Iowa ekes by IU for Big Ten tourney win

CHICAGO -- Even the announcement that IU is seeded No. 4 in the NCAA men's basketball tournament couldn't cheer up the Hoosiers after they lost 63-61 to Iowa in the Big Ten championship game.\n"Some of the coaches had a sigh of relief," junior center Kirk Haston said. "And the players are pleased that we finally got the respect we deserve."\nThe Hoosiers haven't been ranked in either the AP or Coach's Top 25 polls all season. But the NCAA tournament selection committee ranked IU in the top 16 teams in the country by making it a fourth seed.\n"I think we're happy with the seed because it shows that this weeekend wasn't all for nothing," sophomore guard Tom Coverdale said. "The win over Illinois showed people we're good."\nThe Hoosiers received the No. 4 seed in the West region and will play No. 13 seed Kent State Thursday in San Diego, Calif. Should the Hoosiers advance, they will play either No. 5 Cincinnati or No. 12 Brigham Young.\nKent State (23-9, 16-5) earned its bid to the Big Dance by winning the Mid-American Conference championship.\nCoverdale couldn't name his opponent's mascot -- or anything else about the Golden Flashes.\n"We'll go back and look at tape," Davis said. "We'll get them ready (Monday) morning. I know their coach (Gary Watters) very well.\n"We don't have long to pout."\nOne day after blocking a last-second, potential game-tying shot, Haston had his own last-second, potential game-tying shot blocked by forward Reggie Evans. With 9.4 seconds remaining and Iowa leading by two, Iowa forward Duez Henderson missed two free throws.\nJunior guard Dane Fife received the outlet pass, dribbled up the right side of the court and passed to Haston between the right wing and the top of the key. Haston took the three-point shot, which came up several feet short of the basket.\nReplays showed that Henderson grazed Haston's hand, preventing him from following through. Davis acted as though he thought Haston was fouled. He later said the replay stands for itself and wouldn't comment further. Haston said he couldn't feel anything under such pressure and circumstances.\n"I had two clear looks at the basket," said Haston, who missed a three pointer with 10.9 seconds remaining. "I just didn't hit them."\nFreshman forward Jared Jeffries and Haston carried the Hoosiers in the first half. Haston scored 10 points just 12 minutes into the game. IU built a nine-point lead with 8:29 remaining in the first half. Iowa cut it to 32-26 at halftime.\nIU's offense disappeared in the final four minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. IU scored just four points during that nine-minute stretch.\nFreshman guard Brody Boyd, a native of Dugger, Ind., tied the game with a three-pointer with 12 minutes left. Dean Oliver gave Iowa the lead on a free throw one minute later. Boyd led Iowa with 22 points, including 12 from behind the arc.\n"Boyd hit some shots that were just daggers," Haston said.\nDavis later said Boyd won the game for Iowa. But he was left off the all-tournament team. It included Haston, Coverdale, Jeffries, Evans, and Joe Crispin of Penn State.\n"This should have been our championship," Davis said.