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A fitting farewell

Iowa's retiring Davis will take team west for fifth time

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Posted: Sunday March 07, 1999 10:59 PM

Tom Davis will spend his last days as Iowa's coach trying to lead the fifth-seeded Hawkeyes through the NCAAs. AP

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- No. 20 Iowa on Sunday earned its ninth NCAA Tournament invitation under Tom Davis in Davis' 13th and final season as coach of the Hawkeyes.

For the fifth time since Davis came to Iowa City, the Hawkeyes (18-9) are headed to the West region. They will play Alabama-Birmingham (20-11) at Denver in games to be played Thursday through Saturday.

Iowa is seeded fifth while UAB is a No. 12 seed.

"I think the fifth seed is excellent for us," said Davis, who won't return for 1999-2000 because his contract, which expires at the conclusion of this season, was not extended. "We told our team, 'Don't expect an easy game.' When you get the draw, you see there are no easy games all the way up and down."

The Hawkeyes were in the West region in Davis' first season in 1986-87 as well as the following season, and then went again in 1995-96 and '96-97.

In his 28-year coaching career, Davis has guided his teams to 15 post-season appearances, compiling a 13-2 record in first-round games, including 10-0 in NCAA tournament first-round contests.

In Iowa's last six trips to the NCAA, however, the Hawkeyes have lost in the second round.

"UAB is a program that you hear about every year. They belong in the tournament and are the type of team that can beat anybody," sixth-year senior Jess Settles said.

Senior J.R. Koch said the Hawkeyes would be ready.

"We'll get after it. It's do or die, so we need to just leave it all on the court," he said. "It's going to be a lot of fun and we're definitely excited."

The Hawkeyes failed to earn an NCAA invitation last year despite a 20-10 record and a tie for fifth-place in the Big Ten. The NCAA selection committee bypassed Iowa because of a weak schedule and the Hawkeyes instead accepted an NIT bid, where they lost a first-round contest to Georgia at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

This season, Iowa beefed up its schedule and posted victories over Top 25 opponents Kansas, Ohio State, Indiana and Minnesota. The Hawkeyes also beat Missouri and Detroit Mercy, two teams also headed to the NCAA tournament.

The Hawkeyes finished 9-7 in the Big Ten to tie for third place during the regular season, although they lost 74-60 to Wisconsin in last Friday's quarterfinals of the post-season conference tourney.

"As a senior, there is more of an urgency. This is my last go-around. I want to make it the best I can. We're looking for something positive after the loss to Wisconsin," guard Kent McCausland said. "I see UAB as an athletic team, well coached, one of those teams that can beat a higher seeded team. It will be tough from the start."

 

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