BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Four things to think about following the Iowa basketball team's 83-75 loss to Auburn in the opening round of the NCAA tournament:
1. The math
The numbers didn't add up for Tony Perkins following the Hawkeyes' early exit from postseason play.
The junior guard wasn't surprised the Tigers defended, that's what they do.
He felt Iowa held its own on the boards against a solid rebounding team and the numbers back that up. Iowa outrebounded Auburn 44-38 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds.
As many 3-pointers as it seemed like the Tigers hit, they only collected one more than than the seven Iowa connected on, many as they attempted to get back into the game in the second half.
The Tigers did surprise Perkins with a 17-of-22 game at free throw line.
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"They're usually not that good,'' he said.
While Iowa endured its own shooting issues, particularly in the first half, Perkins felt the shots the Hawkeyes were taking were solid and generally within the flow of what Iowa attempts to do.
The difference?
"I'd say it was probably effort,'' Perkins said. "That's probably what it comes down to at the end.''
The inability to cut what had been a 17-point deficit to less that four added to the frustration of it all.
Within 66-62, Iowa missed its next four shots and the front end of a one-and-one opportunity as Auburn pulled away, eventually regaining a 10-point lead.
"Once we got it down to four, we were hoping to get it to two, then tie it and take a lead. Didn't happen,'' Perkins said.
2. The difference maker
Auburn's speed and quickness was a significant factor in Thursday's outcome.
The Tigers did not turn the Hawkeyes a lot -- Iowa had just eight turnovers -- but six steals combined with five blocks and a 26-8 advantage in fast break points illustrated the difference.
Freshman guard Tre Donaldson also made a significant difference in separating the Tigers and Hawkeyes.
He entered the game averaging 2.1 points and blistered Iowa for 11 in a span of a little over three-and-a-half minutes as Auburn opened a 17-point lead with 11 minutes left in the game.
Donaldson was also perfect from 3-point range, coming off the bench to hit all three he attempted after connecting on 8-of-31 attempts during the regular season.
"He's been playing 10 minutes a game but he has a role to play and could have gone anywhere to play football, but chose to come to Auburn and play basketball,'' Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said.
"He's not afraid of the moment and doesn't act like a freshman. I know when you're in a game like that the other coach is like, 'Who is this guy?' but it's important that the bench plays well in the postseason.''
3. The finality
Only one team is going to walk away from the NCAA tourney satisfied and the Iowa locker room was a somber place Thursday night.
From starters to reserves the silence was deafening as players sat on chairs fulfilling media obligations that are required in NCAA play.
For most, it provided time to reflect on the highs and lows of an up and down season for Iowa.
For Filip Rebraca, it was a moment to appreciate the opportunity he received over the past two seasons after joining the Hawkeyes as a graduate transfer from North Dakota.
"The experiences I've had have been everything I could have hoped for,'' Rebraca said. "I'm not sure what's next for this old guy but I know I'll be better because of what I've learned and experienced here and I'll be forever grateful for that.''
That includes Thursday, when he said he "got mugged'' by the Auburn defense.
"At some point, you just have play tougher and I think we adjusted to that,'' he said.
4. The assignment
Iowa players and coaches went out of their way to not complain about being sent as an eighth seed to play a ninth seed Auburn essentially in its backyard, 100 away from its campus.
With an 8-9 game part of the lineup at the first- and second-round site in Des Moines, coach Fran McCaffery conceded that if the game had been played a little over 100 miles away from the Iowa campus the result might have been different.
"I think that's a fair statement,'' McCaffery said. "But, the environments that we compete in most of the time are tougher than than this one. Not to say this wasn't impressive in the NCAA Tournament, but that wasn't what we face at Indiana, at Rutgers, at Maryland, at Michigan or Michigan State. It's not an excuse.''
The Hawkeyes did have a couple of notable numbers in Thursday's loss.
Iowa's eight turnovers marked the 18th time this season the Hawkeye turnover total finished in single digits.
It also marked the fewest turnovers in NCAA play by Iowa since finishing with three turnovers in a game against Temple on March 18, 2016.
Iowa scored 49 points in the second half Thursday against the Auburn defense.
The point total was the highest for the Hawkeyes in a single half in a NCAA tournament game since scoring 49 in both halves of a game against Texas on March 19, 1992.
