Hawkeyes win 2nd straight, 78-69

IOWA CITY - Amy Jaeschke scored, and scored some more.

But she was no match for Iowa's balance and free-throw shooting.

The Hawkeyes had four double-figure scorers and sank 31 of 37 from the line in a 78-69 Big Ten women's basketball victory over Northwestern before 3,788 Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa (10-10 overall, 3-6 Big Ten) put together back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

"Two in a row ... I hope we keep building on it," said Kamille Wahlin.

Six-foot-5 and solid, Jaeschke had her way in the paint, scoring 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting.

But she couldn't do it alone.

Trailing 54-45, Iowa constructed a 21-2 surge to turn it all around. Kelly Krei hit four straight free throws, then drained a 3-pointer - her only field goal of the game - to put the Hawkeyes ahead, 61-56.

"We played with great composure when we were nine points down," said Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder. "We kept chipping away, and within five minutes, we were tied."

Jaime Printy continued to state her case for Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, scoring 23 points.

"We just wanted to keep attacking them," Printy said. "We got to the line, and it worked out well."

Wahlin added 16, Krei 12, Morgan Johnson 10.

Johnson and Machado took turns trying to slow Jaeschke.

"She had a couple inches on me," Machado said. "She has a wide, wide body."

Not coincidentally, Iowa's game-changing surge came when Jaeschke sat for a break. She scored 10 of her team's first 14 points of the second half as Northwestern (12-8, 3-6) turned a 38-36 halftime edge into a 54-45 advantage.

Jaeschke scored the Wildcats' final 10 points, but by then, it was too late.

NU Coach Joe McKeown, who drew a first-half technical foul, declined to partake in postgame press activities.

This time last week, back spasms limited Wahlin ("She was one hurting puppy," Bluder said). She's still sore, but she's improving physically and contributing.

"I feel a lot better today," she said.

Iowa is off until next Sunday, when it hosts Purdue.