Correction: North Florida-Iowa story

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) In a Dec. 22 story about a basketball game between North Florida and Iowa, The Associated Press erroneously reported in the headline the team that defeated North Florida. Iowa won the game, not Indiana.

A corrected version of the story is below:

White, Jok lead Iowa over North Florida 80-70

White goes off for 23 as Iowa closes nonconference sked 80-70 over North Florida

By JASON BRUMMOND

Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Iowa continues to rely on its defense and free throws to fight through tough shooting slumps.

That's where Aaron White can make his biggest impact.

White tied his season-high with 23 points and made all eight of his foul shots to lead Iowa to an 80-70 win over North Florida on Monday in the Hawkeyes' final game before Big Ten play.

Iowa forced 20 turnovers - including five steals by White - and converted a season-best 26 of 28 free throws.

''We try to be outstanding there every night,'' Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. ''We wanted to get there. We wanted to throw the ball inside and drive the ball.''

Peter Jok scored 12 points in his first career start and Jarrod Uthoff added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (9-4), who snapped a two-game losing skid.

Trent Mackey scored all 18 of his points in the first half to lead the Ospreys (7-6). Mackey shot 6 of 8 on 3-point shots to tie his career best.

Iowa's 16-point lead late in the first half melted away after another poor shooting stretch immediately after halftime.

The Hawkeyes missed six straight shots over a five-minute span to open the second half - a troubling trend for McCaffery in Iowa's competitive games this season.

Iowa went seven minutes without a basket to start the second half against Northern Iowa on Saturday. The Hawkeyes allowed a 21-2 run after halftime in a loss to Iowa State on Dec. 12.

By the time Iowa scored in the second half on Monday, North Florida had clawed back into the game, trimming the deficit to five points. But the Ospreys couldn't get any closer.

After Iowa built a 13-point lead and North Florida cut it to five again with 8- 1/2 minutes left, the Hawkeyes responded with a 9-0 run. White turned a nice post move into a two-handed dunk and then Uthoff hit a transition 3-pointer after a turnover.

Jok started for Anthony Clemmons, who rolled an ankle against UNI. Jok made 2 of 4 3-pointers and Josh Oglesby added nine points on 3 of 4 3s. The guards entered Monday a combined 20 of 79 from 3-point range.

McCaffery said good shooters who aren't hitting shots need to stay engaged.

''All I ask you to do is to keep battling defensively, don't turn the ball over and make sure you take good shots,'' McCaffery said. ''I don't take the green light off you.''

North Florida shot 46 percent from the floor - including 12 of 26 3-pointers - but had 20 turnovers. Iowa scored 18 points off turnovers.

Beau Beech scored 17 points for the Ospreys. Dallas Moore added 13 points and seven assists.

TIP-INS

Iowa: The Hawkeyes scored 44 points in the first half, equaling their game total from Saturday's 56-44 loss to Northern Iowa.

North Florida: The Ospreys fell to 1-12 all-time against the Big Ten. ... North Florida had a 73-70 win at Purdue earlier this month.

MASH UNIT

Clemmons was limited to six minutes off the bench by a pair of ankle sprains. Clemmons sprained one ankle on Saturday against UNI and the other against North Florida. Clemmons started Iowa's first 12 games.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

''I was really disappointed the locker room wasn't pink,'' North Florida coach Matthew Driscoll said - a reference to the visitor's locker in Iowa football's Kinnick Stadium.

UP NEXT

Iowa travels to No. 21 Ohio State on Dec. 30.

North Florida travels to Tennessee Tech on Dec. 29.