Dec. 5, 2003
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Lisa Bluder called it the “will to win.”
Jamie Cavey called it “huge.”
However, you describe it, Iowa’s 65-62 victory at Marquette Friday could be — when looked at next March — that turning point in a season, a victory that put the Hawkeyes squarely on the fork in the road that led to success.
It was hard. It was gritty. It was away from home. It was, indeed, a big win.
Cavey, Iowa’s point leader with 15, scored the game’s final five points — a layup with 57 seconds remaining to tie the game at 62-all and three free throws to give the Hawkeyes’ their fourth victory in five games against the Golden Eagles.
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“I am extremely proud of the women on this basketball team. The will to win was incredible and our defensive intensity was tenacious. It wasn’t a pretty win, but we’ll take it.”
Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder
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Iowa trailed by as many as 10 in the first half, led by as many as four in the second stanza only to fall behind again by 10 before outscoring the home team 16-3 in the final 3:58.
“I am extremely proud of the women on this basketball team,” said Bluder. “The will to win was incredible and our defensive intensity was tenacious. It wasn’t a pretty win, but we’ll take it.
“We knew it was going to be a tought game because Marquette is a great team,” she added. “We wanted to get the ball inside to Jennie (Lillis) or Jamie down the stretch because good things happen when we get the ball to our post players.”
Iowa’s tallied 28 points inside the paint and 12 on second-chance efforts.
“This was a huge win for us expecially after coming off the tough loss at Iowa State only two days ago. I think this win gives us more confidence,” said Cavey.
Lillis scored 13 points and Kristi Faulkner 12 for Iowa. Johanna Solverson pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
The Hawkeyes play at Northern Iowa on Monday before returning to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday (Dec. 12) for a date with nationally ranked Kansas State.