Tuesday evening was a historic night in program history as the Hawkeyes capped off Jersey Retirement Night with a dominating 86-60 win over the Michigan State Spartans. Recognition of Hawkeye greats Roy Marble, Chuck Darling, and Murray Wier set the scene, as they officially had their jerseys hung in the Carver-Hawkeye Arena rafters shortly before tipoff. Michigan State won the tip and jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead off of a hookshot from leading rebounder, Marcus Bingham Jr. This would end up being Michigan State’s only lead of the game as Iowa’s offense came out hot, led by none other than Keegan Murray. Keegan led all scorers with 28 points on 10-12 shooting. Jordan Bohannon and Kris Murray were the two other Hawkeyes that got in double figures, both with 11 points. Iowa hit twelve three-pointers, seven of which came in the first half. This is an impressive feat considering Michigan State is the No. 1 ranked three-point defense in the country. 

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The 2021 National Player of the Year, Iowa legend, and current Detroit Piston, Luka Garza, had his moment of celebration during halftime in front of his first crowd in Carver since before COVID, as #55 was retired forever. Watch the unveiling of #55 here.

Iowa continued the festivities through their performance in the second half. Keegan had a monster and-1, and gave a rare nod of emotion towards Garza sitting court-side. His twin Kris Murray’s third straight three-pointer in a span of 2:12 lifted the roof off Carver-Hawkeye. 

One of Tom Izzo’s first comments when he entered the postgame conference was a compliment for the packed Carver crowd, saying how “It felt like an ambush. [The] place was hopping.” With many in the public voicing their concerns about what the University needs to do to make Carver a better home environment, it is encouraging that Hawkeye fans showed up on Tuesday when the team needed it most. Izzo lauded Keegan Murray and Fran’s work with this team after losing players like Garza, Wieskamp, and Nunge, saying “he’s as good as any player [he’s] seen in a while… you start talking about the National Player and Coach of the Year–I think it might reside in Iowa City.” This is a huge endorsement from a veteran coach who has seen and coached talents such as Draymond Green and Denzel Valentine. Izzo also emphasized how impressed he was with  players such as Joe Toussaint, Tony Perkins, Ahron Uhlis, etc. as sub-guards, giving them the title of “MVPs of the team.” Even though they are not the highest scoring players on the court, their intensity and ability to pass, rebound, get steals, etc. are vital to the teams success. 

As much as Iowa’s offense shined, this was one of the most gritty defensive games of the season. Iowa forced 12 turnovers and held Michigan State’s starting five to 19 total points. When the Murray twins were asked what they felt has changed about the teams demeanor and intensity the past few games, Keegan said they have been “better at executing in the first half,” and have a higher “commitment to rebounding.” The last half of the season has not been kind to Iowa schedule-wise, but this team is playing their best basketball at the right time. If the Hawkeyes continue this full 40 minute effort on both sides of the ball, they are destined to make a deep run in March. ESPN bracketologist, Joe Lunardi, currently rates Iowa as a seven-seed in the NCAA tournament, while others rate the Hawks anywhere from a five to a ten-seed.  Iowa travels to Nebraska on Friday in hopes of a season sweep over the Huskers.

The post Hawkeye Basketball: Iowa dominates Michigan State on Jersey Retirement Night appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Luka Garza is the greatest men’s basketball player in Iowa Hawkeye history. Garza is the Hawkeyes’ all-Time leading scorer, finishing his career with an astounding 2,306 points. Last season he led the Hawkeyes to a 22-9 record, a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, Iowa’s highest seed since 1987, and he won the prestigious John R. Wooden Award, given to the best college basketball player in the nation. These are just some of the many accomplishments on Garza’s resume, but how does this Hawkeye legend project at the next level?

Pros:

Luka Garza does many things well on the court. He was 2^nd in the nation in scoring this past season, averaging 24.6 points per game. He is a highly skilled post player, has soft touch off the glass, finishing ability with both hands, and is able to create the space he needs to get his shots off with a variety of post moves and step backs jumpers. Garza can also get to the line effectively, as he ranked 5^th in the nation in total free throws attempted last season and shot 70% from the free throw line on 6.4 attempts a game. His silky smooth jumper gives him stretch big potential in the NBA; he shot 44% from 3 for the Hawkeyes on 100 total 3PA last year.

