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U men's basketball: Tucker won't let incident define him

Iowa's leading scorer pled guilty to a public intoxication charge, but is intent on making amends for his mistake.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: January 7, 2009 - 1:18 AM

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Anthony Tucker had the kind of high school career kids dream about. After leading Minnetonka to a Class 4A title last season, the reigning Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year took his services to Iowa, where he leads the team in scoring as a freshman.

But in early December, a costly decision led to a series of other challenges, which have humbled the first-year player and taught him a number of valuable lessons.

Tucker was charged with public intoxication after he was found unconscious behind a bar just after midnight on Dec. 7. He registered a .19 blood alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit. He pled guilty and paid a $182 fine and was suspended indefinitely by coach Todd Lickliter.

Tucker missed the team's next two games, before returning to lead Iowa with 12 points against Drake five days before Christmas. But he's played only one minute in the team's past three games, which Lickliter attributes to Tucker's recent battle with mononucleosis, which caused him to lose eight pounds.

Tucker doesn't worry about playing time. He said he's focused on making sure his highly publicized decision to engage in underage drinking was a youthful error, and not something that defines him or his career.

"Obviously, I just have to make better decisions," he said. "It [had an impact on] me. I apologized to my teammates and stuff. I felt bad for the negative publicity it brought on the program and the university. I just have to make better decisions and not put myself in that situation."

Not only did Tucker have to deal with the backlash of his lapse in judgment, but he has had to work extremely hard to regain his strength after his illness.

Lickliter said Monday, however, that the team's chemistry remains intact without Tucker. Iowa (11-4, 1-1 Big Ten) is 4-0 while hardly using Minne-tonka's career scoring leader (1,908 points). The Hawkeyes face the No. 22 Gophers (13-1, 1-1) on Thursday night, in Minnesota's first Big Ten road test of the season.

Tucker said he's close to being 100 percent. After his public intoxication charge, however, he said he's far more cautious and just trying to do what he can to avoid repeating an error that he said stunned family and friends in Minnetonka.

He's still the team's leading scorer at 11.8 points per game. His role going forward remains unclear. However, it's hard to believe he'll be a reserve once he's 100 percent in a conference that's as competitive as it's been in recent years.

Tucker said his coaches and the university community have helped him move forward. He said Lickliter's decision to suspend him was fair, and he also thanked his teammates and parents for their support. Lickliter said he believes Tucker has learned a lot from the incident.

"That's behind us, without question," Lickliter said. "He's a team guy and I have no problem with Anthony. ... We can't change things that have happened, but we sure can learn from them. And I know Anthony has. He's really a good teammate."

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