Iowa 88, Arkansas State 74: Ugly Ws Are Still Ws

IOWA CITY -- The Hawkeyes returned home for another non-conference matchup on Friday night, narrowly escaping with a victory over Arkansas State of the Sun Belt Conference.

Here are three takeaways from the victory.

It was quite surprising that Iowa took a double-digit lead into half after the way they played over the first 18 minutes. Though the Hawkeyes held a narrow lead for the majority of the first half, at one point Arkansas State tied it back up at 36-36.

"I don't know if guys were feeling a little tired or whatnot," Ben Krikke said following the game. "We just didn't have the same energy coming out in the first half."

Until the Hawkeyes got things going over the final two minutes of the half, it looked like Arkansas State would be within striking distance at the half.

"I don't really know why [we started that way]," Dasonte Bowen added. "Maybe it was fatigue? We had a tough one at Creighton a few days ago and then we got straight into prep for this game."

The late run extended the Iowa lead to 49-39 at the break.

Part of -- maybe a majority of -- the issues in the first half came at the hands of well, the Red Wolves. Arkansas State finished the first 20 minutes with a 25-16 edge over Iowa in the rebounding category. That includes 10 offensive rebounds to the Hawkeyes' three.

"We have got to come out with more energy," Krikke said. "We've got to find ways to grind out some possessions and finish with rebound. We didn't tonight. They'd get in there, get hands on it, tip it out and hit shots."

The advantage wasn't quite as substantial in the second half, but it wasn't good -- grabbing 23 boards to the Redwolves' 19 in the second half. A team with the size and talent advantage of Iowa over Arkansas State should dismantle them on the boards.

"I'm a little disappointed in us," Fran McCaffery said postgame. "But, you have to give credit to [Arkansas State]. They were flying around, tipping it and keeping it alive. You have to give your opponent credit in situations like that. We have to do a better job of gang-rebounding."

There was seemingly a lid on the rim for the Hawkeyes on Friday evening, as the usually hot-shooting Hawks shot just 46.6 percent from the floor and 16.7 percent (2-12) from three.

"I thought we got good shots," McCaffery said. "Some that normally go in, didn't go in. I don't attribute it to anything, and I don't think much about it. We won the game, and we did what we had to do."

Though the team as a whole struggled from the field, Bowen and Krikke were bright spots for an offense that otherwise lacked consistency. Bowen finished the night 4-5 from the field and 9-10 from the free throw line for 17 points, while

"I just stayed aggressive," Bowen said. "I came out early and tried to get to the basket, work my way inside out. It was working, so I just kept going inside, drawing contact and getting fouls."

Krikke was 10-14 from the field and added 25 points.

"There's nothing Ben hasn't seen," McCaffery said. "He had 25 , nine rebounds two assists, three blocks and four steals. He's affecting the game in a lot of different ways.