Dec. 31, 2006

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -Jessica Davenport scored 24 points and Marscilla Packer added 23 as Ohio State staved off an upset bid and beat Iowa 73-67 on Sunday.

The No. 7 Buckeyes (11-1) trailed 32-31 at halftime of their Big Ten opener, but Davenport scored 16 points after the break to help them outlast the Hawkeyes (9-6).

Iowa pulled within a point with just under 10 minutes left, but a 7-0 run by the Buckeyes - which included a layup and 3-pointer by Packer - made it 61-53.

Kristi Smith answered with a three-point play but Packer hit another 3-pointer to push Ohio State's lead to 64-56. The Hawkeyes got within three when Smith curled around the right baseline and made a long jumper to bring the home fans to their feet.

But Packer responded again with a deep shot of her own with less than two minutes remaining.

Smith sank a 3-pointer from near the top of the key with just 90 seconds to go, but Davenport caught a lob pass and put in a layup to answer.

Iowa didn't score again.

Davenport, the senior center, who came up just two points shy of tying a season high, led the Buckeyes in their first game back from an 11-day layoff after topping then-No. 3 Oklahoma on Dec. 20.

Iowa had four players in double-figures, led by Smith with 21, and Megan Skouby with a season-high 19.