UNIVERSITY PARK — Jon Graham was informed that Iowa coach Fran McCaffery had instructed his players to foul him — and no other Penn State player — as the Nittany Lions, clinging to a late lead Thursday against Iowa, prepared to inbound the ball in the final seconds.
Hearing this after the game, Penn State’s freshman forward flashed a wide grin.
“Big surprise for them, right?” he said.
Graham, who had entered the game having made just eight of his 23 free-throw attempts on the season, calmly drained both ends of a one-and-one with 24 seconds to play, helping the Nittany Lions hold on for a 69-64 win in the Bryce Jordan Center.
“I just had a clear head,” said Graham, who was 4-for-4 from the line Thursday. “I work really hard on my free throws. Whenever I have free time, I go to the gym.”
Penn State coach Patrick Chambers had wanted Nick Colella, who threw the inbounds pass to Graham, to step back into play and look for a quick return pass. But he said he didn’t have a problem with Graham on the line in a clutch situation, even knowing his numbers.
“Jon’s been there before,” Chambers said. “He was there at Illinois, there at Wisconsin. I was so proud of him to show the confidence that he did to knock those down.”
Graham finished with a career-high 10 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots and was one of several Nittany Lions (12-15, 4-10 Big Ten) that provided some early offense during a rare first half of struggles for point guard Tim Frazier, who picked up two quick fouls and had just four points in the first 20 minutes.
Cammeron Woodyard had 12 of his 13 points in the first half, when Matt Glover had three points and three assists and Graham made all three of his field-goal attempts, including two put-backs in traffic in the first three minutes.
Penn State jumped out to a 25-12 lead and led 38-24 at the break after shooting 44 percent from the field and hitting 11 of 12 free throws in the half.
The Hawkeyes (13-13, 5-8) made only seven of 26 shots in the period, four of those buckets coming from freshman forward Aaron White.
“We started quick-shooting the ball and you can’t do that on the road,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. “That’s the one thing I thought was glaring in the first half.”
Frazier picked up his offense, scoring 14 points, in the second half, but so too did the Hawkeyes, draining 12 of their first 19 shots and finishing the 40-point half at a blistering 57 percent. Senior guard Matt Gatens, who missed all five of his first-half attempts (all from 2-point range) drilled his first four 3-point attempts of the second half and finished with 21 points, 19 coming after the break.
“He got some great staggered screens, and they found him,” Chambers said. “And he’s a senior. He does what a senior should do on the road. Big-time player. He hit a ton of shots down the stretch.”
Penn State, which shot just 35 percent in the second half, led 54-43 after a fast-break layup by Colella with 10:48 to play but Gatens had eight straight points and Melsahn Basabe threw down a one-handed jam to cap a 10-2 run that made it 56-53 with 6:05 to play. Frazier scored four straight points to give the Nittany Lions some breathing room, then made an even more crucial — and bolder — play after the Hawkeyes had closed to within 61-59 with 2:40 remaining.
After Iowa’s Roy Devyn Marble nearly came up with a steal, Frazier grabbed a pass from Woodyard and sped downcourt, driving through at least three Hawkeyes and rolling in a layup with 2:14 left. After Marble (13 points, six assists at the point in relief of an injured Bryce Cartwright) made two free throws to close the gap again, Frazier found an open Jermaine Marshall for a 3- pointer that made it 66-61.
But Penn State, who were 22 of 28 (79 percent) at the line Thursday, still needed Graham to close the door. And a player who hadn’t had much reason to have confidence at the line did just that.
“I think you’re going to see a much better, more confident Jon Graham now,” Chambers said. “This can only build his confidence or his self-esteem.”
Notes: Penn State freshman guard Trey Lewis, who has been battling a lower back injury, warmed up with his teammates but did not see action for the ninth straight game. … Penn State football coach Bill O’Brien and his eight assistant coaches were introduced at halftime. … Woodyard has scored in double figures in 11 of Penn State’s 15 home games this season. … Glover snapped a four-game scoreless streak.
Jeff Rice can be reached at 231-4609.
