No. 23 Iowa 67, Nebraska 57: Roy Devyn Marble finished with 15 points and eight rebounds as the Hawkeyes downed the Cornhuskers in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Aaron White added 13 points for Iowa (12-2, 1-0 Big Ten), which improved to 7-1 in Iowa City against Nebraska (8-5, 0-1). The Hawkeyes' 18th consecutive home win did not come easy, however, as the Cornhuskers nearly overcame a 20-point, second-half deficit.
Terran Petteway tallied 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds to pace the Cornhuskers, who fell to 0-3 in true road games. Walter Pitchford led three other Nebraska players in double figures with 13 points while grabbing a personal-best 12 boards.
Nebraska fell behind by six early, but scored 13 of the next 14 points to establish a 20-14 advantage with just over nine minutes left in the first half following back-to-back baskets from Deverell Biggs. The Cornhuskers went cold, converting only one more basket before the break as White tallied nine of the Hawkeyes’ last 10 points during a 16-3 surge.
Iowa played furious defense in the second half, holding the Cornhuskers without a field goal for 6 1/2 minutes and eventually building a 55-35 advantage with just over eight minutes left. Nebraska refused to fold, however, using 3-pointers from Petteway to bookend a 20-5 run over the next six-plus minutes to close within five before the Hawkeyes knocked down five free throws to end the threat.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Iowa hit a season-low one 3-pointer, but its fifth-ranked field-goal percentage defense held Nebraska to a season-worst 29.9 percent from the field. … Petteway, who entered as the conference’s seventh-leading scorer, is averaging 21.5 points in his last six games away from home. … The Hawkeyes recorded eight blocks, tied for their second-highest total of the season.
Nebraska | Iowa | |
Terran Petteway 20 | Scoring | Roy Devyn Marble 15 |
Tai Webster 4 | Assists | Mike Gesell 3 |
Terran Petteway 12 | Rebounds | Roy Devyn Marble 8 |
Deverell Biggs 4 | Free Throws Made | Roy Devyn Marble 7 |
Tai Webster 4 | Steals | Mike Gesell 2 |
Terran Petteway 1 | Blocks | Melsahn Basabe 3 |