Hlas: Hawkeyes' Woody and Sapp are shining seniors

IOWA CITY — The serendipity of it was probably missed by the 12,596 fans in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Adam Woodbury of Sioux City had 10 of his career-high 15 rebounds in the first half of Iowa's 73-49 basketball blowout of Penn State Wednesday night.

Then, twin red-shirt freshmen Landan and Levi Paulsen of Woodbury Central High School in Moville, Iowa, joined 16 of their Hawkeye football teammates in a halftime routine with members of the Iowa dance team. Two weeks of rehearsal went into it, we were told.

Moville is 20 miles east of Sioux City. Woodbury is 7-foot-1. The Paulsens are 6-6, 290 pounds.

'We've had some big kids come through up there,' Woodbury said after the big win. 'Must be something in the water.'

Woodbury has blossomed in the last few weeks. Never before a great rebounder in volume, he had 40 over the previous four games.

'The ball bounced my way a couple times tonight,' Woodbury said, 'and they missed some shots.'

Yes, but Woodbury out-positioned and outfought the outmanned Nittany Lions.

Guard Anthony Clemmons (nicknamed 'Sapp') is right there with Woodbury as seniors whose light bulbs are on and burning brightly.

Clemmons was the best player on the court in the first seven minutes when he racked up 8 points, 4 rebounds and an assist on his way to 12, 6 and 4 in 24 minutes. He played with focus and purpose.

'I'm just getting smarter, picking my spots a lot more,' Clemmons said. 'I'm just attacking.

'I've had a lot more opportunities this year than in previous years. I'm being me and just getting better as time goes.'

The Hawkeyes got a regional cover and five-page spread in the Sports Illustrated issue that arrived in many Iowa mailboxes Wednesday. Senior forward Jarrod Uthoff was a focal point in the story, for obvious reasons.

But Clemmons, like Woodbury and Uthoff, has gone from being a bit of an up-and-down player through much of his career to a senior who has been vital in Iowa being tied for the Big Ten lead at 9-1.

'There's a lot to be said for going through it and getting experience in this league,' Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. 'It's tough to be a young guy in this league. We all know that.

'The fact is that (his seniors) are experienced; they play with a tremendous amount of confidence, and they are good players.'

As for the Paulsens? It's almost one year to the day when Kirk Ferentz got their names on national letters of intent.

They are folk heroes-in-waiting. They have to be. With their long hair, beards, and dark glasses, they are the Hawkeyes' version of the Hanson brothers of 'Slap Shot.' Except they're real. I think.

Video: Iowa football's halftime dance routine

And, one would assume, they aren't practitioners of flat-out assault during games and playing with toy cars in their spare time.

Both played trombone for their high school's jazz band. One did a split during Wednesday night's dance routine.

The Paulsen brothers of Woodbury Central. They're coming, Big Ten. But first, Woodbury County's Adam Woodbury isn't done causing problems for other conference teams.