Good is more than good enough for Hawkeyes vs. IU

On National Girls and Women in Sports Day, this was Women against Girls.

No. 16 Iowa held Indiana to 26-percent shooting and drubbed the Hoosiers, 71-51,  in a Big Ten women's basketball game in front of 6,596 Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

No, the Hawkeyes (15-4 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) didn't play their “A” game. But their “B-minus” game was more than good enough again an IU team that made just 14 of 55 shots from the floor.

“It was a game in which it was hard to get into a flow,” said Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder. “We had too many turnovers and a lot of fouls.

“But it's a win, and we did some nice things defensively.”

Particularly the job Kachine Alexander did on Indiana's Jori Davis, who entered the game averaging 18.4 points per game. Alexander held her to 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting from the field. Davis committed six turnovers.

“(Davis has) got an awkward shot, but she's very strong,” Alexander said. “I knew I had to be right on her as much as possible.”

Iowa grabbed the lead 20 seconds into the game - Kelly Krei drained a 3-pointer - and maintained the advantage the whole way. Jaime Printy's 3-pointer at the 14-minute mark of the first half made it 16-6, and the Hawkeyes led by double-figures virtually the rest of the way.

Indiana (10-8, 2-4) made a mild push early in the second half, scoring eight straight points to creep within 45-36. But Printy hit a 3-pointer and two free throws to restore order.

Printy, a sophomore from Marion, led all scorers with 18 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds as Iowa enjoyed a 51-34 advantage on the glass.

Alexander registered the 29th double-double of her career, collecting 14 points and 10 rebounds. Morgan Johnson was saddled with foul trouble and inaccurate shooting (2-of-9), but still managed nine points and 10 boards.

The Hawkeyes got 17 points from its bench, including five from Jade Rogers, who saw her first action since Dec. 9.

Rogers, a freshman who prepped at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, was in the rotation due to Johnson's foul trouble. She made the most of her opportunity, making both of her shots from the field and 1 of 2 from the line in seven minutes of action.

“As soon as I heard my name, it turned into fun after that,” Rogers said.

With Michigan State's loss to Ohio State, the Hawkeyes moved back within 1 1/2 games of the Big Ten lead. They don't play again until next Monday, when they start a critical stretch - at Ohio State (Jan. 24) and at home against Michigan State (Jan. 27).