GALLERY: Iowa men scrap, but fall to Michigan in OT

Sometime, sometime very, very soon, scrappy is going to have to pay off for Todd Lickliter and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Hawkeyes faced down a Michigan team that is playing for its NCAA tournament life for 40 full minutes and then some Tuesday night before an announced crowd of 9,485 fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes scrapped back from a 10-point first-half deficit. They took control in the second half, leading by five with 5:32 left. They had a three-point lead when power forward DeShawn Sims toed the 3-point arc with 6.1 seconds left, looking for his 20th 3 of the season.

Yes, it went in. And, yes, scrappy didn't get it done. Again.

Michigan's stars Sims and Manny Harris took charge in the second half, combining for 43 points in an 80-78 overtime victory over an Iowa team that, yes, was scrappy.

Scrappy didn't get it done. And neither did a career night from sophomore forward Aaron Fuller, who scored 30 points to go with 13 rebounds.

Iowa guard Cully Payne made one of two free throws to give Iowa a 66-63 with 13.4 seconds left in regulation. That's when Sims sent it into overtime with his only 3-pointer of the night with 6.1 seconds.

“Knowing what I know now, should've fouled him,” Lickliter said. “ ... I just know what didn't work.”

Fuller was tackled on a rebound as time ran out, but there was no call. Lickliter let referee Ed Hightower have it in the huddle between the end of regulation and overtime, but it was done.

The Hawkeyes (9-18, 3-11 Big Ten) were done during a one-minute stretch in overtime with three Iowa possessions of Eric May turnover, Cully Payne miss and Matt Gatens miss. Michigan answered with a Stu Douglass 3-pointer for a 73-72 lead with 1:45 left, a Sims' basket and two free throws from Laval Lucas-Perry for a 77-72 lead with 31.4 seconds left.

After a 2-for-7 first half, Sims killed the Hawkeyes with 27 points on 10-of-25 shooting. Harris was never really handled by the Iowa defense, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

Lucas-Perry scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers, to help the Wolverines (13-12, 6-7) keep slim NCAA hopes alive.

With Iowa down 78-75 with 16.5 seconds left, Gatens had a layup attempt blocked with 4.9 left.

They needed three and went for two.

“We thought we still had time to lay it in,” Lickliter said. “If he lays it in and gets fouled, three the old fashioned way and we're in good shape.”

That turned the trickle out of Carver-Hawkeye into a full-blown leak. There were some boos. There also was a healthy applause right around where the Hawkeyes exited the floor.

“We just struggled to defend,” Lickliter said. “They just shoot it so well. They run stuff that gets them good shots. To our guys credit, my goodness, that was a hard-fought, good basketball game.

“A lot different than when we went up there (a 60-46 defeat).

“It doesn't surprise me with our guys. They've got great character.”

They are scrappy. They need to get winny, and soon.

Gatens had a winning line with 21 points, including 5 of 7 from the arc, eight rebounds and four assists.

Payne had 13 points and seven assists.

[nggallery id=125]