Garza is also a very good rebounder, pulling down 8.7 boards a game for the Hawkeyes last season, with 3 of those rebounds coming on the offensive end. His large frame (6’11”, 285 lbs.) and strength should help him be at least a decent rebounder in the NBA. He is an adequate playmaker for his size. Even though he only averaged 1.7 assists per game last season, he has shown that he has a high basketball IQ and knows how to find the open man when faced with a double team. Lastly, Garza is a capable shot blocker, averaging 1.6 blocks per game last season. NBA teams will also love how respected Garza is. Former and current coaches alike rave about his insane work ethic and coachability, and his teammates will be the first to speak on his leadership and humility.

Cons

Luka Garza is not a high-level athlete. He lacks lateral mobility and high IQ guards will take advantage of him in the pick-and-roll. His perimeter defense is extremely sub-par, and he does not do well against big men with a strong face-up game. His size & strength will not be enough to stop the likes of elite big men like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, so his technique must improve. He has also had trouble scoring in the paint against big men who are larger, stronger, and have length on him. Lastly, his ball-handling is only average at best, and has much room for improvement.

Projection:

Luka Garza is a multi-talented big who can score from all 3 levels on the floor and rebound effectively. His ability to spread the floor at his size is a very desirable trait in today’s NBA. He will need to improve his mobility substantially if he is to ever to play big minutes, and his overall defensive ability is only average at best. Teams with an already sound defense in need of bench shooting and/or a stretch big should consider drafting Garza. If he is drafted, look for his name to be called in the mid-to-late 2^nd round.

Potential Fits:

Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz.

The post Luka Garza 2021 NBA Draft Profile appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Four years later, the Hawkeyes came back into Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a ranking of #4 in the country, looking to snap a four-game losing streak against Matt Painter’s Boilermakers. In fact, the Hawkeyes haven’t come close to beating Purdue in the four meetings since January 2017, with an average margin of defeat of 21 points in that streak.

“My first two years, they’ve embarrassed us. Every time I’ve played them they’ve outhustled us, they’ve destroyed us on the glass,” junior guard Joe Wieskamp said. “This was one we really wanted to send a message against a good Purdue team, and we did a good job.”

Wieskamp continued his high-level of play on Tuesday night, as he poured in 17 points and nine rebounds just three days after dropping 20-9-4 against top-ranked Gonzaga in Iowa’s 99-88 loss to the Bulldogs at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.

The Hawkeyes also enjoyed another 20+ point performance from Luka Garza, as the senior post recorded his 17th straight Big Ten game with 20+ points. His streak matches the 17-game streak that former Ohio State star Dennis Hopson went on back in 1987.

Garza buried four threes in the contest, the final giving Iowa a 12-point lead with 2:28 to go in the game and the image of Garza making the shot with gauze up one of his once-bloodied nostrils served to be more than popular on social media.

“I thought tonight, we had open looks because he loaded people up. In and out. He made good decisions when he shot it,” Fran McCaffery said about Garza. “He was really good defensively and on the glass. Sat for a little bit with that third foul, and we got him back in there and he was able to finish.”

Iowa’s win against Purdue was the first time the Hawkeyes had begun the Big Ten slate 1-0 since 2015, when it beat then-#1 Michigan State at Carver to start a meteoric rise that saw that year’s squad rise to a #3 ranking at one point during the conference slate.

The Hawkeyes were ranked #3 when they took on #1 Gonzaga on Saturday in Sioux Falls. But, while Iowa fell to the nations top-ranked team and slid to #4 in Monday’s AP Poll, Fran McCaffery was not worried about his team’s ability, or inability, to avoid an emotional let down against the Boilermakers.

“We don’t let it linger. Let’s say make we won the game. Last two days we would’ve been ranked No. 1, everybody would’ve been saying how great we are. And we’ve got to battle Purdue,” McCaffery said. “

“We know what playing Purdue is like. They kicked us twice last year. So I think a team’s ability to understand that is going to be the key to success for the rest of the season.”

