids. Watching my boys and my daughter grow up is more important to me and having flexible careers makes that much easier. As it pertains to commentating, I will just see where this leads me. If there are opportunities that arise, I will be open to them. The ability to take care of my family and stay around the game I love is a dream come true.

Murray's continued commitment to not only the University of Iowa, but to the state of Iowa as a whole, is greatly appreciated among the Hawkeye faithful.  Kenyon proves that once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye.

Here is a look at Iowa’s basketball team in the pre-season.  Todd Lickliter is entering his third year as Iowa’s Coach with a 28-36 record at Iowa and a 159-97 overall record.  In 2008-09 season, he led Iowa to a 10th place finish in the Big Ten with a 15-17 overall record and a 5-13 Big ten record.
 
This is a small improvement since his first year.  He led Iowa to a 8th place finish in 2007-08 season with a 13-19 overall and a 6-12 Big Ten record in his first year.

This year both Lindy’s and Athlon magazines picked Iowa to finish last in the Big Ten Conference.  This is hard to believe after ESPN recently released a book that has Jeff Sagarin’s list of best college programs of all time where Iowa is ranked the 10th best program in the country.  The list is based on wins and losses as well as margin of victory.  Iowa is one of eight Big ten teams in the top 20. 

Iowa has a lot of growing to do since most of the team is made up with freshman and sophomore players with one senior and two juniors. Iowa is still a very young team that has at least a couple more years before they are taken seriously in the Big Ten Conference.  First the Hawkeyes will need to find a way to keep their players longer than one or two years.  Iowa has lost 4 players since last season to transfers.  They are Jake Kelly (Indiana State), Jeff Peterson (Arkansas), Jermain Davis (Minnesota State) and David Palmer (NKU).

Iowa is starting to battle the injury bug early this year.  Newcomer Devin Archie injured his right shoulder during the second practice of the season last Saturday.  His injury also hurts the team as well.  Future of Iowa’s shot blocking was resting on his shoulders.  The injury will cause Archie to miss the first four to seven weeks of the season.  The Hawkeyes are in high hopes of having him back at the start of the Big Ten Conference play.

 Here is the list of players that will be on the team this year as well as the schedule for the 2009 – 2010 season.

 Good Luck Hawkeyes.

Returning players:
G Devan Bawinkel, 6-5, sr., 4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg;
F Jarryd Cole, 6-7, jr. 3.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg);
F Aaron Fuller, 6-6, soph., 4.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg;
G Matt Gatens, 6-5, soph., 10.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg

F Andrew Brommer, 6-9, soph., 1.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg;
G Anthony Tucker, 6-4, soph., 10.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg

Newcomers:
F Devon Archie, 6-9, jr., Indianapolis;
F Brennan Cougill, 6-9, fr., Sioux City, Iowa;
G John Lickliter, 5-11, redshirt fr., Iowa City;
G Eric May, 6-5, fr., Dubuque, Iowa;
G Nick Neari, 6-2, fr., St. Charles, Ill.;
G Cully Payne, 6-1, fr., Schaumburg, Ill.


2009-10 schedule

November - 8, Marian (exhibition), 12:30 p.m.; 15, Texas-San Antonio, 5 p.m.; 17, Duquesne, 8 p.m.; 20, Bowling Green, 8 p.m.; 23, vs. Texas at CBE Classic, 8:45 p.m.; 24, vs. Pittsburgh or Wichita State at CBE Classic, 6:45 or 9 p.m.; 28, North Carolina Central, 12:30 p.m.

December - 1, Virginia Tech, 8:30 p.m.; 5, Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m.; 8, at Northern Iowa, 7 p.m.; 11, at Iowa State, 7 p.m.; 19, Drake, 5:30 p.m.; 21, South Carolina State, 7:30 p.m.; 29, Purdue, 6 p.m.

January - 2, Minnesota, 3 p.m.; 5, at Illinois, 8 p.m.; 9, Michigan State, 4:30 p.m.; 12, Tennessee State, 8 p.m.; 16, Penn State, noon; 20, at Michigan State, 5:30 p.m.; 24, at Indiana, 4 p.m.; 27, Ohio State, 7:30 p.m.; 30, at Michigan, 3:30 p.m.

February - 3, Illinois, 7:30 p.m.; 7, at Ohio State, 11 a.m.; 10, Northwestern, 7:30 p.m.; 13, at Purdue, 3:30 p.m.; 16, Michigan, 8 p.m.; 25, at Northwestern, 6 p.m.; 28, Indiana, 5 p.m.

March - 2, 3 or 4, at Wisconsin, TBA; 7, at Minnesota, 5 p.m.; 11-14, at Big Ten Tournament at Indianapolis, TBA

This article is also featured on Tiger Hawk Blog

Todd Lickliter is no stranger to adversity. 

Since taking over as head coach of the Iowa Hawkeye men's basketball team, he has dealt with two losing seasons, numerous player transfers and several player injuries and illnesses.

Coach Lickliter was hoping this season would be a little different than the last two, but it seems reality has a different plan.

6'9" Forward Devon Archie, a junior college transfer from Vincennes Community College in Indiana, suffered a shoulder injury during practice this week. He is expected to be out of commission up to seven weeks, meaning he will likely miss the beginning of the season.

