Game story from Jan. 3, 1987 (victory over Northwestern)

Jan. 3, 1987

13-0 Iowa cruises past Northwestern

No. 3 team opens Big Ten season with 80-44 victory

By Rick Brown

Register Staff Writer

Iowa City, IA. – Third-rated Iowa defeated Northwestern in the Big Ten conference basketball opener, 80-44, Saturday night and played its way into the record book at the same time.

Iowa’s 13th consecutive victory to start the season eclipsed the previous record of 12 held by the 1943-44 and 1951-52 teams. Its victory at Carver-Hawkeye Arena kept the nation’s longest winning streak intact and was also the Hawkeye’s 13th consecutive home-court triumph.

It was Iowa’s 21st victory over the Wildcats here and 17th in the last 18 games in the series.

But more important, in the eyes of Iowa Coach Tom Davis, it got the Big Ten season off to a successful start.

“The players are looking at the Big Tem race as the fifth championship we’re playing for, “said Davis, referring to previous victories in the Great Alaska Shootout, Amana-Hawkeye Classic, Anteater Classic and the mythical state championship. “This is the big one, and we have 18 shots at it against what is considered by many one of the strongest conferences in the country.

Bench Gets Work

“It’s a good goal to shoot for and I’m sure it overrides some of the other things we’ve done. The players haven’t talked about the other things much, though in 20 years they might say, ‘Hey, I was on that team.’”

One of the luxuries of the blowout was extended playing time for the bench, including Gary Wright. Coming back from a broken hand, Wright played 15 minutes and scored five points. He also had a game-high eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

One of Wright’s baskets was a trademark slam dunk after an offensive rebound. When he entered the game in the first half, 15,500 fans greeted him with a standing ovation.

“Wright will really add to this team,” said Northwestern coach Bill Foster, who has lost centers Brian Schwabe and Brian Pitts to injuries this year. “When you get new blood at this time of year It’s a big plus.”

“Reaves’ Best Game”

“Wright has had trouble being 100 percent, but you can see what a terrific athlete he is,” Davis said.

Point guard Michael Reaves, who is also rounding back into shape after preseason arthroscopic knee surgery, got 12 minutes of action and had 10 points.

“Reaves has had trouble pushing the ball up the floor since his injury, but this was his best game,” Davis said.

B.J. Armstrong, Brad Lohaus and Kevin Gamble scored 11 points apiece for the Hawkeyes. Roy Marble, the season’s leading scorer, had just four points in 22 minutes, but was battling a cold.

Jeff Grose had 12 points to lead Northwestern. Shon Morris, the former Southeast Polk star who is leading the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding, had nine points.

“Iowa is very unselfish team, and they take the ball to the basket well,” said Foster, whose team dropped to 5-6. “We were trying to control the ball and keep their scoring down because we’ve had a tough time scoring on the road. But their quickness wore us down, and their board play was very strong.”

Poor-Shooting Wildcats

The Hawkeyes, who have not been outrebounded this year and averaged 13 more caroms than this opponents in the first 12 games, padded those statistics Saturday night. Iowa won the battle of the boards, 49-19.

This was Northwestern’s fourth straight loss. And in all four, poor shooting was instrumental in the outcome. The Wildcats, who shot under 40 percent in the last three games again DePaul, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Duke, did it again Saturday night.

Foster’s team shot 28.6 percent (six of 21) while falling behind at halftime, 37-15 and shot just 36 percent for the game.

The Hawkeyes got off to a slow start themselves, making just one of their first eight shots and scoring only two points in the opening 51/2 minutes as Northwestern controlled the temp.

Wisconsin on Monday

But Iowa broke it open soon after and closed with a furry by outscoring Northwestern, 10-0, in the final 4 minutes of the first half. The Hawks then made their first five shots of the second half to conclude a 21-2 run and build the lead 48-17.

The Hawkeyes continue Big Ten play here Monday night at 7:05 p.m. against Wisconsin, now 9-3. The Hawkeyes defeated the Badgers here last year, 101-48, but lost at Wisconsin, 69-63.

Davis sidestepped suggestions of an easy victory Monday. “There’s nothing easy in this league,” he said. Davis also said that his team will have no trouble getting up to play.

“They’re enjoying the fame, the rankings and everything else,” Davis said. “We’re considered one of the top four or five teams in the country, but we’re fighting to finish among the top four or five teams in our league. That tells you how tough the Big Ten is.”

NORTHWESTERN (44) — Morris 3-7 2-2 9, Polite 2-8 0-0 4, Ross 0-1 0-0 0, Fullen 4-11 0-0 8, Watts 1-4 1-4 3, Cucuz 1-3 2-3 4, Grose 5-11 0-0 12, Buford 0-0 0-0 0, Wyss 1-2 0-0 2, Berg 0-2 0-0 0, Petrovic 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 18-50 5-9 44.

IOWA (80) — Marble 2-5 0-0 4, Lohaus 2-6 7-8 11, Horton 4-7 0-0 8, Gamble 4-7 1-2 11, Armstrong 5-8 1-2 11, Moe 4-9 0-0 9, Jones 1-1 2-2 4, Hill 1-2 0-0 2, Lorenzen 0-1 1-2 1, Wright 2-5 1-2 5, Reaves 2-3 4-4 10, Morgan 1-1 2-4 4, Jepsen 0-2 0-0 0, Casey 0-2 0-0 0, Jewell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-59 11-19 80.

Halftime—Iowa 37, Northwestern 15. Fouled Out—Ross. Rebounds—Northwestern 19 (Morris 5), Iowa 49 (Wright 8). Assists—Northwestern 6 (Morris 3), Iowa 18 (Armstrong 6). Total Fouls—Northwestern 25, Iowa 12. Technicals—None. Attendance—15,500.