Team Effort Lifts Hawkeyes Over Iowa State

Stats | Boxscore

Dec. 7, 2012

Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2 | AP Gallery | Photo Gallery 4

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Pick a name and chances are they contributed in the University of Iowa men’s basketball team’s 80-71 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series victory over Iowa State on Friday night with 15,127 fans inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“Top to bottom, every contributed,” said sophomore Aaron White, who led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while serving as the team’s Energizer bunny. “Everybody that came in had an effect on the game.”

Pick a freshman, any freshman.

Point guard Anthony Clemmons scored a career-high 14 points and had eight assists to one turnover going up against fifth-year senior and Michigan State transfer Korie Lucious. Clemmons has 16 assists to one turnover over the last two games.

Center Adam Woodbury scored nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, while pulling in five rebounds in helping the Hawkeyes win the rebounding battle, 37-35. Iowa State entered the game leading the nation in rebounding.

Guard Mike Gesell shook off a rough first half, before scoring nine in the second to finish with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.


1st 2nd Final
Iowa State (6-3) 36 35 71
Iowa (8-2)
35 45 80
? Box Score | Attendance: 15,127
Statistical Leaders
? Aaron White – 18 points, 7 rebounds, 7-13 FG
? Anthony Clemmons – 14 points, 8 assists, 5-8 FG
? Mike Gesell – 11 points, 5 rebounds, 6-6 FT
Stats at a Glance
ISU IOWA
FG Percentage 42.4 46.2
3-Point FG Percentage 32.1 25.0
FT Percentage 70.6 83.3
Total Rebounds 35 37
Points in the Paint 26 36
Points off Turnovers 18 22

“I am thrilled with the freshman,” said UI head coach Fran McCaffery. “But they got a lot of help.”

The list keeps going… sophomore Josh Oglesby hit consecutive 3-pointers in the second half and finished with eight points; junior Melsahn Basabe had eight points in 14 productive minutes, junior Roy Devyn Marble had six points, but assisted in limiting Will Clyburn, Iowa State’s leading scorer, to zero points.

“Usually at this time we are talking about Marble,” said McCaffery. “I thought he was terrific tonight. He played a phenomenal defensive game.”

It was a total team effort for the Hawkeyes as they posted a strong win over a quality Iowa State opponent.

“I grew up in this state and I knew what this rivalry was all about,” said Woodbury. “The crowd was phenomenal. I am hoping for some more wins like this against more ranked teams.”

Iowa shot 46.2 percent from the floor during the game, making 30-of-65 attempts. The Hawkeyes had 21 assists on their 30 makes and forced 19 Iowa State turnovers. The Cyclones shot 34.4 percent (11-of-32) in the second half and 42.4 percent (25-of-59) for the game with nine 3-pointers.

After giving up a 10 point lead late in the first half, the Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with energy, and it led to a 13-3 run to turn a 36-35 deficit into a 48-39 advantage. Woodbury had a pair of hook shot field goals, Gesell’s 3-ball made the score 46-39, and Marble’s jumper made the lead nine with 14:03 left.

Behind 3-pointers by Tyrus McGee and Lucious, the Cyclones cut the deficit to 55-51 with 10:47 remaining, but Zach McCabe answered with a layup and Oglesby with a long ball to push the lead back to nine (60-51) and force an Iowa State timeout.

The Cyclones kept hanging around, cutting the deficit to five twice with around five minutes to play, but Clemmons delivered a dagger when he drained a 3-pointer with 4:44 left to push the lead to 76-68.

“There were times when I thought I could be a little bit more aggressive and not foul,” said Clemmons. “I think I could have stayed in front of Lucious, but there are things I have to learn from and things I am going to learn from.”

The Hawkeyes got off to a strong start, building an 8-0 lead over the first three minutes behind seven points from White. The Cyclones fought back to within three points (16-13) on a Percy Gibson free throw at the 11:17 mark before Iowa followed with an 11-4 run to push its advantage to double digits (27-17).

Basabe’s jumper opened the run before White made a one-handed scoop shot in the lane to make the score 20-13. Following a George Niang layup, White slammed home a dunk off a half-court alley-oop pass from Marble, making the score 22-15. Clemmens’ ended the run with a 3-pointer and a steal and layup to put the Hawkeyes up 10.

With the score 31-21, Iowa State scored 11 straight points to take its first lead of the game at 32-31, and a Chris Babb steal and fast break dunk gave the Cyclones a 36-33 lead. The Hawkeyes converted on an out of bounds play to White with 2.6 seconds left, sending the game into the break with Iowa State holding a 36-36 lead.

Iowa forced 12 first half turnovers, but the Cyclones held a 14-13 advantage in points off turnovers. Iowa State’s bench also outscored the Hawkeyes, 27-6, in the opening 20 minutes.

The Hawkeyes (8-2) return to action Dec. 15, facing Northern Iowa in the Big Four Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.