Courtesy of Drake Athletics –
DES MOINES, Iowa – Spurred by a late run in the first half, the No. 23 Iowa Hawkeyes charged past the Drake University men’s basketball team, 83-66, Saturday night in the Hy-Vee Big Four Classic at Wells Fargo Arena.
After closing the first half on a 10-0 run, the Hawkeyes (9-1) seized control of the game early in the second half, taking a 16-point lead with just over 15 minutes remaining in the game. Drake (6-2) momentarily pulled within nine-points, but could not get any closer, hindered by a poor shooting performance in the second half.
“(Iowa’s) transition offense is as good as I’ve seen in a long time.” Drake head coach Ray Giacoletti said after the game.
Melsahn Basabe scored a season high 15 points for Iowa. Peter Jok, a Des Moines, Iowa, native, scored in double figures (14) for the fifth time this year.
Although he set a career high with 21 points, Drake junior Chris Caird’s (Daventry, England) efforts were not enough to spark the Bulldogs past Iowa. Senior Richard Carter (Detroit, Mich.) was the only other Bulldog to score in double-figures, tallying 18 points and adding four assists.
Iowa improves to 2-0 in Big Four Classic games (Iowa beat Northern Iowa last year). Iowa has now won four straight over Drake.
Iowa has scored 82+ points in all but one game this year.
Iowa hosts Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday at 6 p.m. (CT).
Photos from tonight’s 83-66 victory over the Drake Bulldogs http://t.co/gCvCH1tdGn pic.twitter.com/NCLCJhhvab
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) December 8, 2013
