Tag: Ahron Ulis

Nebraska basketball player accused of placing sports bets while at Iowa

A Nebraska basketball player has been named as a participant in illegal sports betting during his time at the University of Iowa.

A Nebraska basketball player has been named as a participant in illegal sports betting during his time at the University of Iowa. Transfer guard Ahron Ulis is accused of making 1,850 wagers totaling $34,800 on FanDuel, including bets on NCAA basketball and football.

The Cedar Rapid Gazette was the first to break the news regarding the Husker point guard. It has also been reported that the transfer also placed at least one bet on an Iowa sporting event.

While sports betting itself is not illegal in the state of Iowa, you must be over the age of 21 to place a bet. Ulis is accused of placing at least 740 wagers while under the legal age.

Ulis is facing the potential permanent loss of collegiate eligibility. Find a photo gallery of Ahron Ulis’ playing career below.

Trio of former, current Iowa Hawkeyes charged with tampering with records

As the sports gambling investigation continues, a trio of former and current Hawkeyes have been charged with tampering with records.

A trio of former and current Iowa Hawkeyes have been handed criminal charges of tampering with records in relation to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into sports gambling.

That trio includes Iowa football’s backup kicker, Aaron Blom, former Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen and former Iowa men’s basketball player Ahron Ulis.

Per Brandon Hurley’s report for Hawk Central, Blom was charged with hiding his identity by using his mother’s name to set up an account with DraftKings. Hurley reports that Blom admitted to DCI agents that he placed underage online wagers using his mother’s account. Court documents confirm his mom knowingly consented to Blom’s use of her name and information.

According to the criminal complaint, Blom is accused of making 170 mobile wagers totaling more than $4,400 from Jan. 28, 2021, to Feb. 22, 2022. The court documents allege that Blom wagered on an estimated eight University of Iowa sporting events, including the 2021 Iowa vs. Iowa State football game.

Per Hurley’s report, former Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen is accused of using a DraftKings account to place a total of 559 underage wagers totaling more than $2,400, including approximately 23 bets on University of Iowa sporting events.

Lastly, former Iowa basketball guard Ahron Ulis is accused of using a FanDuel account registered in his older brother’s name, Anton Porter, to place bets. According to Tyler Tachman’s report for Hawk Central, Ulis allegedly made approximately 1,850 mobile/online sports wagers totaling $34,800. According to court documents, at least one wager was allegedly placed on a University of Iowa sporting event and 430 wagers were placed on NCAA sanctioned basketball and football games.

Tampering with records is an aggravated misdemeanor under the Iowa Legislature. If convicted, an aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to two years prison time and carries a fine of at least $855 to a maximum fine of $8,540.

Beyond the potential legal ramifications, the NCAA’s amended reinstatement guidelines for all sports wagering-related violations means that the trio would  potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility.

In its updated guidelines for all sports wagering-related violations on or after May 2, here’s the applicable language from the Division I Legislative Committee:

Student-athletes who engage in activities to influence the outcomes of their own games or knowingly provide information to individuals involved in sports betting activities will potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports. This would also apply to student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools. – Division I Legislative Committee.

Blom began last season as Iowa’s top kicker, but he was replaced in favor of Drew Stevens following the Iowa State game. Christensen started six games for the Hawkeye baseball team and made 11 overall appearances. He batted .214 with a pair of RBIs. Lastly, Ulis averaged 6.1 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game last season for the Hawkeyes’ men’s basketball team before transferring to Nebraska.

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Huskers win first game of Spain trip

Nebraska Basketball won the first game of its international trip on Monday.

Nebraska Basketball won the first game of its international trip on Monday. The Cornhuskers defeated the Madrid All-Stars in overtime on Monday evening by a score of 89-84.

Brice Williams led all scorers with 28 points on 10 of 14 shooting. C.J. Wilcher added 18 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.

According to the Nebraska athletic department, NCAA programs can take a foreign trip once every four years. Nebraska’s last offseason trip was to Italy in the summer of 2019.

While speaking to reporters on a Zoom call after the game, head coach Fred Hoiberg says that point guard Ahron Ulis will not play during the trip. 247Sports reports that the school is investigating a situation involving the Iowa transfer.

“We’re gathering information on a situation that Ahron is dealing with and right now that’s all I can say about that matter.”

Nebraska will take the court next when they travel to Valencia on Wednesday. A photo gallery of Ahron Ulis’ Iowa career can be found below.

Basketball coach Fred Hoiberg talks about Iowa transfer

It was back in May that we reported on a former Iowa Hawkeye point guard transferring to Nebraska.

It was back in May that we reported on a former Iowa Hawkeye point guard transferring to Nebraska. Ahron Ulis is a 6-3 190 junior from Chicago, Illinois.

