Devyn Marble wants more than NIT in Iowa career

NEW YORK - Devyn Marble's profile has soared along with his NIT performance.

Iowa's junior guard has averaged 24.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.5 steals in the Hawkeyes' four NIT wins. He also has taken care of the ball, allowing just 1.8 turnovers in 34.5 minutes a game.

Although he's got the size (6-foot-7) and the skills to merit strong NBA consideration this summer, Marble won't entertain those thoughts as the Hawkeyes prepare for the NIT championship tonight against Baylor.

"I'll be back," Marble said. "I've got a lot of things that I want to do as far as playing in the NCAA tournament. That's something growing up I've always dreamed of being able to do. That's the main key ingredient right there.

"We have a really good team coming back so a Big Ten championship isn't that far out of grasp. There's a lot of things that I can still accomplish here that would be wonderful, for me and the program."

Marble has zoomed up the Iowa scoring chart ranking 28th with 1,128 career points. He topped 1,000 in the Hawkeyes' regular-season finale against Nebraska. If Marble scores 17 points tonight, he'll tie Bobby Hansen and Kevin Kunnert for 26th.

Marble and his father, Roy Marble, are the only tandem in Big Ten history to each score more than 1,000 career points. Roy Marble is Iowa's all-time scoring leader with 2,116 points. If Devyn Marble matches his junior season totals thus far, he'll score 1,776 for his career, three points shy of Acie Earl in second place.

FULL SUPPORT

Marble and fellow Iowa junior Melsahn Basabe had a cheering section of former Iowa football players on Tuesday. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and current Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Marvin McNutt were courtside Tuesday night and both received shoutouts from their friends on Twitter after the game. Marble remains tight with Johnson-Koulianos.

"When I got here those were guys that were helping me out," Marble said. "If they saw me out in the cold walking to class, they'd give me a ride. Those guys I've grown accustomed to being around. The work ethic they had when they were playing here, they were playing football, guys like them and (Tyler) Sash. They related to me as a freshman. So when guys like that come back and support you, you've got to show your love.

"Those guys keep in touch with me and watch the games and give me encouragement."

STAND AND DELIVER

Iowa freshman Adam Woodbury faces another tough test tonight against Baylor's Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson. Austin stands 7-foot-1 and averaged 13.0 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as a freshman. Jefferson, a junior, put up 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds a game for the Bears this year.

"I still have one game left against a very talented player, Woodbury said. "I'm just taking one game at a time and try to improve myself and make the other's job as hard as possible."

Woodbury, who stands 7-1, notched career highs in minutes in consecutive games against Virginia (26) and Maryland (29). He scored nine points head-to-head against likely NBA draft pick Alex Len of Maryland. Len scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds.

"He's got an all-around game with a complete skill set, and he's projected lottery pick for a reason," Woodbury said. "I thought I held my own, I thought, and I felt I made it tough when he got the ball. I thought I made him earn everything he got."

Iowa will need help from more than just Woodbury in the post against Baylor. The Hawkeyes will rely on Gabe Olaseni, Melsahn Basabe and Zach McCabe to disrupt shots and grab rebounds.

"They've got so many different weapons and their length ...," Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. "So whether they're playing man or whether they're playing zone, they're always contesting. They're hard to finish against the rim. They're physical and they have a guy who averaged 20 points a game (point guard Pierre Jackson)."

ODDS AND ENDS

• Iowa and Baylor have met only once, a game Iowa won 67-44 in 1983.
• Should Iowa win tonight, it not only would give the school its first NIT title, it would earn Iowa's 26th victory this season. Only in 1986-87 (30 wins) did the program win more games in a season.
• Aaron White and Adam Woodbury each have started 37 games, tying for the single-season high in Iowa history. Both are expected to start tonight.
• ESPN will carry the game with a tip time of 8:05 p.m. Bob Wischusen will handle the play-by-play. Bill Raftery and Bob Knight will provide color.
• The schools have two common opponents this year. Baylor lost 74-70 to Northwestern in December, and dropped both games against Iowa State. The Hawkeyes beat Northwestern three times this year and topped Iowa State in the teams' annual rivalry game.
• Iowa coach Fran McCaffery will collect a $50,000 bonus if the Hawkeyes win the NIT championship.