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The Golden Era: Iowa's 1979-80 Final Four Journey

An in-depth exploration of the historic season that propelled the Hawkeyes to national prominence, culminating in an NCAA Final Four appearance.

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Season Overview

Historic Achievement

The 1979-80 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team achieved a significant milestone, reaching the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. This marked their most recent appearance in the national semifinals to date.

Leadership

The team was guided by Head Coach Lute Olson, who was in his sixth season with the Hawkeyes. His strategic leadership was instrumental in the team's success.

Performance Metrics

The Hawkeyes concluded the season with a commendable 23–10 overall record, including a 10–8 standing within the competitive Big Ten Conference.

National Recognition

Throughout the season, the team garnered national attention, consistently appearing in the AP Poll rankings, peaking at No. 3 during the campaign.

Team Roster

Player and Coaching Staff

The roster featured a blend of talented upperclassmen and promising underclassmen, all contributing to the team's remarkable season under Coach Olson and his staff.

Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown
G23Mike Arens6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg)SrChicago, Illinois
G30Kenny Arnold6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)SoChicago, Illinois
G14Greg Boyle6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg)FrMundelein, Illinois
F40Kevin Boyle6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)195 lb (88 kg)SoChicago, Illinois
F32Vince Brookins6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg)JrCleveland, Ohio
F20Jon Darsee6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg)SoWest Des Moines, Iowa
F44Mark Gannon6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)215 lb (98 kg)FrIowa City, Iowa
G10Tom Grogan6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)179 lb (81 kg)FrKansas City, Kansas
G24Bob Hansen6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg)FrDes Moines, Iowa
F50Mike Heller6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)215 lb (98 kg)FrSt. Paul, Minnesota
F42Mike Henry6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)205 lb (93 kg)JrElgin, Illinois
C54Steve Krafcisin6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)230 lb (104 kg)JrChicago, Illinois
G12Ronnie Lester6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg)SrChicago, Illinois
C52Steve Waite6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)225 lb (102 kg)JrIowa City, Iowa

Coaching Staff:

  • Head Coach: Lute Olson (6th season)
  • Assistant Coaches: Jim Rosborough (6th season), Tony McAndrews (3rd season), Ken Burmeister (1st season)

Game Schedule & Results

Key Matchups and Tournament Run

The 1979-80 season was marked by a strong non-conference performance and a challenging Big Ten schedule, culminating in a memorable NCAA tournament run.

