Iowa update at Atlantis

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- In a battle of aggressive defenses, No. 23 Iowa took apart Villanova early in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game.

The Hawkeyes (7-0) scored 16 points off 12 Villanova (6-0) turnovers to take a 42-33 halftime lead. The Wildcats, conversely, failed to score on Iowa's six turnovers.

It was a complete first-half performance for the Hawkeyes, who are striving to win their first holiday tournament since the 1987 Maui Invitational. Villanova took a 10-4 lead less than four minutes into the game, but Iowa worked itself into the game with its defense.

With the team trailing 12-7, Anthony Clemmons drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to cut the deficit to two points. Gabe Olaseni then scored inside to tie the game up. Then it was off to the races.

Clemmons scored on a layup and was fouled. He converted the free throw to give the Hawkeyes their first lead at 15-14. Zach McCabe crushed a 3-pointer three possessions later. Jarrod Uthoff immediately followed with a blocked 3-point attempt from Dylan Ennis and was intentionally fouled at the basket. He sank both free throws to put Iowa up six.

Iowa freshman Peter Jok knocked down a 3-pointer to boost Iowa's lead to 23-14. After a Villanova 3-pointer from James Bell, Iowa guard Mike Gesell countered with a 3-pointer.

Center Adam Woodbury then scored five straight points, first on a terrific inside pass from Devyn Marble, then when he was fouled going to the basket. He scored on the play and hit the free throw to put Iowa up 31-17. It capped off a 24-5 spanning nearly seven minutes.

In a four-possession span, Iowa blocked three shots. Olaseni stood his ground on a two-on-one fast break and blasted a Ennis layup attempt. Olaseni added another block and Uthoff blocked two shots, including Ennis' 3-point attempt.

Kansas won the third-place game, 67-63, against UTEP. Perry Ellis led the No. 2 Jayhawks with 19 points and seven rebounds. Villanova upset Kansas 63-59 late Friday night on a 3-pointer from Ryan Archidiacono. Tennessee finished fifth, while USC placed seventh.

By competing in the tournament title game, Iowa picked up $200,000 in extra revenue for its athletic scholarship fund, according to documents provided by Iowa officials to The Gazette.