Turnovers hurt Hoosier offense

Iowa City, Iowa -- About 10 minutes into the second half of Sunday's game, Hawkeye guard Mary Berdo faked left and exploded down the baseline.\nMet down low, she fired the ball out to junior forward Jerica Watson, who put up an uncontested shot in the lane.\nIt rattled around for a few seconds, then fell in.\n The Hoosiers (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) then lost possession of the ball on the other end, and Berdo took it up the court. She stutter-stepped on her defender and buried a long three.\n That's how the afternoon went for the women's basketball team, who fell to Iowa 83-56.\nThe Hawkeyes (12-8, 7-3 Big Ten) kept taking the ball aggressively to the hoop, creating offensive opportunities and capitalizing off good looks. \nThe Hoosiers kept turning the ball over.\nIowa kept the momentum going in front of 5,142 screaming fans. \nRunning a high post offense, the Hawkeyes repeatedly slashed to the basket. With a starting center standing at only six-foot-two, they managed to score 34 of their points in the paint. \n"We prepared for their post game all week," said coach Kathi Bennett. "But it got easier for them as it went on. Their catches got better."\nSpearheaded by senior guard Cara Consuegra, the offensive strategy worked well against the Hoosiers, who were allowing 64.6 points per game this season under Bennett. \n"Having a good passer is an important element of the offense," Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said of Consuegra, who finished with 10 assists. "But it also helps to be able to shoot the ball outside."\nWhile Iowa ended the game with shooting 47 percent from the field, all of its shots seemed to drop when they had to. Time and time again, the announcer would boom the name of one player or another -- four ended with double digits. Everyone on the roster had scored by the end of the first half.\nJunior center Randi Peterson came up big, scoring 13 points. Peterson, who's the shortest center in the Big Ten at six-foot-two, also had 10 rebounds in her seventh double-double of the year. \n"It was frustrating with their height at first," Peterson said. "But I kept pushing and pushing."\nNot moving much off the ball or getting many good looks, the Hoosiers shot a 37 percent from the field. \nThey were also plagued by turnovers, losing possession of the ball 29 times. \n"I think we were hurt largely by our inability to take care of the ball," Bennett said. "I have to give them credit though, they played fearlessly and with abandon"