During the 2022-23 season, Ulis averaged 6.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Head basketball coach Fred Hoiberg tells Huskers.com that he’s excited to see Ahron contribute to the Cornhuskers this season.

“Ahron is a player we’ve gotten to know well having faced him five times over the last three seasons. Ahron brings a lot of valuable Big Ten experience to our program. He possesses a very competitive defensive mindset, while offensively he is a talented ball handler and playmaker who is good in transition.”

In 84 career games, he’s averaged 4.0, 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Find a photo gallery of his Iowa career below.

Ahron Ulis reportedly transferring to Nebraska Cornhuskers

On3 reported today that former Iowa Hawkeyes guard Ahron Ulis announced his intention to transfer to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Former Iowa Hawkeyes guard Ahron Ulis has his landing spot. It’s a familiar one for Iowa fans, too.

After visiting the Nebraska Cornhuskers over the weekend, Ulis told On3 that Lincoln, Neb., is his next destination.

Ulis started 27 of 32 games for the Hawkeyes this past season as Iowa finished with a 19-14 (11-9 Big Ten) record and advanced to the program’s fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament. The 6-foot-3, 190 pound guard from Chicago, Ill., averaged 6.1 points, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game this season. Ulis shot 39.6% from the floor and 31.9% from 3-point range.

Ulis’ 6.1 points and 22.5 minutes per game during the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season were both career highs. He had five double-figure scoring games, including a stretch of three straight in late January at Ohio State, at Michigan State and versus Rutgers. Ulis finished with 84 career games played during his Hawkeye career.

Ulis and former Hawkeye center Josh Ogundele notified head coach Fran McCaffery and shared their intentions to enter the NCAA transfer portal on March 22.

“I want to thank the Iowa coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to play college basketball at this level and become a Big Ten champion. I also would like to thank my teammates and fans for embracing and supporting me over the past three years. I have built lifelong relationships and brotherhoods during my time as a Hawkeye. With that being said, I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal and begin my next journey as a student-athlete,” Ulis said then.

Ogundele also announced his transfer commitment to Middle Tennessee State today via Instagram.

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Ogundele saw action in 38 games at Iowa. The London native totaled 21 points, 19 rebounds, four blocks, six assists and six steals in 11 games as a junior.

“We are all appreciative of Ahron and Josh’s contributions to our program the past three years. Both were good teammates on three NCAA Tournament teams and helped us win a Big Ten championship. Both Ahron and Josh have bright futures. My staff and I will assist both players during this transition,” Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said of the pair’s decision to enter the transfer portal on March 22.

As Iowa gears up to try and track down a fifth straight NCAA Tournament bid in the 2023-24 men’s basketball season, it will do so with several key faces moving on.

In addition to Ulis and Ogundele, star forward Kris Murray declared for the 2023 NBA draft where he’s expected to be a first-round selection. Plus, forward Filip Rebraca and guard Connor McCaffery exhausted their respective eligibilities.

The Hawkeyes added Valparaiso transfer Ben Krikke to go along with its 2023 signing class. The 6-foot-9, 220 pound big led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game. He was even better than that mark in league play, scoring on average 21.0 points per game.

Iowa’s 2023 signing class is comprised of forward Pryce Sandfort, forward Ladji Dembele, forward Owen Freeman and guard Brock Harding.

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Former Iowa Hawkeyes guard visiting Big Ten rival

Ahron Ulis announced he would be entering the transfer portal on March 22. Now, the former Iowa Hawkeyes guard is visiting a Big Ten rival.

Former Iowa Hawkeyes guard Ahron Ulis announced on March 22 that he would be entering the NCAA’s transfer portal.

“I want to thank the Iowa coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to play college basketball at this level and become a Big Ten champion,” Ulis said at the time. “I also would like to thank my teammates and fans for embracing and supporting me over the past three years. I have built lifelong relationships and brotherhoods during my time as a Hawkeye. With that being said, I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal and begin my next journey as a student-athlete.”

Center Josh Ogundele revealed his decision to transfer as well. Back in March, Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery thanked the pair for their time in Iowa City.

“We are all appreciative of Ahron and Josh’s contributions to our program the past three years. Both were good teammates on three NCAA Tournament teams and helped us win a Big Ten championship. Both Ahron and Josh have bright futures. My staff and I will assist both players during this transition,” McCaffery said.

Now, it looks like Ulis has a potential landing spot in mind. It’s a Big Ten rival, too. Brian Christopherson of Husker 247 broke the news this morning that Ulis is visiting the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

While Ulis may be suiting up for an Iowa rival next season, the Hawkeyes haven’t been quiet in their own right this offseason. Below is a look at Ulis’ time with the Hawkeyes and who Iowa has brought in via the transfer portal and 2023 signing class.

