COLUMBUS Hawkeyes shoot past Buckeyes

Ohio State's biggest problem is its inability to defend.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The Iowa Hawkeyes are finally stringing together wins just when needed the most.
Not able to afford a slip if they want to stay in the running for an NCAA tournament berth, they got a career-high 25 points from Brody Boyd in beating Ohio State 78-67 on Wednesday night.
"Anytime you go on the road in the Big Ten and lead from start to finish, you've done a pretty good job," coach Steve Alford said.
Boyd hit 8-of-12 shots from the field, including 6-of-9 3-pointers.
"I feel comfortable shooting the ball," he said.
Back-to-back
Iowa (14-9, 7-5) won its second game in a row for the first time since opening the season with six consecutive wins.
"The guys played hard," Alford said. "From start to finish, they did a great job of playing smart."
Pierre Pierce added 19 points, Jeff Horner had 12 points and seven assists and Glen Worley chipped in with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
When the Hawkeyes weren't hitting 3-pointers -- they were 9-of-15 behind the arc -- they were patiently passing and cutting to get unimpeded drives to the basket.
"We did a great job screening, cutting and back-screening, which freed us up on those layups," Pierce said. "We've been playing very hard and now we've got a streak going."
The Hawkeyes shot 62 percent in the opening half while taking a 44-36 lead.
"We're just fighting an uphill struggle," Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien said. "Once again they had their way with us. Our biggest problem continues to be our inability to defend."
Velimir Radinovic and Tony Stockman each had 16 points, Boardman's Terence Dials added 14 and Ivan Harris came off the bench for 11 for the Buckeyes (11-13, 3-8), who lost their third in a row -- all by double-digit margins.
Hot shooting
The Hawkeyes, who hit 56 percent of their shots from the field, have won eight of their last nine games in Columbus. In Ohio State's last home game, Michigan State shot over 80 percent in the first half before settling down to shoot 73 percent in routing the Buckeyes.
"This is becoming too common a theme when teams come in here and shoot 60-something ... up to 80 percent," O'Brien said. "We have not made the total commitment as a group to try to stop the other guys. Until we do, it's going to be the same story."