By Brendan Stiles
brendan-stiles@uiowa.edu
After a week away from the hardwood, the Iowa men’s basketball team picked up a much-needed win on Saturday, defeating Drake, 71-67, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The victory improves the Hawkeyes to 4-7 on the season, and keeps Iowa from being swept by the three in-state schools after losing road games to Northern Iowa and Iowa State last week.
“We’re getting better every day, and I think tonight really showed it, and I think it really paid off all the hard work we’ve put in this past week,” sophomore Anthony Tucker said.
Leading the way for the Hawkeyes on Saturday was sophomore Matt Gatens. For the second straight contest, the Iowa City native played all 40 minutes and finished with a team-high 18 points, along with nine rebounds and five assists.
Gatens’ performance comes after finishing with a combined 38 points in the Hawkeyes’ previous two outings against the Panthers and Cyclones.
“He has made a real concerted effort to concentrate on things that may not go into the stat line, things that, technique-wise, are vital,” said Iowa head coach Todd Lickliter, who returned to the bench Saturday for the first time after recovering from an operation on his carotid artery. “I’m really pleased that he has embraced the areas and the techniques that we think are very vital to playing good basketball.”
Joining him in double-figures was Tucker, who shot 5-of-11 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points, and freshman Eric May, who came off the bench on Saturday and scored 13 points, including seven from the free-throw line.
Early on, Drake seemed in control, as the Bulldogs nailed down nine 3-pointers in the first half, and shooting 11-of-25 overall during the game’s first 20 minutes.
Trailing 32-31 at halftime, the Hawkeyes knew if they were going to come out with a win, they would need to clamp down on Drake’s 3-point shooting. Iowa did just that, as the Bulldogs only shot 2-for-11 from beyond the arc in the second half.
Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes responded in the second half by shooting 12-of-25 from the field and getting trips to the free-throw line.
“We kind of picked up our pressure defensively and kind of stood our ground,” freshman Cully Payne said. “Offensively, we were moving the ball real well, getting to the lane, and getting good shots.”
Although he only finished with four points and four rebounds on the evening, sophomore Aaron Fuller was one Hawkeye player head coach Todd Lickliter credited with having a big presence for Iowa. Fuller, who has been dealing with an ankle injury dating back to the Hawkeyes’ Nov. 20 contest against Bowling Green, managed to play 22 minutes against Drake.
This would prove critical, considering junior Jarryd Cole ended up fouling out of the game after coming away with eight points and six rebounds.
“I think he’s finally starting to come back around,” Lickliter said of Fuller.
The Hawkeyes will have a quick turnaround, as they host South Carolina State on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:35 p.m., from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Monday’s game will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