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Pair of Iowa Hawkeyes hit the NCAA transfer portal

Iowa Hawkeyes Ahron Ulis and Josh Ogundele announced their departure to the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday.

The first big moves of the Iowa basketball offseason have occurred. On Wednesday, Iowa guard Ahron Ulis and center Josh Ogundele announced their intention to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

A junior, Ulis started 27 games for the Hawkeyes this season, averaging 22.6 minutes per game. He finished the season with 6.1 points per game and a little over two assists per game. Ulis’ season-high 17 points came in a loss at Michigan State on Jan. 26.

Ulis announced his decision on Twitter Wednesday, thanking the Iowa coaching staff for the opportunity. He thanked the fans and his teammates for their support over the past three years as well.

Big man Josh Ogundele is also on the move. It’s his second time entering his name into the portal. Ogundele played sparingly over his three seasons in Iowa City, appearing in 38 games but making zero starts. He averaged 6.5 minutes per game this season after a knee injury at the end of December seriously derailed his momentum.

Ogundele also announced his decision on Twitter, thanking his coaching staff, fans, and teammates at Iowa.

For the Hawkeyes, Ulis’ departure opens up some more minutes at guard. While he started a lot of games, down the stretch Tony Perkins and Payton Sandfort would outearn him in minutes. Dasonte Bowen is a candidate to receive more playing time next year, showing some flashes in his limited playing time.

Ogundele will be missed as a fan favorite, but his departure doesn’t really help the dire situation of the Hawkeyes’ frontcourt next year. Starters Filip Rebraca and Connor McCaffery will be graduating, while star Kris Murray is expected to enter the 2023 NBA draft. There are not a whole lot of returning minutes in the front court.

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PHOTOS: Iowa men’s basketball roasts Bethune-Cookman to open 2022-23 season

All five starters finished in double-figure scoring, including Tony Perkins’ game-high 16. Here were the best photos from the season opener.

Iowa wasted no time illustrating promise for the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season. All five Hawkeye starters finished with double-figure scoring, including point guard Tony Perkins who finished with a game-high 16 points on 7-of-9 field goal shooting.

“Tony Perkins has aggressiveness. He has skills. He is shooting the ball outside. He is driving the ball. He always had a pull-up game. He is getting to the rim. We put the ball in his hands a little bit more, so now he has more space, and he is even more effective.

“Five assists and one turnover, that is the thing that impressed me the most. When you put him at the point, you are going to have to give it up, and he does. But he did that from the first day he got here. He said, yeah, he was a scorer, he was a scoring guard, but you can put the ball in his hands. He will just get better,” Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said of Perkins’ performance.

Filip Rebraca also recorded his 20th career double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

“He is aggressive offensively, he is aggressive in his ball-screen defense, he is aggressive in post defense. He is aggressive on the glass and running the floor. He is taking the ball, dribbling it, driving it and finishing the play, posting hard.

“Quite frankly, all the stuff he did when he was at North Dakota. He was dominant. For us he was really good. His role was different. We got to keep him here, and now he has taken charge. That’s what I wanted him to do. It was always in there, and now you’re seeing it,” McCaffery said of Rebraca.

Meanwhile, Kris Murray had 14 points, Payton Sandfort had 13 and Patrick McCaffery finished with 12.

With the win, Iowa begins its season 1-0. The Hawkeyes have now won 12 consecutive season openers, 78 of their last 83 nonconference home games and improved to 92-3 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points during McCaffery’s tenure.

There are plenty of takeaways and Hawkeye social media was certainly delighted to have Iowa basketball back. It was a fun night from inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Take a look back at the season debut that was through these sensational still photos.

Iowa Hawkeyes safely in the 2023 NCAA Tournament in Joe Lunardi’s summer Bracketology

A summer Bracketology? You better believe it, and the Iowa Hawkeyes are safely in the 2023 NCAA Tournament per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.

It’s never too early to start thinking about next year!

While we are nowhere near the start of the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season, it’s still right in season for ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi to start piecing together his March bracket.

In his most recent version of Bracketology, Iowa is in with one of the last four byes of the tournament, landing as the No. 10 seed in the East region. The Hawkeyes’ opening date would be against seventh-seeded Saint Louis with a likely date against No. 2 seed Texas looming after that.

Iowa is one of seven Big Ten teams that Lunardi currently has making the Big Dance. That’s tied for tops nationally of any conference according to Lunardi’s projections, joining the Big 12, Big East and SEC as seven-bid leagues.

