Hawkeyes bounce back, whip Buffaloes

IOWA CITY - The previous two days consisted of no court time for Samantha Logic.

'She didn't practice at all. She did spend a lot of time in the training room,” said Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder.

She came back in time to help the Iowa Hawkeyes bounce back.

No. 19 Iowa dampened Linda Lappe's return to the state, taking control midway through the first half and defeating Colorado, 78-63, in a non-conference women's basketball game before a crowd of 6,061 Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

'We didn't play well (in an 86-52 loss at Louisville on Thursday),” said Melissa Dixon, who hit five 3-pointers in a 23-point effort. 'We wanted to take it to Colorado. I felt like we were in control the whole time.”

The outcome wasn't Thursday's only downer. Logic's injury - a sprained MCL to the right knee - compounded the misery.

But the training staff had her ready to go Sunday.

'The (knee) brace is something I've got to get used to,” Logic said. 'I was guarding a (power forward), so I didn't have to go around as many screens (defensively) as usual.

'It's a work in progress. But I really wanted to be with my team today.”

The game was a back-and-forth battle for nine minutes, then the Hawkeyes (7-2) assembled a 7-0 run for a 24-17 lead. It was 35-27 at halftime.

Then, after the teams matched baskets for much of the second half, Iowa put it away with an 11-2 spree that opened the margin to 72-54.

A five-point possession essentially put it away.

Logic was fouled by Lexy Kresl, who also was called for a technical foul. Logic hit three of four free throws, then Whitney Jennings converted on a drive on the ensuing series.

Ally Disterhoft added 15 points, Bethany Doolittle tallied 11 and Logic posted 10 for the Hawkeyes.

Lappe grew up 55 miles south of here, near Morning Sun. She won a pair of state championships during a distinguished high school career at Winfield-Mount Union before playing collegiately at Colorado.

This is her fifth year as the Buffaloes' head coach.

'You've got to give Iowa a lot of credit,” Lappe said. 'I'm happy we stuck in there, but we didn't make enough plays to beat a good team like Iowa on the road.”

Jasmine Sborov led the Buffaloes (6-2) with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Colorado posted a 53-36 rebounding advantage, but Iowa forced 19 turnovers and enjoyed a 19-10 advantage in points off turnovers.

Up next for the Hawkeyes: a date with Iowa State at 7 p.m. Thursday at Carver. The home team has won 12 of the last 13 games in this series.

'The home team (has dominated this series lately), but we know they're not going to come over here and roll over,” Logic said.

IOWA 78, COLORADO 63

At Iowa City

COLORADO (63): Haley Smith 4-12 0-0 8, Jen Reese 6-9 2-2 14, Jamee Swan 4-13 0-2 8, Lexy Kresl 1-10 0-0 2, Jasmine Sborov 6-10 4-6 17, Brecca Thomas 1-4 0-0 2, Zoe Correal 0-0 0-0 0, Alina Hartmann 1-1 0-0 2, Lauren Huggins 1-3 0-0 3, Zoe Beard-Fails 2-5 2-5 6. Totals 26-67 8-15 63.

IOWA (78): Bethany Doolittle 5-16 1-2 11, Ally Disterhoft 4-9 5-10 15, Whitney Jennings 2-4 2-4 6, Melissa Dixon 8-14 2-2 23, Samantha Logic 2-6 5-6 10, Alexa Kastanek 1-5 1-1 3, Claire Till 1-1 0-0 2, Christina Buttenham 0-1 0-0 0, Kali Peschel 3-6 2-2 8, Carly Mohns 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-62 18-27 78.

Halftime: Iowa 35, Colorado 28. 3-point goals: Colorado 3-15 (Smith 0-2, Kresl 0-4, Sborov 1-3, Thomas 0-1, Hartmann 1-1, Huggins 1-3, Beard-Fails 0-1), Iowa 8-19 (Disterhoft 2-3, Jennings 0-1, Dixon 5-10, Logic 1-2, Kastanek 0-2, Peschel 0-1). Team fouls: Colorado 27, Iowa 16. Fouled out: Kresl. Technical foul: Kresl. Rebounds: Colorado 53 (Swan, Sborov 12), Iowa 36 (Doolittle 10). Assists: Colorado 14 (Kresl 6), Iowa 12 (Jennings, Logic 4). Steals: Colorado 6 (Kresl 3), Iowa 8 (Doolittle, Disterhoft, Logic 2). Turnovers: Colorado 19, Iowa 11.

Attendance: 6,061.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com