Date Rank# Opponent Result Record High Points High Rebounds High Assists Site
Dec 1, 1979 Northern Illinois W 86–43 1–0 15 Krafcisin 8 Krafcisin 4 Tied Iowa Field House
Dec 3, 1979 Colorado State W 113–66 2–0 19 Krafcisin 9 Krafcisin 9 Arnold Iowa Field House
Dec 6, 1979 No. 20 Northern Iowa W 78–46 3–0 21 Lester 8 Boyle 7 Hansen Iowa Field House
Dec 8, 1979 No. 20 at Detroit W 80–54 4–0 26 Lester 15 Waite 3 Tied Calihan Hall
Dec 11, 1979 No. 17 at Wichita State W 81–62 5–0 23 Lester 9 Arnold 3 Tied Charles Koch Arena
Dec 15, 1979 No. 17 at Iowa State W 67–64 6–0 (1–0) 23 Lester 9 Waite 5 Lester Hilton Coliseum
Dec 21, 1979 No. 13 vs. Mississippi State W 81–62 7–0 18 Arnold 11 Waite 8 Arnold UD Arena
Dec 22, 1979 No. 13 at Dayton W 61–54 8–0 17 Arnold 8 Krafcisin 4 Arnold UD Arena
Dec 29, 1979 No. 11 Drake W 77–66 9–0 20 Brookins 14 Brookins 6 Boyle Iowa Field House
Jan 3, 1980 No. 10 at Illinois W 72–71 10–0 (1–0) 21 Boyle 7 Tied 4 Boyle Assembly Hall
Jan 5, 1980 No. 10 at Michigan L 65–68 10–1 (1–1) 25 Brookins 6 Krafcisin 3 Tied Crisler Arena
Jan 10, 1980 No. 12 Ohio State L 71–77 10–2 (1–2) 14 Tied 12 Tied 6 Boyle Iowa Field House
Jan 12, 1980 No. 12 Wisconsin W 66–65 11–2 (2–2) 15 Krafcisin 9 Krafcisin 4 Tied Iowa Field House
Jan 17, 1980 No. 13 at Indiana L 69–81 11–3 (2–3) 16 Krafcisin 10 Krafcisin 5 Tied Assembly Hall
Jan 19, 1980 No. 13 at Michigan State L 67–75 11–4 (2–4) 16 Tied 10 Krafcisin 6 Arnold Jenison Fieldhouse
Jan 24, 1980 Northwestern W 86–64 12–4 (3–4) 24 Boyle 10 Krafcisin 7 Arnold Iowa Field House
Jan 26, 1980 Minnesota W 80–73 13–4 (4–4) 27 Arnold 10 Waite 7 Boyle Iowa Field House
Jan 31, 1980 at Purdue L 56–70 13–5 (4–5) 17 Krafcisin 10 Krafcisin 3 Hansen Mackey Arena
Feb 2, 1980 at Minnesota W 73–63 14–5 (5–5) 19 Arnold 9 Krafcisin 4 Arnold Williams Arena
Feb 7, 1980 Michigan State W 44–39 OT 15–5 (6–5) 20 Krafcisin 6 Waite 6 Arnold Iowa Field House
Feb 9, 1980 Purdue W 74–59 16–5 (7–5) 20 Arnold 12 Boyle 6 Arnold Iowa Field House
Feb 14, 1980 No. 20 Indiana L 55–66 16–6 (7–6) 13 Hansen 8 Tied 7 Arnold Iowa Field House
Feb 16, 1980 No. 20 at Northwestern W 60–58 17–6 (8–6) 15 Boyle 8 Krafcisin 4 Arnold Welsh–Ryan Arena
Feb 21, 1980 No. 12 at Wisconsin L 58–62 17–7 (8–7) 23 Krafcisin 5 Krafcisin 5 Boyle Wisconsin Field House
Feb 23, 1980 at Ohio State L 69–70 17–8 (8–8) 20 Krafcisin 11 Waite 6 Hansen St. John Arena
Feb 28, 1980 Michigan W 83–67 18–8 (9–8) 23 Krafcisin 9 Krafcisin 8 Arnold Iowa Field House
Mar 1, 1980 Illinois W 75–71 19–8 (10–8) 15 Lester 11 Boyle 5 Tied Iowa Field House
NCAA Tournament
Mar 6, 1980 (5 E) vs. VCU W 86–72 20–8 23 Arnold 10 Waite 8 Lester Greensboro Coliseum
Mar 8, 1980 (5 E) vs. NC State W 77–64 21–8 18 Arnold 7 Boyle 4 Lester Greensboro Coliseum
Mar 14, 1980 (5 E) vs. Syracuse W 88–77 22–8 21 Brookins 5 Tied 7 Lester The Spectrum
Mar 16, 1980 (5 E) vs. Georgetown W 81–80 23–8 22 Brookins 4 Tied 9 Lester The Spectrum
Mar 22, 1980 (5 E) vs. Louisville L 72–80 23–9 20 Arnold 7 Boyle 5 Tied Market Square Arena
Mar 24, 1980 (5 E) vs. Purdue L 58–75 23–10 19 Arnold 7 Tied 3 Tied Market Square Arena

# Rankings from AP Poll. All times Central Time.

National Rankings

Consistent Presence

The 1979-80 Iowa Hawkeyes consistently featured in the national polls, demonstrating their elite status throughout the season. Their highest ranking was No. 3 in the Associated Press (AP) poll, reflecting their strong performance and national recognition.

The team's journey through the NCAA tournament, including their victories in the East Region, further solidified their position among the nation's top teams.

NBA Draft Prospects

Ronnie Lester Selected

The talent on the 1979-80 Hawkeyes roster was recognized at the professional level. Guard Ronnie Lester, a key player and the team's MVP, was selected in the 1980 NBA Draft.

Round Pick Player NBA Club
1 10 Ronnie Lester Portland Trail Blazers

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the 1979–80 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team Wikipedia page

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Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not professional sports analysis or advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for consulting official team histories, sports analytics, or seeking advice from qualified sports historians or analysts. Always refer to primary sources and official team documentation for definitive information.

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