The upper half
Iowa's six-player basketball recruiting class is ranked in the upper half of the Big Ten by at least one website.
CSTV.com has the Hawkeyes' incoming 2008 class -- the first full class put together by Todd Lickliter and his staff -- ranked as the 34th-best class in the nation and the fifth-best class in the Big Ten.
The website ranks UCLA, Kansas, Ohio State, Memphis and Florida as programs nationally which topped the country in basketball recruiting following the end of the spring signing period last week.
In addition to the Buckeyes' third-rated class, Minnesota (17), Indiana (21) and Michigan State (28) joined the Hawkeyes in the top 40. Iowa State's class ranked 35th.
Lickliter finds a lot to like about this group as well, from the way it fits into Iowa's team-oriented approach to the balance it will bring in terms of numbers to the Hawkeye program. With four freshmen -- guards Matt Gatens, Anthony Tucker and forwards Andrew Brommer and Aaron Fuller -- to go with a pair of versatile junior college transfer wing players, Jermain Davis and Devan Bawinkel, Lickliter appreciates the fact that Iowa will not have any one class with more than four players.
He believes that type of balance will only help with the development of players and provide consistency within the program.
"I'd prefer to never have more than four players from any one class on the team at a given time,'' Lickliter said.
