IOWA CITY, Iowa - For the first time since 1970 the Iowa men’s basketball team has started a season with two losses in a row. Short-handed Duquesne slipped past the Hawkeyes, 52-50, in front of an estimated crowd of about 4,000 Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Duquesne’s Bill Clark drained a three-pointer with 12 seconds remaining in the game for the winning margin. After a miss by Anthony Tucker, Iowa called a timeout with eight tenths of a second left to set up a play. Eric May’s shot was blocked after he received a lob from Anthony Tucker on the in bounds play.
The Hawkeyes dropped their first two home games in a season for the first time since 1931.
“Let’s face it, the kid (Clark) is running, turns, shoots a deep three and that‘s how we got beat,” Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter said. “We were up at that point. They didn’t deserve to lose but I didn’t think our guys did, either, but somebody has got to. It was out turn tonight.”
Duquesne’s Melquan Bolding, a sophomore guard, missed Tuesday’s game with a broken wrist that could keep him out for up to six weeks. The Mount Vernon, N.Y., native scored a game-high 25 in the Dukes’ season-opening win against Nicholls State.
Both teams struggled with shooting the ball. The Hawkeyes were 18-57 (31.6 percent) from the floor, 6 for 27 (22.2) from beyond the arc and 8 of 15 (53.3) from the free throw line.
“I think you have to get in (to practice) and keep shooting it,” Lickliter said. “That’s what they do. I know they can shoot it. They just have to be makers.”
Matt Gatens continued to struggle with his shooting. Iowa’s leading returning scorer made just 2 of 12 shots on Tuesday and his now 4 of 21 from the floor. Anthony Tucker led Iowa with 16 points on Tuesday, going 6 for 15 on field goals and is now 8 for 25 on the season.
Iowa returns to action on Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye when its plays host to Bowling Green at 8 p.m.
Tip-Ins
-Iowa trailed 33-25 at halftime. Tucker had seven at the break.
-Iowa gave up 19 points on 16 turnovers in Sunday’s loss to UT-San Antonio. Tuesday, the Hawkeyes allowed 15 points on 15 giveaways.
-Iowa started the same five as it did in the opener - Tucker, Payne, Gatens, Fuller and Cole.
-Some boos could be heard coming out of the student section when Lickliter was announced in the pre-game introductions.
-Fuller picked up his second personal foul with 17:44 remaining in the first half. He played just 10 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing three rebounds.
-The lead changed hands eight times on Tuesday and there were three ties.
-The announced crowd was 7,943.
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Coach Lickliter
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