[Herky] Hawks still on top

[Sue Bailey]

BIG TEN BASKETBALL: IOWA 73, PENN STATE 49

Hawks still on top

Iowa posts yet another double-digit victory

By Scott Dochterman,The GazetteIOWA CITY - Winning Big Ten games by 
double digits almost has gotten redundant for the Iowa men's basketball 
team this year.

The Hawkeyes (18-4, 9-1 Big Ten) claimed their eighth league game in 
such fashion in a methodical 73-49 win against Penn State last night at 
Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa, which is ranked fifth by the Associated 
Press, dominated the game in every facet. In fact, the performance 
embarrassed Penn State Coach Pat Chambers, who apologized to Iowa 
counterpart Fran McCaffery in a post game handshake.

'We didn't give them much of a game,' said Chambers, whose team fell to 
11-12 overall and 2-8 in Big Ten play.

The game got out of hand almost immediately. Iowa sped to a 14-4 lead 
barely six minutes into the game. Then reserve forward Ahmad Wagner 
emphatically powered the Hawkeyes ahead to stay with a baseline dunk. He 
was fouled from behind by 7-foot-1 center Jordan Dickerson, and 
completed a three-point play.

On Iowa's next possession, Wagner caromed a shot off the glass to put 
the Hawkeyes ahead 19-7. But it was his dunk that left his teammates - 
like senior guard Anthony Clemmons - talking to themselves during the 
ensuing break.

'Finally,' Clemmons said, 'because everybody's been preaching, 'Go up 
and dunkit every time.' He has this unbelievable first step where he can 
get past a guy. He has a quick bounce of getting to the rim, almost like 
howAaron White was. He's so strong with it. To see him do that, it only 
shows flashes of what's to come in the next few years.'Iowa's offense 
soared from there, highlighted with 3-pointers from Dom Uhl, Jarrod 
Uthoff and Nicholas Baer. Uhl capped the half with a power dunk off his 
own miss to push Iowa ahead 45-26 at the break.

Iowa guard Peter Jok (center) goes to the hoop between Penn State's 
Deividas Zemgulis (right) and Julian Moore (left) during the first half 
of their Big Ten Conference game last night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 
Iowa City. Iowa moved to 9-1 in conference play with a 73-49 victory.

Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette


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Illinois next up

Penn State failed to keep up. The Nittany Lions connected on just one of 
20 3-point attempts and missed half of their 12 free throws. While Penn 
State grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, it scored just 13 second chance points.

'You can't play a great team - a top-25 team - and shoot for 1 for 20 
(from 3-point range) or 6 for 12 from the free throw line,' Chambers 
said. 'It's just not possible.' 'I thought right from the outset, our 
defense set the tone,' McCaffery said. 'We got stops. Wegot run-outs and 
kind of established how we want to play. I mean, I'd like to think our 
defense was completely responsible for 1 for 20;  they had a bad night.' 
Iowa center Adam Woodbury grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in 22 
minutes. Forward Jarrod Uthoff, the Big Ten's leading scorer, led the 
Hawkeyes with 14 points. Peter Jok and Clemmons each added 12.

Big Ten co-leaders Iowa and Indiana appear on a natural collision course 
next week for first place in the Big Ten. TheHoosiers set the pace on 
Tuesday with a double digit win at Michigan. Iowa's win knotted their 
league marks at 9-1.

Indiana (19-4) plays at Penn State on Saturday, and Iowa plays at 
Illinois (11-12, 3-7) on Sunday before their showdown in Bloomington on 
Feb. 11. But that's of little consequence to the Iowa players.

'All we're looking for is getting a win at Illinois next week,' Uthoff 
said. 'That's how you have to approach it. If you do it over the course 
of time, we're going to reach our goal.'The Hawkeyes have their best 
22-game start since the 1986-87 squad opened the season 20-2. While the 
players are keeping a narrow approach, the wins are piling up. And so is 
theexcitement.'One of the things Fran talked about in the locker room 
was you're 9-1, don't take this for granted,' Iowa Athletics Director 
Gary Barta said. 'Enjoy this. You worked hard, you played well. Then 
we'll get for the next one. It's exciting.'

•Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman at thegazette.com 
<mailto:scott.dochterman at thegazette.com>

Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery tugs at his collar during the second half of 
their Big Ten Conference game against the Penn State Nittany Lions last 
night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette

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