3 Takeaways: Mental toughness, Clemmons, biggest win for Fran?

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Mental toughness is a trait that's recognizable when it's there - and when it's not - among college basketball programs.

In the midst of a late collapse last season, Iowa's mental lapses began immediately after halftime. In its final five games, Iowa managed to shed either a tie or the lead within the first five minutes of the second half. Iowa's halftime leads totaled 13 points (with one tie) in those five games. The combined score of its opponents' post-halftime runs was 49-15, and Iowa dropped four of those games.

In the Hawkeyes' two losses this season, a similar trend developed. Iowa led Texas by six points, then gave up a 19-7 run in the first 3:43 of the second half. Syracuse extended a five-point halftime lead into 15 points in the first eight minutes.

Wednesday at North Carolina, the Hawkeyes reversed that blight. Iowa led the Tar Heels by two points at halftime. But when North Carolina scored the half's first five points, Iowa didn't wilt. It battled. It mounted its own mini-run, took a lead, slipped behind again and continued to scrap until it pulled out a 60-55 win.

'I don't think we would have gotten this win last year,” Iowa center Adam Woodbury said. 'We weren't as mentally tough as we needed to be last year down the stretch. I think that's pretty obvious. We kind of collectively made an attempt this year to turn the page on that in New York, but we weren't tough enough in New York as you guys saw. I hope this was the turning point.”

Iowa (6-2) struggled to take shots and make shots against No. 12 North Carolina (5-2). After hitting nine of its first 18 attempts, the Hawkeyes sank only eight of its next 35 shots. Many of the shots weren't good looks, and calling it a slump is an understatement. For the first 12 minutes and 28 seconds of the second half, Iowa hit just three of 23 shots and missed all 10 3-point attempts.

But toughness and grit kept the Hawkeyes in contention. North Carolina swarmed Iowa with a 15-1 edge in first-half offensive rebounds. Iowa reversed that phase in the second half, winning the battle 16-9. Woodbury ended a team field-goal drought of 7 minutes, 30 seconds with a strong offensive rebound and a putback. He followed on Iowa's next possession with a jumper and scored again with a one-handed shot off the glass. In all, Woodbury scored five consecutive field goals for Iowa over a 14-minute period. He finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.

'When we were really struggling and we couldn't seem to get anything to go down, (Woodbury) hits two big shots and that changes everything for us,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. 'Now you have your post man stepping out and hitting jumpers and it pulls their big guys out a little bit, and it gives us more of an opportunity to drive the ball.

'It took a lot of toughness. It took rebounding the ball.”

Iowa displayed toughness on defense, too. The Hawkeyes held the Tar Heels to 27.9 percent for the whole game and no points in the final 2:13. After allowing 11 second-chance points in the first half, Iowa gave up just five after halftime. Conversely, the Hawkeyes scored the game's final 10 second-chance points.

'That's what toughness is all about,” Iowa guard Mike Gesell said. 'Being able to pull off a win on the road in a hostile environment. This was our first true road test this year. It felt good to do that down the stretch. We made some great plays, made some key rebounds.”

Iowa's win produced only the fourth loss for North Carolina in 90 non-conference home games for Coach Roy Williams.

'Whenever you're on the road in this type of environment against a great team, you've got to stick to the basics,” Clemmons said. 'Stick to the game plan. The toughness comes out when you've got to follow those. I think that's something we lacked a little bit last year, but we got better this year.”

2. Clemmons came to play

Iowa junior Anthony Clemmons produced the game's most important defensive play with 50 seconds remaining. Iowa took a 58-55 lead one possession earlier on a traditional three-point play from Mike Gesell.

North Carolina point guard Marcus Paige - an All-American candidate - was defended at the top of the key by Iowa forward Aaron White. As expected, the left-handed Paige drove past White along the left side of the lane. In man defense, Clemmons shifted away from his man and took two steps to his left into Paige's path. Clemmons raised his hands about a foot outside the circle, gained solid position and Paige drove into Clemmons' right arm. Clemmons took the charge, and Iowa regained possession.

