Dec. 19, 2004

Final Stats

Iowa City, Iowa - The 16th-ranked Hawkeyes got some hot second-half shooting from Jeff Horner and Iowa was able to hold off Western Carolina for an 88-75 victory Saturday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Horner scored 17 second-half points, including 15 of his team's 18 points midway through the second half, pushing Iowa's lead from 12 to 23 with 10:59 left in the game. The Hawkeyes would lead by as many as 24 with six minutes to go. However, the Catamounts kept battling to the end. Western sank 10 of their 16 second-half 3-pointers, including three each from Kyle Greathouse and Trey Hopkins, to provide the final 13-point deficit.

Western struggled early, making just one of its first 13 baskets, scoring just three points in the first nine minutes of the game and committing eight early turnovers. Iowa took advantage of Western's poor shooting and converted several baskets in transition, building a 22-3 lead with 10:59 left before the break. Pierre Pierce led the charge for the Hawkeyes, scoring 13 points.

Down 18 with six and a half minutes left in the first half, Terrence Woodyard drained a 3-pointer. That basket got the Catamounts going. David Berghoefer scored six straight for Western inside the final two minutes and Trey Hopkins hit a runner in the lane to make the score 32-25 at the break.

Western was only down seven at halftime despite shooting just 25 percent from the field (8-of-32) and committing 14 turnovers. While Iowa shot 40 percent from the field, it only made 6-of-12 from the free throw line and was out-rebounded 25-24.

Erek Hansen and Adam Haluska scored Iowa's first nine points of the second half to give the homestanding Hawkeyes the momentum. Then, Horner went on his scoring spree, including several long-range 3-pointers and an acrobatic reverse layup in traffic, to give Iowa a comfortable cushion.

Western's hot shooting from 3-point range in the second half in addition to making 13-of-17 from the free throw line in the game kept the Cats close. Iowa only made 18-of-33 from the free throw line.

Horner finished with 20 points and 10 assists, with just one turnover. Greg Brunner also had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Pierce led the Hawkeyes with 21 points, while Hansen and Haluska each scored 10 points.

Berghoefer led Western with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Corey Muirhead and Trey Hopkins each scored 13 points, while Woodyard added 11. Rans Brempong contributed nine rebounds and blocked two shots. The senior now only needs nine more rejections to become the Southern Conference's all-time leader.

Western Carolina will play its SoCon opener on Tuesday (Dec. 21) at The Citadel. Game time is set for 7:15 pm at McAlister Field House.