Hawks claim another dandy with Dayton

IOWA CITY - The deficit was double-digits. The band - fittingly, but probably coincidentally - played 'Flirtin' With Disaster.”

Then, the Iowa Hawkeyes responded.

Tournament MVP Samantha Logic recorded the fifth triple-double of her career as No. 18 Iowa stormed back from a 10-point second-half hole to outlast Dayton, 90-83, in the championship game of the Hawkeye Challenge women's basketball tournament in front of 3,381 Saturday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

'Is this November?” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder asked the media afterward. 'It felt like March out there. I'm really happy with the way we executed down the line.”

Logic collected 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. All five starters reached double figures, led by Bethany Doolittle's 23 points.

Doolittle and Ally Disterhoft (18 points) joined Logic on the all-tournament team. Freshman Whitney Jennings added 15 points, Melissa Dixon 10.

The Hawkeyes are 4-0 for the second straight year.

'This win is just huge,” Disterhoft said. 'It gives us a lot of momentum going into next week.

Iowa defeated Dayton (1-3) in the championship game for the second straight season. Last year's encounter went overtime. Saturday's sequel was just as harrowing.

Bluder was called for a technical foul with Dayton in front, 58-53, and 11:56 left. During the media timeout that followed, associate head coach Jan Jensen continued the debate. Had Jensen been T'd up, Bluder would have been ejected for a second bench technical.

'Fortunately, Jan's a little more diplomatic than I am,” Bluder said.

'I think (the technical) fired the team up. I appreciate them wanting to fight for me.”

Dayton took its largest lead at 68-58 on Amber Deane's basket with 9:40 left.

But Iowa scored the next six points to get back in striking range. After trading baskets for a while, the Hawkeyes got over the hump with two free throws by Doolittle at the 3:24 mark for an 80-79 lead.

They didn't give it up.

At 82-81, Dixon scored from the heart of the lane for a three-point lead, then Doolittle scored on a slick spin move.

'I don't have a name for that move,” Doolittle said. 'I just saw an opening and went for it.”

Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes held Dayton without a field goal for more than 3 1/2 minutes down the stretch.

Doolittle made two free throws, then Jennings added two more to ice it.

'(Jennings') composure was excellent out there tonight,” Bluder said.

Iowa made 22 of 25 free throws and overcame a 49-37 rebounding disadvantage with superior ball handling. The Hawkeyes committed nine turnovers, Dayton 20.

Andrea Hoover and Ally Malott scored 24 points apiece for the Flyers. Hoover grabbed 16 rebounds.

Hoover's 10-point spree in less than a minute ignited a 12-0 run that gave Dayton a 39-32 advantage late in the first half. It was 43-40 at intermission.

Iowa hosts UNI on Tuesday.

Pepperdine edged Tennessee-Martin, 59-58, in the consolation game.

IOWA 90, DAYTON 83

At Iowa City

DAYTON (83): Ally Malott 9-17 5-6 24, Jodie Cornelie-Sigmundova 1-6 0-0 2, Jenna Burdette 4-7 1-2 10, Kelley Austria 2-9 0-0 5, Andrea Hoover 6-15 8-8 24, Amber Deane 2-2 2-2 6, Celeste Edwards 0-3 0-0 0, Tiffany Johnson 2-4 0-0 4, Javonna Layfield 3-3 0-0 6, Saicha Grant-Allen 0-3 2-2 2. Totals 29-69 18-20 83.

IOWA (90): Bethany Doolittle 9-19 5-5 23, Ally Disterhoft 5-12 8-8 18, Whitney Jennings 5-11 2-3 15, Melissa Dixon 4-10 0-0 10, Samantha Logic 5-10 2-2 12, Alexa Kastanek 0-2 2-2 2, Chase Coley 0-3 2-2 2, Christina Buttenham 1-3 0-2 3, Kali Peschel 2-4 1-1 5, Carly Mohns 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-74 22-25 90.

Halftime: Dayton 43, Iowa 40. 3-point goals: Dayton 7-24 (Malott 1-5, Cornelie-Sigmundova 0-1, Burdette 1-2, Austria 1-5, Hoover 4-7, Edwards 0-2, Johnson 0-1, Grant-Allen 0-1), Iowa 6-21 (Disterhoft 0-3, Jennings 3-6, Dixon 2-6, Logic 0-2, Kastanek 0-1, Buttenham 1-2, Peschel 0-1). Team fouls: Dayton 26, Iowa 16. Fouled out: Burdette, Layfield. Technical fouls: Iowa bench. Rebounds: Dayton 49 (Hoover 16), Iowa 37 (Logic 11). Assists: Dayton 15 (Malott 4), Iowa 17 (Logic 10). Steals: Dayton 5 (Hoover 2), Iowa 8 (Logic 4). Turnovers: Dayton 20, Iowa 9.

Attendance: 3,381.

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