BTN.com staff, March 18, 2012

(AP) E.J. Singler scored 25 points, Olu Ashaolu had 22 points and Oregon defeated Iowa 108-97 in the second round of the NIT on Sunday. The Ducks rallied from a 15-point deficit in the first half to advance to the quarterfinals and a game against Pac-12 rival Washington in Seattle on Tuesday. Devyn Marble led the Hawkeyes (18-17) with 31 points and made all seven of his 3-point attempts. Aaron White also scored 22 for Iowa, Melsahn Basabe had 17 points and Bryce Cartwright had 12 points and 10 assists. Read the full AP recap and get Tom Dienhart's take in this post.

TOM DIENHART'S TAKE
Key player: Roy Devyn Marble led the way, notching 31 points as he hit 10-of-15 shots and 7-of-8 from 3-point range. Marble also had five rebounds and five assists in a terrific all-around game. But it was all for naught. Aaron White added 22 points for an Iowa team that shot 46.8 percent (37-of-79) and 10-of-22 from 3-point range (45.5 percent).

Key number: 59.3, Oregon?s field-goal percentage. The Duck drained 35-of-59 shots, and 10-of-23 from 3-point range (43.5 percent). E.J. Singler was the star, draining 9-of-10 shots and 3-of-4 from 3-point range for 25 points for a Hawkeye team that at times struggles to defend.

What?s next: Iowa beat Dayton in Iowa City in the opening round of the NIT before falling at Oregon. The Hawkeyes finish the season 18-17, but they take lots of momentum and hope into next season. Iowa went 5-4 in its last nine games to finish on an up note. Matt Gatens and Bryce Cartwright will be gone, but every other key player will be back including Melsahn Basabe, Roy Devyn Marble, Josh Oglesby, Aaron White and Zach McCabe. And Fran McCaffrey?s crew will welcome a strong recruiting class led by point man Mike Gesell and 7-footer Adam Woodbury, who are among the top 25 recruits in the nation according to most pundits. The future is bright in Iowa City.

Check out our half-by-half recap powered by Narrative Science:

Final: E.J. Singler scored 25 points and grabbed six rebounds and Olu Ashaolu added 22 points and six boards as they teamed up to lead Oregon to a 108-97 victory over Iowa on Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena in the NIT. Roy Devyn Marble led Iowa (18-17) with a career-high 31 points, in addition to four rebounds and five assists. Oregon (24-9) shot 59 percent (35-of-59) and the Hawkeyes shot 48 percent (37-of-77) in the shootout. Iowa allowed the Ducks to go above their season average of 69.3 points per game. Oregon was hot from long range, hitting 10-of-22 threes for a 45 percent night from beyond the arc. Aaron White scored 22 points for the Hawkeyes, while Melsahn Basabe and Bryce Cartwright added 17 and 12, respectively. Matt Gatens went 3-of-10 and had seven points in his final game. Former Minnesota guard Devoe Joseph scored 15 for the Ducks.

Halftime: Roy Devyn Marble scored 19 points for Iowa in the first half to carry the Hawkeyes to a 51-47 lead over Oregon. Marble shot 6-of-8 from the field and hit all five of his three-point tries, while Melsahn Basabe chipped in 11 points and four rebounds. Both offenses are on fire, as Oregon shot 53 percent in the first half and Iowa shot 61 percent. Iowa jumped out to a 9-2 lead and led by as many as 15 points before Oregon closed the gap late in the first half. The Hawkeyes made it rain from long range, shooting 67 percent (8-of-12), including a perfect 5-of-5 from Marble. The Ducks' Olu Ashaolu already has 18 points and five rebounds.