Hawkeyes alone in second

IOWA CITY — The expected 3-point bonanza didn't happen.

Here's what happened. Balance.

All five starters scored in double figures, and 18th-ranked Iowa was fast out of the gate in each half of a 76-70 victory over Michigan in a Big Ten women's basketball game in front of 3,584 Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

'I love to see all five in double figures,' said Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder. 'We won as a team. We played Iowa basketball again.'

The Hawkeyes (15-3 overall, 6-1 Big Ten) won their fourth straight game and moved into sole possession of second place in the Big Ten, a game behind Maryland.

Michigan (12-6, 4-3) entered the game as the most accurate 3-point shooting team in the league, but the Wolverines shot just 5 of 21 from distance.

'I thought we identified their shooters very well,' Bluder said. 'The kids spend a lot of time on their scouting report, and they identify who their players are.'

The second-best 3-point team in the Big Ten, Iowa was a modest 6 of 18 from long range. But the Hawkeyes succeeded elsewhere, shooting 57 percent from the floor with the help of 25 assists — 11 from Samantha Logic.

'Once you break their press, it leads to transition baskets,' said freshman Whitney Jennings. 'We definitely like it when teams press us.'

Iowa led from start to finish, making its first six shots on its way to a 14-4 lead. The Hawkeyes took their largest margin of the first half at 29-18 when Claire Till scored on a feed from Ally Disterhoft with 5 minutes left in the half.

But Michigan closed on a 14-7 surge, and Iowa led just 36-32 at intermission despite shooting 60 percent from the floor (15 of 25).

The second half was the same story; Iowa sprinted away again, then Michigan tried to play catch-up.

This time, it was a 15-5 run to ignite the Hawkeyes. Ally Disterhoft scored on consecutive layups for a 46-34 lead, then Melissa Dixon drained a 3-pointer and added a basket inside to make it 51-37.

'We got some deflections in our zone, and that enabled us to get some easy baskets,' Logic said.

Iowa's largest advantage was 60-45 on Logic's 3-pointer with 9:45 to go.

Cyesha Goree kept pull the Wolverines closer. She finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Michigan got as close as four points in the waning seconds before Bethany Doolittle clinched it with two free throws with 7 ticks remaining.

The nation's most prolific 3-point shooter, Dixon was 2-for-8 from long range but still led the Hawkeyes with 16 points. Disterhoft added 14, Doolittle and Logic 13 apiece, Jennings 12.

Freshman Katelynn Flaherty came off the bench to add 19 points for Michigan.

The Hawkeyes host Nebraska at 8 p.m. Monday.

IOWA 76, MICHIGAN 70

At Iowa City

MICHIGAN (70): Cyesha Goree 11-14 4-4 26, Siera Thompson 4-13 0-0 10, Shannon Smith 1-8 0-2 2, Nicole Elmblad 3-5 3-4 9, Danielle Williams 1-2 0-0 2, Madison Ristovski 0-0 0-0 0, Katelynn Flaherty 8-18 0-2 19, Jillian Dunston 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 29-62 7-12 70.

IOWA (76): Bethany Doolittle 5-7 3-4 13, Ally Disterhoft 7-14 0-0 14, Whitney Jennings 5-10 0-0 12, Melissa Dixon 6-13 2-3 16, Samantha Logic 5-7 1-2 13, Alexa Kastanek 0-0 0-0 0, Claire Till 2-2 0-0 4, Chase Coley 0-0 0-0 0, Christina Buttenham 1-1 0-0 2, Kali Peschel 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 32-56 6-9 76.

Halftime: Iowa 36, Michigan 32. 3-point goals: Michigan 5-21 (Thompson 2-9, Smith 0-1, Williams 0-1, Flaherty 3-10), Iowa 6-18 (Disterhoft 0-3, Jennings 2-5, Dixon 2-8, Logic 2-2). Team fouls: Michigan 14, Iowa 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Michigan 37 (Goree 13), Iowa 25 (Logic 7). Assists: Michigan 16 (four with 3), Iowa 25 (Logic 11). Steals: Michigan 5 (Smith 3), Iowa 3 (Doolittle 2). Turnovers: Michigan 15, Iowa 13.

Attendance: 3,584.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com