'It was a legitimate call,” ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale said on the telecast after the call.

Clemmons also entered the game shooting. He drilled a jumper on Iowa's first possession and then responded after a Paige 3-pointer with one of his own. Clemmons finished with eight points in 27 minutes.

'That's my plan all the time. Just stay aggressive and get after it on defense,” Clemmons said. 'I got two big buckets to fall and that got us rolling.”

3. McCaffery's biggest win?

McCaffery has produced big wins for Iowa in his five seasons at the helm. Among the many important ones include a victory against No. 6 Purdue in his inaugural season, a pair of wins against Wisconsin his second year, an NIT quarterfinal win at Virginia his third season and road wins last year at No. 3 Ohio State and Iowa's historical torture chamber, Illinois.

The Big Ten claimed the annual challenge with the ACC, which it has won or tied for six consecutive seasons. But North Carolina carries a reputation beyond any individual Big Ten team. For Iowa to beat North Carolina on the road, this win is set apart from McCaffery's other wins.

'I think everybody needs to be able to go on the road and beat somebody of this caliber,” McCaffery said. 'I came into the season feeling like we had a good team. I think we have played well, but we haven't shot the ball well. I am really proud of the way that we have defended.”

The players enjoyed the win for the historical impact as much as the victory itself.

'Every guy in that locker room dreamed for moments like this,” Clemmons said. 'It's a great accomplishment that we got it done.”

So where does it rank? I think it's right there with any of the above. Purdue was vital because it was the season finale and it gave the program momentum going into the off-season. Beating Wisconsin twice showed Iowa was willing to go toe-to-toe in the Big Ten. Winning at Virginia provided a closeout victory in a year of almosts, and it sent the team to the NIT semifinals in New York. Beating Ohio State provided a statement on national TV, and the Illinois was necessary to prove a point. Winning at North Carolina was vital for perception. No matter what happens this year, Iowa won at North Carolina. It was like scoring a date with Miss America, literally an out-of-your-league victory.

I'll punk out and call them all even. But that's only because another win will surpass all of them, and we'll know it when it happens.

And-One ...

Iowa's win provided an 8-6 challenge victory to the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes have won back-to-back challenge games against the ACC to double their number of wins in the annual series. Iowa is 4-10 in challenge.

Here are the team records in the 169-game series:

ACC (94-75)

- Duke 14-2; Wake Forest 10-4; Maryland 10-5; Clemson 9-6; Virginia 9-6; North Carolina 8-8; Boston College 6-2; Florida State 6-10; North Carolina State 6-9; Georgia Tech 6-9; Virginia Tech 3-6; Miami 3-5; Louisville 1-0; Pittsburgh 1-1; Syracuse 1-1; Notre Dame 1-1

Big Ten (75-94)

- Purdue 8-6; Ohio State 7-7; Illinois 7-9; Minnesota 8-8; Wisconsin 7-9; Indiana 6-8; Penn State 6-8; Michigan 6-8; Michigan State 6-9; Northwestern 6-10; Iowa 4-10; Nebraska 3-1; Rutgers 1-0; Maryland 0-1

* Maryland left the ACC for Big Ten this year

ACC-BIG TEN CHALLENGE

Monday's results

Nebraska 70, Florida State 65

Rutgers 69, Clemson 64

Tuesday's results

Michigan 68, Syracuse 65

Louisville 64, Ohio State 55

Indiana 81, Pittsburgh 69

Purdue 66, N.C. State 61

Miami (Fla.) 70, Illinois 61

Minnesota 84, Wake Forest 69

Wednesday's results

Iowa 60, North Carolina 55

Penn State 61, Virginia Tech 58

Duke 80, Wisconsin 70

Notre Dame 79, Michigan State 78 (OT)

Virginia 76, Maryland 65

Georgia Tech 66, Northwestern 58

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