On paper, Archie's numbers aren't that impressive. He was only a part-time starter at Vincennes Community College, averaging almost seven points and six rebounds a game as a sophomore. 

On the court, his size and athleticism were something the small Hawkeye team needed in the post.

Some have mentioned Archie's jumping ability resembles that of another former Iowa junior college transfer, Reggie Evans. 

Evans, a 6'8" forward transfer from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, attended Iowa in 2001 and 2002 and led the Big Ten Conference in rebounding both years. While it is unlikely Archie would match Evans' performance, his rebounding ability is something that could benefit a guard-centric team known for three-point shooting.

If Archie heals as expected, he should be back in action for Lickliter and the Hawkeyes around the time Iowa heads to Ames to play for the Cy-Hawk trophy. That will give Archie and the team a little time to prepare together before the Big Ten season starts on December 29.

Hopefully this is just a minor bump in the road for Lickliter and company.

For more Iowa Hawkeyes information and updates, check out IowaHawkeyes.Net or follow @iowahawkeyes on Twitter.

Iowa Basketball has definitely seen better days.  Last season's 15-17 record marked the first back-to-back losing seasons at Iowa since 1973-75.

Adding insult to injury, several players transferred at near-lightning speed in the off-season.  Jake Kelly (Indiana State), Jeff Peterson (Arkansas), Jermain Davis (Minnesota State) and David Palmer (NKU) all decided to take their skills elsewhere.

As a result, Iowa enters this season as everyone's favorite catfish in Big Ten Basketball.  Most experts, writers and bloggers have the Hawkeyes sitting at 10th or 11th in the Big Ten.

Iowa's coach Todd Lickliter knows what everyone's expectations are.  Yet, at the recent basketball media day, Lickliter seemed surprisingly confident about the team's chances this year.

"You know, some of my favorite stories are ones where the ones that the non-favorites are the ones that came out on top," stated Lickliter at media day.

Part of his confidence might stem from a strong showing in a team trip over the summer to participate in basketball overseas.  These types of trips help to form strong bonds among players, especially on a team that lost several players.  The trip was a chance for the Hawkeyes to gain valuable playing time together. 

Lickliter's confidence might also stem from an influx of young talent.  Freshmen guards Cully Payne and Eric May, and forward Brennan Cougill enter the mix this year.  Payne comes in as a highly touted and gifted point guard, and Cougill is the reigning “Mr. Basketball” in Iowa. The Hawkeyes also gain junior college forward Devon Archie.  

Matt Gatens returns for Iowa, as well.  Gatens, a sophomore guard, started all 32 games last year for the Hawkeyes.  He shot 90 percent from the foul line to set an Iowa single-season record.  Gatens will be a strong team leader this year, and his free throw ability will help keep Iowa in close games.

Anothy Tucker and Jarryd Cole should also be full strength to start the year.  Cole came off an ACL injury as a freshman and didn't reach full strength until the end of last season last year.  Tucker is a 3-point shooting specialist who missed much of the season due to mono, poor grades and charges of public intox.

Lickliter might also be smiling because 13 of Iowa's first 18 games are at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.  Playing at home, in front of the Hawks' Nest, does have its advantages.

So with all of the positives, why are the Hawkeyes predicted to finish at the bottom of the Big Ten? 

One reason could be the youth of Iowa's team.  Lickliter's team consists of four true freshman, one red-shirt freshman and four sophomores.   Devon Bawinkel is Iowa's only senior.

In addition to the young team, they are also a guard-centric team.  That means a shorter team.  Glancing at the sidelines, it is clear Iowa lacks a true "big" man to battle in the paint.

Fans can form their own opinion by getting a first-hand glimpse of this year's basketball team when it holds an open scrimmage Saturday, Oct. 31 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

This scrimmage will come after two weeks of full practice, and should give everyone a chance to see what the team can do.

No one can claim to know what will happen with the Hawkeyes this year except Todd Lickliter.  Maybe he knows something the rest of the country doesn't.

2009-2010 Iowa Hawkeye Men's Basketball Team

New Hawkeyes
3    Cully Payne    6-1/190    FR    G    Schaumburg, IL (Schaumburg)
13    Nick Neari    6-2/185    FR    G    St. Charles, IL (North)
25    Eric May    6-5/220    FR    G    Dubuque, IA (Wahlert)
35    Devon Archie    6-9/215    JR    F    Indianapolis, IN (Vincennes CC)
44    Brennan Cougill    6-9/260    FR    F/C    Sioux City, IA (Bishop Heelan)

Returning Hawkeyes
1    Anthony Tucker    6-4/200    SO    G    Minnetonka, MN (Minnetonka HS)
5    Matt Gatens    6-5/215    SO    G    Iowa City, IA (Iowa City HS)
15    Devan Bawinkel    6-5/210    SR    G    Winnebago, IL (Highland, IL CC)
20    Andrew Brommer    6-9/235    SO    F    Rosemount, MN (Rosemount HS)
24    Aaron Fuller    6-6/210    SO    F    Mesa, AZ (Mesa HS)
34    John Lickliter    5-11/175 RS FR    G    Iowa City, IA (Iowa City HS)
50    Jarryd Cole    6-7/250    JR    F    Kansas City, MO (Winnetonka HS)