Perhaps the biggest key in the Hawkeyes win on Tuesday was their performance defensively. Following facing a Gonzaga offense that ripped Iowa’s defense to shreds, the Hawkeyes held Purdue to 55 points on the night. In the four previous matchups, Purdue averaged 88.5 points in those contests.

“It was by far our best effort on the glass and defensively,” Fran McCaffery said. “I thought we were pretty good — really good actually — against Carolina. We were locked in.”

With the performance, Iowa’s adjusted defensive rating went from 83rd to 62nd in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy. The rating is by far the worst for any team in the AP Top 10, but with the #1 Adjusted Offense in College Basketball, a rating in the mid-60s is all Iowa needs to be an elite basketball team.

Iowa will hit the road in Big Ten play for the first time this season as they take on border-rival Minnesota at Williams Arena in a Christmas Day matchup. The Hawkeyes were 2-0 against the Gophers in 2019-2020.

The post Iowa snaps four-game skid to Purdue, 70-55 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It was a pretty amazing start to the weekend for Hawkeye fans across the country with big Hawkeye football and basketball wins. Hawkeye football started the day off by beating Nebraska 26-20 with a late-game interception, and then Luka Garza dropped 41 points in a fast-paced win for the Iowa Hawkeyes over the Southern University Jaguars.

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Although we typically see Luka Garza lead this team to victory, this one was something special. Garza had 36 points, shot 12/12 from the field, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 3 blocks… in the first half of the game. He had more points than the entire Jaguars team in the first half.

Garza ended up finishing with 41 points, but the biggest ‘wow’ moment of the game was Southern University deciding to not double team the heavy National Player Of the Year favorite. When asked about the way Southern decided to guard him in the post-game press conference, Luka Garza had this to say.

“Our team was just being really unselfish moving the ball around. I think they were trying to double at points but we were pushing in transition to where they couldn’t double… the next time a team plays a zone like that against us, we’re going to bury them.”

As expected, Garza did not play too much in the second half due to the blowout and wanting to avoid possible injury. Thus, it was time to showcase all the other firepower the Iowa Hawkeyes have.

This tournament has bring a lot of surprises, check out the NBA rookie odds that have happened during this season.

Junior guard Joe Wieskamp had a stellar game shooting 4-6 from beyond the arc, cashing in 16 points for the Hawkeyes. Freshman standout Keegan Murray from Cedar Rapids had 9 points, shooting 3-4 from the field and making his lone three-point attempt. Finally, beloved senior Jordan Bohannon finished with 5 points, but was passing the ball all around the court and finished with 7 assists.

While this was a great team win like always with the Hawkeyes, head coach Fran McCaffery offered some places where the team could improve, related to the team getting ‘too comfortable’ and the lack of rebounding. Coach McCaffery stated:

“I think you want them [the players] to hold themselves accountable but you have to be careful, and I was on them, I was on them hard… but the one thing that upset me was their [Southern] offense rebounding and our lack of offensive rebounding… get to the offensive glass.”

This, of course, was in response to the Jaguars out rebounding the Hawkeyes on the offensive glass by 19-10.

These Iowa Hawkeyes are a special group of players, and they know where they need to improve. But from the outside looking in, there is not a whole lot to improve on in these first two games into the season. This Hawkeye team is on a roll.

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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought it would be fitting to discuss some things in the world of sports that we can be thankful for. Without further ado, here are those things…

College Basketball is Starting

Because of the coronavirus, we were robbed of the most wonderful time of the sports year – March Madness. Nothing beats making a bracket and hanging on tooth and nail to every game in hopes that your upset picks were correct and your Final Four teams move into the next round. I tried to scratch my bracket-making itch by filling in an Electoral College map this year but believe me, it wasn’t the same. Fans of the teams may wear customized wristbands and other sports apparel to show their support.

While March Madness and the excitement of sports fandom bring joy to many, it’s crucial to consider the impact of prolonged standing or intense physical activity on our bodies. This is where orthotics can play a significant role in providing comfort and support.

