IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Justin Johnson scored 24 points and Iowa
beat Ohio State 53-48 on Saturday night, snapping the Buckeyes'
three-game winning streak.
Seth Gorney added 10 points for the Hawkeyes (11-12, 4-6 Big
Ten), who suffered a 31-point loss to Ohio State back on Jan. 9.
Iowa's defense was much better this time around, as the Hawkeyes
held Ohio State to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor. Iowa
improved to 10-4 when holding an opponent under 60 points.
With Iowa ahead 49-46 with 1:15 left, Iowa's Jeff Peterson was
called for a charge. But Jamar Butler missed a runner in the lane,
and Tony Freeman hit two free throws to give the Hawkeyes a 51-46
lead with 34 seconds left.
Butler then missed a 3, and Cyrus Tate hit two free throws to
ice the game.
Butler scored 11 and Kosta Koufos had 10 to lead Ohio State
(15-7, 6-3). The Buckeyes, who shot 3-of-21 from 3-point range,
were held under 50 points for the fourth time this season.
Jake Kelly opened the second half with a 3 to put the Hawkeyes
ahead 30-22. Seth Gorney hit a turnaround jumper to make it 40-32,
forcing Ohio State coach Thad Matta to call a timeout.
Ohio State responded by pulling within three, but Johnson
drilled a 3-pointer that pushed Iowa's lead back to 46-40 with just
under eight minutes left.
Johnson, who didn't attempt a shot from inside the arc, went
8-of-13 from 3-point range.
Iowa led by as much as seven early on, but the Buckeyes went on
an 11-3 run to go up 18-17. Iowa jumped back ahead 27-22 on a 3 by
Justin Johnson and took that five-point lead into the break.
There were six lead changes and three ties in the first half, a
stark contrast to the opening 20 minutes of the last game between
these two. Ohio State closed out that first half with a 27-3 run,
led by 28 at the break and cruised to a 79-48 win in Columbus.