NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa – Shortly after their Prime Time League game tipped off here Thursday night, it became obvious that Iowa teammates Brandon Hutton and Andrew Fleming were settling in to battle each other. They acknowledged it afterward.

"I look forward to going against Andrew Fleming, any one of my teammates, because I know we’re going to make each other better at different parts of our game. It’s a competition every time we step on the floor against each other, even in practice. We’ve got to be like that. That’s what’s going to bring the competitiveness and get us wins in the season," Hutton said.

Said Fleming: "I think that we’re good friends off the court but I do like it when we get on the court. I want to compete. We talk to each other, maybe talk a little trash. Whatever we’ve got to do to make each other go a little bit harder I like. I liked to see Brandon try to go at me a little bit tonight. That was good."

Fleming’s team advanced in the PTL playoffs with a 102-99 victory. It overcame a 15-point halftime deficit.

Fleming scored 24 points (7-19 from the floor, 1 of 7 on threes), grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out six assists. Hutton finished with 32 points (13 of 25, 4 of 9), nine rebounds and an assist.

Hutton and Fleming are part of a group of six incoming players. They’re joined by JUCO transfer Dale Jones and fellow freshmen Ahmad Wagner, Christian Williams and Isaiah Moss. The latter is expected to arrive on campus next month.

With four starters returning along with key reserves Anthony Clemmons and Dom Uhl, the new guys are competing for spots in the rotation. In team workouts and the PTL, the race for minutes is on.

"We’re competing but we’re not letting it get to us," Hutton said. "We know somebody is not going to have as much time as they want to, but right now we have to keep working hard until that time comes. Nothing is promised. We have to work for whatever we receive."

Williams is playing a lot of point guard but can play off the ball. Wagner operates at the four mostly but can slide to the three. Jones looks like a combo forward.

While Hutton and Fleming are versatile and could play together, they’re essentially competing for time at the 2-3. That scenario is not lost on them.

"It’s always intense. I’m from the city of Chicago and we don’t really take anything light. We’re always trying to play hard. I love the game so just play hard," Hutton said.

The Windy City product was picking up his Hawkeye teammate in the full court on defense Thursday night. For the uninitiated, the PTL never has been known for defense.

"For sure," Fleming said when asked if he was a little extra jacked up to face Hutton. "I don’t know what his motives were but I just want to win. So whatever I can do to win, I’m going to do it.

"There’s definitely some competition. I think I’ll play. I’m just going to keep doing what I can do to play and I’ll let the rest take care of itself."

Off the court, this unusually large group of incoming players is bonding, trying to build chemistry. Fleming is rooming with Wagner in the dorms this summer and the others are close by.

"Christian is a good guy. Quiet, but again, he’s a good guy. So is Brandon. He’s really funny. I think it’s a good mix and a great job to the coaches with how they recruited us," Fleming said.

The fresh faces arrived on campus early last month. They jumped into basketball workouts and academics.

"I’m taking two summer classes. I’m doing well. Sociology is confusing but I’m doing the best I can," Fleming said with a smile. "We probably wake up at 6 (in the morning) and do our 7 a.m. workout and we don’t go to bed until 12 (midnight) because of studying or whatever it is or if I go to the gym late."

Fleming believes all of the freshmen currently on campus bring skills that can get them on the floor right away.

"Brandon is a great slasher. Christian is a really good floor general. Ahmad is a great four, probably pushing three because he can put it on the ground a little and he’s got some moves in there and he’s athletic. With me, I think I can just score," he said.

TIP-INS: Redshirt freshman Brady Ellingson sat out his team’s victory Thursday night with what Iowa sports information said was an undisclosed injury. The shooting guard is listed as day to day and is expected to return to team workouts next week…Junior Peter Jok caused a scare when he went down with what appeared to be a leg injury. After some treatment from the trainer, he returned to the court, however…Senior Point Guard Anthony Clemmons won championships in his first three seasons of the PTL. That run came to an end Thursday night when his squad fell, 103-92, despite his 24-point, nine-assist evening.