Fun Facts: North Dakota State-Iowa

North Dakota State is an unusual out-of-state nonconference home opponent for Iowa in one regard: It was very good last season.

When you win 26 games and an NCAA tournament contest over Oklahoma last season, you shouldn't need a long introduction. But you do need some Fun Facts, so here they are:

1. North Dakota State is shooting a woeful 27.6 percent from the field this year. Of course, that was just one game, and it was an 85-50 loss to Texas Friday. The Bison chucked 29 three-pointers and made just seven. They were an icy 9-of-17 from the foul line. They got outrebounded by the Longhorns, 51-32. Iowa plays Texas Thursday in New York.

2. Iowa is 0-1 all-time against North Dakota State. They met in 1933 in Iowa City, and NDSU was a 21-17 winner. That Iowa team proceeded to go 8-4 in the Big Ten.

3. All won't be lost for North Dakota State if (when) it falls to the Hawkeyes. It started last season 0-2 after falling to St. Mary's and Southern Mississippi.

4. Iowa's first two opponents, Hampton and North Dakota State, form half the field for the Bison's tournament in Fargo this Friday-Saturday. The other two teams are Alcorn State and Kennesaw State. The three guests, from Virginia, Mississippi and Georgia, will travel a total of 4,126 miles to get to Fargo.

5. North Dakota State is in the Summit League, which also has schools in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota. It's kind of far-flung. Of course, the Big Ten is in Maryland, New Jersey, Nebraska ...

6. The Bison have won an NCAA tourney game 13 years more recently than Iowa.

7. NDSU has an assistant coach named Freddy Coleman. ESPN Radio has an on-air host named Freddie Coleman.

8. The Bison have just two players from North Dakota. But they have five from Wisconsin.

9. The television series 'Fargo' was picked up for a second season by FX. Billy Bob Thornton will not return. His sinister character, hit man Lorne Malvo, came to an ending almost as unpleasant as the many he gave to others.