Turner lights up Iowa men in career effort

COLUMBUS, Ohio - It's Evan Turner's world, and Iowa's men's basketball team just occupied space in it on Sunday.

Turner recorded his 20th career 20-point game and decimated Iowa offensively in every possible way. Turner, a junior, tied a career-high with 32 points to lead the No. 13 Buckeyes past Iowa 68-58 at Value City Arena.

“He can do everything,” said Iowa freshman Eric May, who guarded Turner for most of the game. “You can look at it and say, ‘That's how I want to play the game,' with the skills he has.

“It's tough. He's long and he's athletic and he can shoot and he can drive. You've just got to do your best to stay in front of him.”

Turner also recorded seven rebounds and five assists and grabbed four steals. He had no turnovers while playing the entire game at point guard.

Turner manipulated Iowa's defenders into costly fouls, then had them on their heels on crossover dribbles. He extended his non-dribbling arm like a running back's stiff arm, which forced Iowa's Eric May into his fourth foul. Then, five minutes later with May backing up on defense, Turner slashed past May for an easy basket.

“It's cool to see the ball go through the net,” Turner said. “For a moment you feel unstoppable and kind of feel like you can do almost anything. You're attacking and not being attacked, and that's always good in anything you do.”

May had a stellar offensive game, however, scoring 16 points and hitting four 3-pointers. May's biggest basket came with Iowa trailing by five. May stole a pass at midcourt and raced past Turner toward the basket. When Turner went up to stop him, May dunked the ball in his face.

Iowa (8-16, 2-9 Big Ten) kept pace for much of the first half. Iowa shot 11 of 21 from the floor and trailed by five. Every time the Buckeyes appeared to pull away, Iowa would counter with big baskets. But Iowa shot only 34.6 percent in the second half.

Ohio State (18-6, 8-3) began the second half on a 9-2 run that put the Hawkeyes in a 12-point hole. Iowa twice climbed out to a nine-point deficit, but the Buckeyes countered with scores to extend their lead to double digits.

Iowa sophomore Anthony Tucker, who was suspended from the team Dec. 20 after an alcohol-related arrest, dressed for the game and participated in pre-game warm-ups but did not play.

“He's back,” Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter said. “Just a coach's decision.”

Turner missed six games earlier this season with a broken back. Now that he's played in 75 percent of Ohio State's games, he's officially the Big Ten's leading scorer at 19.6 points, rebounding at 9.3 and seconds in assists at 5.6.

“He's a great team player,” May said. “That's rare for a guy who can score that many points and give that many assists out and that many rebounds. He does everything and he's a tough match-up.”

“I think it's pretty obvious he's as good as anybody in the league,” Lickliter said.