Whether you’re cheering courtside or pacing around the living room during a nail-biting game, the right orthotic inserts can alleviate discomfort and prevent potential foot issues. Websites like EaseTheFeet.com offer a range of orthotic solutions tailored to individual needs, ensuring that fans can continue to enjoy their favorite pastimes without sacrificing comfort or well-being. So, while the thrill of March Madness may be on hiatus, investing in proper foot support ensures that fans can stay in the game, both literally and figuratively.

Never fear, after some slight scheduling modifications, the NCAA college basketball season is starting this Thanksgiving week.

The Hail Mary

In my opinion, there is no play more exciting in all of sports than the last-second Hail Mary. After nearly 60 minutes of battling it out in the trenches and with the trailing team out of options, for a moment, the gridiron is transformed into a schoolyard game of 500. Within 10 seconds of the quarterback taking the snap, one team will be alive with the thrills of victory, and the other team dead in the agony of defeat. The ball hangs in the air for what feels like forever, the camera pans to the mess of players jostling for position, and finally, the ball drops out of the sky to decide the fate of the game. Poetry in motion.

Announcers

Recently I have been reading Al Michaels’ book, You Can’t Make This Up, and it has given me a new appreciation for sportscasters. It’s easy to overlook announcers when flipping through games on TV or the radio, and often, it’s easy to hate on them. But instead of discounting and denigrating them, I think it’s more fun to view announcers as characters who add to the experience of watching a sporting event. After all, can you imagine the Masters without Jim Nantz or the afternoon football game on Fox without Joe Buck?

From the measured warmth of an Al Michaels to the spontaneous rambling of a Bill Walton, announcers who are able to brush their personality on a game all while providing insight and value are national treasures. So thank you, announcers.

The 4^th of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Jordan. Woods. Brady. Chestnut.

Is there anyone who has dominated their sport the way Joey Chestnut has dominated the 4^th of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest? The man has won 13 out of the last 14 years. And in those 13 wins, Chestnut has eaten 244,720 calories worth of hot dogs. That’s over 122 days of food based on a 2000 calorie per day diet. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and marvel at greatness.

The Sound of a Baseball Being Ripped Past the Infield

Surely, there is no better sound in sports than the sound of a baseball colliding with the sweet spot of a bat. A nice crack of the bat on a hot summer’s day is what America is all about. The only other sports sound that comes close is the sound of a football hitting the upright. Cody Parkey’s double doink in Chicago was a piece of symphonic genius. Nevertheless, nothing beats the sound of a crack of the bat, so I am thankful for the science behind that sound.

The post 5 Sports-Related Things I Am Thankful For appeared first on KRUI Radio.

McCaffery answered many of those questions, leading off with what Iowa’s schedule would look like for the 2020-21 college basketball season.

“We’re gonna play 27 games, which means we’ll have our own MTE ..[Multi-Team Event].. if we didn’t we’d only be able to play 25. I feel pretty good about the [Big Ten/ACC] Challenge, I feel pretty good about Iowa State,” McCaffery said.

The news of an Iowa-Iowa State matchup on the basketball court should quench some of the thirst from the absent fall gridiron. Iowa is also looking at a top-tier matchup in this season’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge as well.

McCaffery pushed back on the notion of Big Ten teams playing in a bubble this winter, as he states there is only one true bubble in the sports world at the moment.

“The only bubble is what the NBA is doing, and they spent 170 million dollars, no one else is doing it. There is no such thing as a bubble. All it means is you’re going to one location, you sequester in a hotel and the clean the arena extra well,” McCaffery said.

The ability to test and test well for COVID-19 is what McCaffery believes is most important for college basketball, as is currently being shown.

Talk then turned to the squad McCaffery is putting on the court in 2020-21. It is a team with a great chance to win not only a Big Ten Championship, but contend for a national championship as well. Injuries ravaged Iowa’s roster in the 2019-20 season, but McCaffery did offer positive news on players who are looking to be healthy.