In addition to Iowa, Lunardi has No. 7 seed Purdue and No. 8 seed Ohio State in the West region, No. 6 seed Illinois and No. 8 seed Michigan State in the East region and No. 4 seed Indiana and No. 7 seed Michigan in the South region.

For the Hawkeyes, Lunardi is expecting a bit of regression from the past two seasons. Iowa was a No. 2 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and a No. 5 seed last year entering March Madness after winning the Big Ten Tournament title over Purdue, 75-66.

Over the past two seasons, Iowa basketball has lost their star player. Luka Garza was possibly the greatest player in Hawkeyes history, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American. He graduated on to the NBA at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Then, Keegan Murray broke out and was also a consensus first-team All-American. He also probably should have been won the Big Ten Player of the Year last year. Instead, he goes down as Iowa’s highest-ever draft pick, going fourth to the Sacramento Kings in the 2022 NBA draft.

That’s two straight years that Iowa has to replace a historic player. While that’s routine for a team like Duke that rules the top-10 player recruiting list every year, it is a tough task for a team like Iowa. There are a lot of returning pieces coming back, including potential breakout star Kris Murray.

“Well, first of all, I’m really excited for him. First time in his life that he hasn’t played with his brother. He accepted the challenge of coming back,” Head Coach Fran McCaffrey said in a recent interview about the returning Murray. “As I said before, he bet on himself. A lot of guys, if they have a two-way, they take it. He could’ve gone to a two-way if he wanted, but he wanted to come back. He loves his teammates and he wants the responsibility that’s going to be placed on him. And he’s ready for it, he’s worked hard for it and I’m excited for him.”

The Hawkeyes open their 2022-23 season on Nov. 7 at home against SWAC opponent Bethune-Cookman.

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Iowa Hawkeyes freshman point guard Dasonte Bowen looking to help Iowa any way he can in 2022

Freshman point guard Dasonte Bowen shared how he’s adjusting to Iowa basketball and his 2022 expectations.

Freshman point guard Dasonte Bowen spoke with Hawk Central and reporters about his transition to Iowa and Division I basketball. In his initial conversation since touching down in Iowa City, Bowen displayed a very team-first mindset that fits the Hawkeyes culture extremely well.

When prompted with the player who pushes him the most in practice, junior guard Tony Perkins came to mind.

“Tony’s aggressive, I’ll say that. I don’t think anybody pushes me around but Tony’s definitely aggressive,” Bowen said.

It isn’t just Perkins, though. The veteran leaders this offseason have made it a point to get the incoming freshman used to the physical play of Big Ten basketball.

“I think everybody’s got a little edge to them, so I’ll say everyone’s physical, especially with the freshmen trying to get us used to it. Especially when we get into playing these in-conference games for sure, these other hard-nosed schools that like to push you around. So, I think they’re helping us adjust to that really well,” Bowen said.

It is clear early on that the competition to replace longtime starter Jordan Bohannon at the guard position is a fierce one with multiple players pushing each other to get better and earn the spot. For Bowen, it’s all about doing whatever he can to help the team win games.

“Wherever coach needs me at for us to win, that’s what I’m going to play for sure. I compete every day, I show up to get better every day. He (guard Ahron Ulis) does the same, so wherever coach feels is best to have us both at to win, I think we’ll both be fine with,” Bowen said.

The former three-star recruit further illustrated his team-first mindset when talking about misconceptions with his game.

“I say that I’m a ball-dominant point guard. I can score, but I can pass the ball. So, I can do whatever the team needs me to do. I think people misunderstand a lot of scoring guards out there. They think they’re selfish, stuff like that. I feel that I get my teammates involved, but I can score when necessary as well,” Bowen said.

A lot of Iowa’s lineup looks to be pretty set heading into next season. While the Hawkeyes lose Keegan Murray, who was just recently named Most Valuable Player of the NBA 2K23 Summer League, his twin brother Kris figures to take over his spot. Kris Murray tested out the NBA draft waters this summer, but, ultimately, made the decision to return to Iowa. Returning starter at forward Patrick McCaffrey is back as well and should be another key piece.

With a lot of experience in the locker room, Iowa is looking to once again contend for the Big Ten crown and hopefully make it further in the NCAA Tournament this year. There is a hole left at guard with the departure of Bohannon, though, a position many players on the roster can contribute at.

Previously mentioned Tony Perkins started 15 games last year, averaging 7.4 points per game. Sophomore Payton Sandfort is a player many in the industry are expecting to break out next season. Ahron Ulis also averaged around 14 minutes per game last year.

There are a lot of contenders for that starting spot, a lot of players with a solid background of work for Iowa. Bowen has a lot of talent as a scoring guard, and while he may not start year one, he can be a valuable contributor off the bench for Iowa with his team-first mindset. Look out for Bowen in the future, too.

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