Video: PTL highlights, Iowa's Cole takes leadership seriously

Iowa senior Jarryd Cole takes his role as team captain seriously. He admits he's not always a vocal leader, yet he gets his point across to younger players in multiple ways. On Twitter, he posted to incoming freshman Devyn Marble "need to be spendin the day at the #LC ...  You sposed to be there?"

When fans started retweeting Cole's message, he responded, "Ha don't be alarmed."

Cole, who hails from Kansas City, was recruited by Steve Alford, played three seasons for Todd Lickliter and will finish his Hawkeye career for Fran McCaffery. Since Cole signed his letter of intent at Iowa, 11 scholarship players with eligibility have left the team. That's an alarming number in men's basketball where a team fills only 13 scholarships each year.

Tuesday, sophomore post Brennan Cougill was ruled academically ineligible, taking Iowa down to 10 scholarship players for the upcoming season. Cole said there's a lesson involved for younger students when juggling academics with athletics.

"They see clearly it's not a joke," he said. "You have to get your studies in. If you don't get the grades, you don't play. I don't know if they see that as an example or what they're going see it as, but that's what it is. If they don't see it as that, then they're blinding themselves."

It's Cole's rhetoric and leadership that helped him become a team captain as a sophomore and a junior. It likely will put him in that position again this fall.

In league action, Iowa's Matt Gatens scored 34 points in a losing effort. Gatens, a junior guard, appears in the best shape of his career. He's sleeker after shedding about 15 pounds and he's still a physically strong player.

Incoming Iowa freshman Melsahn Basabe matched his career low with 29 points. He averages 33 points and has been a force in every game. I think his game can transition to any style of basketball, and he has a lot of upside.

Incoming Iowa freshman Devyn Marble struggled, shooting 3-of-17 from the floor. Sometimes that happens.

Sophomore Eric May remains Iowa's most explosive player. He scored 22 points but blew up the gym multiple times with electrifying dunks. He also had a nice tip on an inbounds pass late in his game.