Hawkeyes’ Woodbury looks for offensive role to grow

NORTH LIBERTY - Adam Woodbury's offensive range has grown from strictly scoring around the rim to hitting baseline jumpers.

Iowa's senior center consistently knocked down shots in the eight-foot range last year. This summer, Woodbury is expanding his range to midrange. That's become a primary focus of his game in summer Prime Time League action.

'I think I can hit it. Didn't you see me?” Woodbury said after a 23-point, 20-rebound performance last night. 'I can hit it.

'I didn't take a lot of them (outside shots) last year, but the ones I took I think I made a high percentage of. (I want to) continue to step out and open up the driving lane for guys like Mike (Gesell) and Sappy (Anthony Clemmons) to get to the lane a little bit easier. If I can stretch it out to 15, maybe I'll help the team a little bit more in that sense.”

While he always has provided a defensive presence, the 7-foot-1 Woodbury became more of a focal point on offense last year for Iowa. Woodbury averaged career highs in points (6.6), rebounds (5.2) and minutes (20.5) last year. He took more shots and made more shots last year than any other season.

The Hawkeyes need Woodbury to continue to make similar strides next year, too. Woodbury is Iowa's only returnee in the post with starting experience. Iowa loses first-team all-Big Ten power forward Aaron White and the league's sixth man of the year in Gabe Olaseni. With different playing styles, Woodbury and Olaseni provided a formidable tandem at center.

'I think my role has gone up a little bit each year, and I think this will be the biggest jump that it's ever gone up,” Woodbury said. 'So I'm looking to expand my game and do more and Coach (Fran McCaffery) has faith in me to do more than I've ever done. Let's see what the season brings.

'As you've get older and wiser, you've got to be more assertive of your game and continue to improve it.”

In one-on-one match-ups in summer workouts, Woodbury's improvements are noticeable, Iowa senior point guard Mike Gesell said.

'Already this summer he's shooting the ball tremendously well,” said Gesell, who has played with Woodbury in AAU basketball before coming to Iowa. 'He understands this is his last year. He's one of the hardest workers on the team.

'Woodbury, he's a mentally tough guy, he's a senior, he's been around, a lot of experience. He understands what he needs to do to get better and he's in there working and he's getting a lot better.”

Among the challenges for Woodbury is staying on the floor. He tied Olaseni for the team high in fouls with 92 and fouled out three times. The Hawkeyes, who finished 22-12 last year, lack a true backup at center.

'I've got to play a little bit different,” Woodbury said. 'I can't pick up a couple cheap ones, whereas last year it didn't really matter because I had a great backup behind me and we were going to play about 20 minutes each game. So I could use my fouls. This year will be a little bit different, I've got to stay in the game a little bit longer, and I've got to be smarter.”

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