Jarrod Uthoff spent two months looking for a new home to play college basketball on a team that likes to run and have fun. As it turned out, it was just down the street in Iowa City.

Uthoff announced Wednesday night that he plans to transfer to the University of Iowa after spending this past year at Wisconsin.

"First off, I think the style of play is going to fit me," said Uthoff, who starred at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. "I think it will allow me freedom to create and do some things. That's what it came down to.

"I'm really excited. Definitely excited."

Uthoff will have to pay his own way at Iowa for the 2012-13 school year because Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan put the Hawkeyes and all the other Big Ten schools on the restricted list when Uthoff decided to leave the Badgers. He could have received a free ride at Iowa State and a number of other schools, but went with his heart and not his pocket book.

"I didn't want money to be a factor in my decision," he said. "I'm going to do that (pay for school) by myself. My family might help me out, but that was a personal decision."

He'll be eligible for a scholarship at Iowa in 2013.

Uthoff, a 6-foot-8 forward, will not be eligible to play for the Hawkeyes this coming season due to NCAA transfer rules that would have applied at any Division I school, but he'll have three years of eligibility beginning in the 2013-14 campaign. He redshirted as a true freshman at Wisconsin this past season and now will have to miss another season of competition.

Uthoff narrowed his search to Iowa and Iowa State. He called ISU Coach Fred Hoiberg with the news that he had selected the arch-rival Hawkeyes.

"He's a great guy. He's proven he's a great coach, so it was hard," said Uthoff.

Ironically, Uthoff could call Hoiberg with the bad news but he couldn't call Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery with the good news because of the restrictions imposed by Wisconsin. "I can't talk to them until I'm actually in classes," he explained.

Asked how McCaffery might get the message, Uthoff laughingly said "I told reporters. By the media."

McCaffery faces similar restrictions. He cannot officially talk about Uthoff until his new player becomes a student at Iowa.

Uthoff decided to leave Wisconsin in early April, saying he was uncomfortable in Ryan's rigid swing offense. His decision to leave the Badgers became a national story when Ryan put all of the Big Ten schools, all of the ACC schools, Iowa State, Marquette and Florida on the restricted list.

That created a national backlash against the Wisconsin coach for his apparent desire to make it difficult for Uthoff to find a new team. Ryan appeared petty and vindictive, while Uthoff was portrayed as a college kid who had become a victim of big-time college athletics.

Uthoff appealed many of the restrictions to Wisconsin officials and partially won his case, but Wisconsin refused to lift the ban on Big Ten schools. That meant Uthoff could not talk to McCaffery or have any official contact with the UI basketball program, but it did not prevent McCaffery from communicating with Uthoff through intermediaries.

Uthoff said the past two months have been interesting, but not particularly stressful.

"I tried not to let it get to me that much," he said. "I didn't really lose sleep over it. I just take it as it goes."

Uthoff visited Creighton, which at the time had all 13 of its scholarships allocated for other players, but Creighton Coach Greg McDermott told Uthoff he could have his son Doug McDermott's scholarship. That would have made Doug McDermott, a first team All-American, a walk-on for his father's team this season.

Uthoff visited Iowa State and contemplated visits to Marquette, Florida and other schools, but narrowed his search to Iowa and Iowa State last week. Hoiberg made a strong pitch for Uthoff two years ago shortly after he became ISU's new head coach and wanted him again this time, but Uthoff turned him down a second time.

McCaffery led the resurgent Hawkeyes to an 18-17 record this past season and an 8-10 mark in the Big Ten. Iowa reached the second round of the NIT and has enjoyed renewed popularity among its fan base with a fast-paced brand of basketball.

Uthoff will be able to practice with the Hawkeyes this season and get comfortable with the program before taking the court in 2013. He'll get to play most of his UI career with Adam Woodbury, the 7-foot center who will be joining Iowa this season as a freshman.

Uthoff enjoyed a late growth spurt in high school and had already developed impressive ballhandling skills by the time he reached 6-foot-8. He also has good range for a big man and can shoot the 3-pointer as well as taking the ball to the basket.

One of Uthoff's teammates at Iowa will be former Cedar Rapids Washington star Josh Oglesby, who saw considerable playing time with the Hawkeyes this past season as a freshman.

Uthoff will get a chance to play against Wisconsin in the coming years when the Hawkeyes and Badgers battle in Big Ten games. He knows he'll be soundly booed when he returns to the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., in an Iowa uniform, but it was not foremost on his mind Wednesday night.

"That's to be determined," he said, laughing. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We'll have to see."