"Last year, we were a team with two players scoring in double figures,’’ Alford said. "I would hope that this year we can get three or four scoring in double figures consistently, and be a little bit harder to play against.

"I like our athleticism, and we have good size at every position. Even though we will be young, there are some dimensions that we have improved on.’’

Only Luke Recker, with a 17.1 average, and Reggie Evans, at 15.4, scored at better than a 7.3 clip for a Hawkeye team that had a disappointing 19-16 record last season. Both Recker and Evans, who led the Big Ten in rebounding with an 11.1 average, have used up their eligibility.

"We struggled with our leadership on the floor last season,’’ Alford said. "So we need someone to step forward. Will that be guys like (Jeff) Horner and (Pierre) Pierce, or (Chauncey) Leslie, our only senior who played last season? Or maybe someone like (Jared) Reiner or (Glen) Worley from the junior class?

"We have to find that leader on the court, someone who understands the situation and knows what has to happen. That hurt us last season, and it’s going to be a concern going into this season.’’

The Hawkeyes will play 14 games against teams that advanced to postseason competition last season, including 12 against teams that were in the NCAA tournament.

Iowa meets national runnerup Indiana twice and plays Missouri (Elite Eight) and Illinois (Sweet 16). Other opponents that played in the NCAA tournament include Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Tulsa and Florida Atlantic. Montana State and Minnesota were, like Iowa, in the NIT.

The Hawkeyes play at Florida State in a Dec. 2 game that will be televised by ESPN2. The game is part of the Atlantic Coast-Big Ten Challenge.

Iowa’s opening exhibition game is Nov. 13 against the California All-Stars. The Hawkeyes also host Nike Elite on Nov. 19. The regular-season opener is Nov. 24 against Florida Atlantic.

Iowa hosts the Gazette Hawkeye Challenge on Dec. 6-7. The Hawkeyes play Montana State n the first round, with Southern Mississippi (coached by former Iowa State assistant James Green) playing Jacksonville in the other opening game.

Jacksonville is coached by Hugh Durham, who took Florida State to the NCAA title game in 1972 and Georgia to the Final Four in 1983.

The Hawkeyes’ opening road game will be Nov. 26 at Drake.

"We’ve got a tough non-conference schedule, as have had in the past. Being a young team, we need some early success. If we can get these young kids some momentum and confidence, maybe that will help us in January and February, where we’ve struggled in the past.’’

Alford said his team will be "younger, but I don’t think we are totally inexperienced. I think we can be an exciting team and a fun team. This may be the most versatile team I’ve had, with a lot of guys who can play different positions and do different things.

"I know we have question marks, but we have a chance to be a pretty deep and balanced team.’’

Iowa’s top returning scorer and rebounder is Worley, a 6-7 junior forward from Iowa City. Worley, who started 11 games, averaged 7.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and led the squad with 31 blocked shots.

Pierce, who averaged 7.1 points, will be counted on to provide more scoring punch. He started 32 of 35 games as a freshman.

Much is expected from Horner, a standout 6-3 freshman guard from Mason City. He’s been waiting to play for Iowa for a long time. He said he planned to be a Hawkeye as a ninth-grader.

Another Hawkeye guard prospect is Josh Kimm, a 6-3 senior from Norway, Ia., who transferred from Kansas State. He is the son of Bruce Kimm, former manager of the Iowa Cubs and present manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Josh Kimm, who is expected to be awarded an Iowa basketball scholarship, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and partial tear of the meniscus in his left knee in July, 1999. He underwent surgery that month, with the operation performed by Dr. Wayne Gersoff, a physician for the Colorado Rockies.

Alford’s record in three seasons at Iowa is 56-44.

Nov. 2—Black and Gold Blowout, TBA
Nov. 13—California All-Stars (exhibition), 7:05
Nov. 19—Nike Elite (exhibition), 7:05
Nov. 24—Florida Atlantic, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus TV)
Nov. 26—at Drake, 7:05 (Drake TV)
Nov. 30—Tennessee State, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Dec. 2—at Florida State, 8:05 (ESPN2)
Dec. 6-7—Southern Mississippi vs. Jacksonville, 5:45; Iowa vs. Montana State, 8:11 (ESPN-Plus)
Dec. 10—Northern Iowa, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Dec. 13—Iowa State, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Dec. 22—Liberty, 3:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Dec. 28—at Tulsa, 7:05 (ESPN Regional)
Jan. 4—Missouri, TBA (TBA)
Jan. 8—at Northwestern, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Jan. 11—Michigan State, 1:34 (ESPN Weekend Package)
Jan. 15—Illinois, 8:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Jan. 22—at Wisconsin, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Jan. 25—Ohio State, 1:34 (ESPN Weekend Package)
Feb. 1—Purdue, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Feb. 5—at Penn State, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Feb. 8—At Michigan, 11:17 a.m. (ESPN Weekend Package)
Feb. 12—At Minnesota, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Feb. 15—Penn State, 4:07 (ESPN-Plus)
Feb. 19—Indiana, 8:05 (ESPN-Plus)
Feb. 22—Wisconsin, 3:05, ESPN
Feb. 25—at Ohio State, 7:05 or 8:05 (ESPN-Plus)
March 1—at Indiana, 6:05 (ESPN)
March 5—at Michigan State, 7:05 (ESPN-Plus)
March 8—Northwestern, 1:34 (ESPN Weekend Package)
March 13-16—Big Ten tournament in Chicago (CBS/ESPN)

Iowa State guard Jake Sullivan scored four points, making two of seven field goal attempts. Sullivan led the Big 12 team with 13 in its opening 101-68 victory over Stockholm Human Rights on Aug. 8 at Stockholm, Sweden.

Baylor’s Dave Bliss, who is coaching the Big 12 team, was impressed with the crowd at the game in Vejlby.

"This was the best crowd we’ve played in front of, and there was a lot of excitement around the game,’’ Bliss said of the 620 Danes who attended the game. "There is no doubt that having been on the road for over a week, you get a little big leg-weary, and I thought that (contributed) to our slow start.’’

The Big 12 team led, 24-23, then a three-point field goal by Missouri’s Travon Rush and baskets by Sullivan, Oklahoma’s Quannas White and Kansas’ Bryant Nash gave the Big 12 a 33-23 advantage.

The Big 12 team, which has one player from each conference school, ends its six-game, 11-day Scandinavian tour Thursday against Malbas BBC in Malmo, Sweden.

At least those who voted in the 2002 Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major preseason poll think so.

The Bulldogs were ranked 10^th in the first poll. The Mid-Major poll includes the 26 programs of the MAAC, NEC and Pioneer Leagues, which play at a non-scholarship or limited scholarship level.

Drake received 36 points. The Bulldogs will play three teams ranked in the top 10—No. 1 Dayton, No. 6 Albany and No. 7 San Diego.