Just like old times: Hawkeyes maul Wildcats

IOWA CITY - Who doesn't want to see a “first?”

I always try to catch a slice of history whenever it's in my area code. So I hopped in my pre-recall Toyota Wednesday and motored down here to see what might be the first Northwestern men's basketball team to play in an NCAA tournament.

But for one night, the Wildcats looked no more worthy of an NCAA berth than Lawn and Tree University or the State College of Atlantis. Or Iowa.

However, a different “first” was to be witnessed this night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Wasn't this the Hawkeyes' first domination of a Big Ten team in this gym since, well, ever?

No, of course not. There have been dozens of such one-sided wins over league rivals in this formerly well-populated facility. It's just seemed so long since the last one.

That standing ovation the fans gave the Hawkeyes in the final 20 seconds of their 78-65 victory over the Wildcats was certainly fresh.

And how about the response of the players? There weren't many folks left in the stands by game's end (gotta get home, you know), but Jarryd Cole and Aaron Fuller followed their fine performances by going into the crowd to high-five fans.

“That was just them saying thank you,” said Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter. “It's another reason why I like this team. They're selfless and appreciative, and they appreciate the fans that are here.”

Cole had this Twitter post less than an hour after the game:

Col3Train50 Good win tonight over Northwestern. We appreciate the people that came out tonight-hope to see you next Tuesday!

Hey Hawkeye fans, your guys opened a ballgame by grabbing control of it, then never let it get away. There was no white-knuckle finish, no long stretch of tedious misadventures on offense. Just a competent, competitive, winning effort.

This was done against a genuinely decent team, one that has beaten Purdue and Illinois. It was done against a club that came here with a 16-7 record. Outsiders insisted Northwestern had a legitimate chance to finally make that debut in the NCAAs.

If that doesn't represent some sort of progress to you, you don't want any silver linings ripped out of your dark clouds.

None of this is to say the Hawkeyes have turned any corners just yet. Then again, it isn't as if the light bulbs over their heads haven't burned a bit brighter as time has passed this Big Ten season.

Only one of their last eight conference games - the loss at Michigan - has been a genuine dog. No one got overly excited because Iowa didn't get routed at Michigan State or Ohio State, but maybe those really were steps forward.

Fuller and Cole did a lot of good things Wednesday before their postgame interaction with the fans. As

 did Matt Gatens and Devan Bawinkel and Eric May and Cully Payne.

“All of them made what I would say were good basketball plays,” Lickliter said.

“We just got smacked around pretty good,” Northwestern Coach Bill Carmody said.

“They were bad at the beginning of the year. But they've gotten better and better. . . . With young guys who care and work hard, they're going to get better. It's just a matter of time.”

Maybe it is.