Commitment from top center boosts Iowa’s rebuilding effort

When Adam Woodbury announced Wednesday night that he plans to attend Iowa next fall, the promising 7-foot-1 center's decision was significant on two fronts. Not only is the Sioux City native's commitment a boost to second-year Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery's bid to rejuvenate the program, it also ends North Carolina coach Roy Williams' lengthy streak of plucking top recruits from the state of Iowa. Woodbury, a Sioux City native, spurned an offer from North Carolina in spite of the success Iowa-born prospects have long enjoyed under Williams. Kirk Hinrich, Nick Collison and Raef LaFrentz each became All-Americans at Kansas under Williams and current North Carolina star Harrison Barnes and Class of 2012 commit Marcus Paige hope to someday achieve that same honor. The appeal of Iowa for Woodbury was having the chance to help rebuild a program he grew up supporting as a kid. The Hawkeyes missed the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight season last year with an 11-20 rec...