By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – So many different factors have contributed to the Iowa men’s basketball team’s resurgence this season, and one of those factors was apparent on Friday, thanks to Isaiah Moss.

Iowa’s starting shooting guard was asked if he was surprised by how much time he spent on the bench in the second half of Wednesday’s 89-82 victory at Penn State after having scored 12 points in the first half.

“I think that was just the way things were going on the court,” Moss said before practice on Friday.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said basically the same thing when asked after the Penn State game why Moss didn’t play more in the second half.

McCaffery said the backcourt combination of junior Jordan Bohannon and redshirt freshman Connor McCaffery, who is Fran McCaffery's son, was clicking against Penn State, so he stayed with it in the second half.

Moss could have resented being benched and pouted or complained, but he put the team first, and that says a lot about him, and about why Iowa is having more success this season.

Iowa is ranked 23rd in the Associated Press poll and is 15-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten heading into Sunday’s game against Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“Connor and J-Bo had something going on and Connor responded,” Moss said. “Our bigs, getting them open, so I think that is just a combination that coached liked.”

Moss only played five minutes in the second half against Penn State after having played 16 minutes in the first half. He made all four of his 3-point baskets in the first half against Penn State, including three in a row during one stretch that expanded Iowa's lead to 29-20.

"I was pretty hot," said the 6-foot-5 Moss.

Connor McCaffery played 10 minutes in the first half against Penn State and 15 in the second half.

Connor’s presence at point guard allowed for Bohannon to play off the ball more and to get more open looks from the perimeter.

Bohannon led Iowa with five 3-point baskets against Penn State, including one from about 25 feet late in the second half that helped to secure Iowa's fourth victory in a row.

Fran McCaffery said he wishes that he would’ve played Moss more in the second half, and they have spoken about what occurred.

“We talked about it,” Moss said. “Everything is good. Connor and J-Bo, he liked that at the one and two, so he just went with that.

“And we got the win, so I can’t really say too much.”

 Moss actually said a lot by not saying too much.

One sign of a good team is having players who are willing to sacrifice personal glory for the sake of the team.

And that describes Moss in this case.

The fourth-year junior from Chicago showed both maturity and unselfishness with how he handled the situation at Penn State.

Moss did what you would expect any member of a team to do because the team should always come first.

But it's not that simple when you're dealing with emotion and egos.

Moss, deep down, had to be disappointed with having not played more in the second half against Penn State. But what's important is how he handled that disappointment    

The Iowa players are on mission to prove that last season's 14-19 record was a fluke, and putting team goals before individual goals is part of the mission. 

The fact that Connor McCaffery is Fran McCaffery’s son could create an awkward situation and cause some to think that Fran is favoring his son.

But Moss gave no indication on Friday that he feels he was treated unfairly at Penn State.

“As long as we find a way to win at the end of the day, no one has a problem with anything,” Moss said. “That’s all we’re trying to do is win.”