Iowa-Penn State breakdown

RECORDS

Iowa 20-5, 11-2 Big Ten; Penn State 12-13, 3-9 Big Ten 

TV

5:30 p.m. BTN (Kevin Kugler and Shon Morris)

LOCATION

Bryce Jordan Center (15,261)

LINE

Iowa by 9 (opened at 11 1/2)

SERIES

Iowa leads 28-14; Iowa won previous meeting 73-49 in Iowa City 

PROFILE

Iowa is ranked 4th by AP and 6th by USA Today/Coaches; Penn State is unranked

OFFICIALS

Tom Eades, Mark Whitehead, Rob Kueneman

KEY MATCHUP

Iowa F Jarrod Uthoff vs. Penn State F Brandon Taylor. Once again these top forwards go against each other, and both are tenacious scorers everywhere on the floor. Uthoff ranks second in Big Ten scoring at 18.8 points a game and first in blocks with 74. He's also among the top 15 in rebounds (6.7). Taylor clearly is Penn State's go-to scorer at 16.5 points a game and also grabs a team-best 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals a game. He's second for the Nittany Lions in 3-pointers and assists.

KEY STATISTICS

SCORING/OPP: Iowa 80.3/68.2; PSU 64.9/68.9

FG%/OPP FG%: Iowa 46.2/40.7; PSU 42.7/42.4

3PT%/OPP 3PT%: Iowa 39.4/29.6; PSU 28.9/36.8

FT%: Iowa 71.9: PSU 68.8

LIKELY STARTERS

Iowa: G Mike Gesell (6-2; 8.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.4 rpg); G Anthony Clemmons (6-2; 9.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.6 apg); G Peter Jok (6-6; 15.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg); F Jarrod Uthoff (6-9; 18.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg; 3.0 bpg); C Adam Woodbury (7-1; 8.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

Penn State: G Shep Garner (6-1; 13.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.1 apg); G Payton Banks (6-6; 10.0 ppg; 4.6 rpg); F Brandon Taylor (6-6; 16.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.6 apg); F Julian Moore (6-10; 4.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg); C Jordan Dickerson (7-1; 3-2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg)

KEY RESERVES

Iowa: F Dom Uhl (6-9; 6.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg); F Nicholas Baer (6-7; 4.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg); F Ahmad Wagner (6-5, 2.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg); G Brady Ellingson (6-4; 3.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg);

Penn State: F Donovan Jack (6-9; 3.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg); G Josh Reaves (6-4; 6.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg); G Devin Foster (6-2; 4.2 ppg; 2.8 rpg); F Davis Zemgulis (6-6; 3.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg); G Isaiah Washington (6-3; 2.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg);

WORTH WATCHING

These games at Bryce Jordan Center never are easy for Iowa. Often the arena is half-full, which can lull players to sleep. When you mix the atmosphere with Penn State's physical style of play, it can be a difficult mix for road teams. Penn State proved that two weeks ago when it bounced back from the loss at Iowa to bludgeon then-Big Ten co-leader Indiana at home.

After ending a five-game home win streak by Penn State, the Hawkeyes have won three straight at Bryce Jordan. But all three were difficult. Last year, the Hawkeyes won 81-77 in overtime and they won in the final seconds in 2013. Even two years ago, an 82-70 win, was a tough battle until the end.

BOTTOM LINE/PREDICTION

Penn State ranks last in the Big Ten in both field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage. The Nittany Lions were particularly rough in Iowa City on Feb. 3, when they connected on just 1 of 20 3-point attempts. That's something Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery doesn't see happening again.

'We played good defense but they have good shooters and they had some open looks and it didn't go in,' McCaffery said. 'That's rare. I think it's one of those games for them. ... They're not a team that's going to go 1 for 20 again any time soon. That's just one one of those nights, and you hope you never have them.'

A few more might go in for Penn State in this match-up, especially at home, but unless the Nittany Lions find a way to slow down Uthoff, the result will be the same as their previous meeting.

Prediction: Iowa 74, Penn State 61

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com