The University of Iowa men's basketball team is set to honor the 1986-87 Hawkeyes when it entertains Penn State on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It will be a special afternoon inside the arena that housed the 86-87 team, as the current Hawkeyes will done special throwback jerseys from the mid-80's in honor of "Letterman's Day".
"It is pretty sweet," said senior guard Matt Gatens. "It is fun for the fans and fun for us to wear the uniforms. It will be cool for the alumni coming back. It will be a fun atmosphere and a fun time for everybody."
"I like them a lot," said sophomore guard Roy Devyn Marble, whose father Roy wore the jersey during his freshman season at Iowa. "The jerseys are real cool; a little different now than when you would see them on camera when my dad used to play."
Former UI head coach Tom Davis and a majority of players and staff from the 1987 team will reunite in Iowa City.
That team, which was the top-ranked team in the country for a number of weeks during the season, set the program's single-season record for wins (30) and was one game from the earning the program's fourth Final Four appearance.
The contest against the Nittany Lions will mark the first game back for Davis since he retired from coaching. Davis is the winningest coach in UI basketball history.
"It will be a great experience," said Gatens. "With coach Davis coming back, he is a guy I have always looked up to growing up. It will be great having him back. Former guys you have always heard about, whether it is Roy Marble, or (Ed) Horton, it will be a great time having those guys in attendance and be able to wear these uniforms and dedicate it to them."
"It means a lot to me to be able to share this experience with my dad and his teammates," said Marble. "When I have watched Hawkeye hoops, I really got an understanding of how they played and how Tom Davis coached. It will be a great experience."
Perhaps the biggest question for the current squad -- how long are the shorts?
"Everyone has been asking me about that, 'Are you guys wearing the short shorts?'," said Gatens. "The tops aren't as tight and the bottoms may be a little tighter, may be a little different, but we will get use to them in practice and be ready to wear them. It will be good to have something close to what we are used to but still have that throwback feel."
"They are a little shorter than I tend to like my shorts, but it is all fun," said Marble.
Short shorts or not, Gatens and Marble are hoping for a sold out Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
"It would be awesome," said Gatens. "When Carver is packed, it is one of the toughest places to play. On a great day like this, with former guys coming back and honoring a former team, it will be a great atmosphere and a real special day."
"It would be an excellent feeling for both our team and my dad's team to have that kind of outcome," said Marble. "Hopefully Hawk fans come out and support us and pack the house."
In addition to autographs, meeting the team and throwback jerseys, there will be a commemorative program and an 80's theme throughout the day.
Tickets are available for this special day by contacting the UI Ticket Office or by visiting Hawkeyesports.com. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youths.