“CJ [Fredrick] looks really good, as we thought he would, so does Jack [Nunge], but Jack has not been fully cleared yet for full activity. He does a lot of what we do, but I’m excited for those guys,” McCaffery said.

Fredrick battled various ailments to both of his legs last season and Jack Nunge was lost early in the non-conference schedule to a torn ACL. Their return gives Iowa two starters and greater depth for the 2020-21 season.

McCaffery talked at length about Iowa’s freshman class, a class that includes Ahron Ulis, Tony Perkins, Josh Ogundele as well as twins Keegan and Kris Murray. It was emphasized that McCaffery felt comfortable playing all five of his freshman this season.

The last question was saved about Iowa’s star player and reigning Big Ten and National Player of the Year: Luka Garza. McCaffery praised his superstar’s efforts during the offseason, especially with all of the COVID restrictions in place.

“I think you’ll see him be even more versatile, because he’s a guy that keeps working on his game,” McCaffery said. “His game keeps evolving, shooting more threes, putting the ball on the deck more. Luka Garza’s really put the time in. He hasn’t rested on his accomplishments, he’s hungrier than ever.”

The post McCaffery talks schedule, COVID, and expectations appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Instead of the gridiron, this decision came on the hardwood, and the subject of the decision was Luka Garza. His decision? It’s time to ramp up for the winter of 2020-21 as the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year. The consensus 1st-team All-American is returning to Iowa City for his senior season.

Garza made the announcement via a Zoom conference on Sunday afternoon to a pool of reporters and a large audience watching the stream through YouTube. Social media was ablaze with hopes of a Black and Gold national title run this upcoming winter.

“At the end of the day, I felt very confident that I wanted to come back and finish my career at the University of Iowa,” Garza said. “Coach McCaffery saw something in me that not a lot of other coaches saw and he took a chance on me and I feel like he’s done so much for me in my career, it wouldn’t be right to not finish what I started.”

Garza’s decision makes Iowa an instant favorite to win its first Big Ten regular-season championship since 1979 and sets the stage for the program’s first-ever national championship. The Hawkeyes last made an appearance in a national title game in 1956, and the Final Four in 1980.

The 6’11” center’s decision came nearly 24 hours after Big Ten-rival Illinois saw their two stars, Ayo Donsumu and Kofi Cockburn return to school. While Garza said their decision had no impact on him, he said he was happy for them and couldn’t wait for the Big Ten season.

“My mind was made up before then, but it was obviously great to see those guys come back. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to match-up with that team, they’re very talented and having those two back is going to help them a lot,” Garza said. “I’m very excited, the Big Ten is going to be really, really good this year and it’ll be fun to be a part of.”

With Garza’s return, there is the distinct possibility that the Big Ten could see four potential, preseason top-10 teams in men’s college basketball, an unprecedented number since the AP Poll began releasing preseason polls in 1961. Along with Iowa in that class is Illinois, and defending Big Ten co-champs Michigan State and Wisconsin.

While Garza is aware of all the hype surrounding the Iowa basketball program heading into the season, he made sure to reaffirm that it they will need to put in work.

“A lot of that doesn’t mean anything until we step on the court and prove what people are talking about,” Garza said. “That’s our focus right now, getting back on the court. We’re gonna work as hard as we did after that 14-19 season when we were set out to prove everyone wrong.”

Iowa basketball has come a long ways from that 14-19 season they had in 2017-18, a year which may now be viewed as the spring board to one of the most successful runs in Iowa basketball history.

As of right now, Iowa has the best starting five in all of college basketball with Luka Garza’s return.

A line up of Garza, Jordan Bohannon, CJ Fredrick, Conner McCaffery and Joe Wieskamp combined to average 63.1 PPG on a team that averaged 77.7 PPG in 2019-20. In total, those five make up 1,712 of Iowa’s 2,410 total points in 2019-20, 71% of their total points.

All five players shot 32% or better from three last season, with Jordan Bohannon having the lowest percentage as he only played 10 games. Add Joe Toussaint into the picture as a sixth man, Iowa returns 15.8 assists per game on a team that averaged 17.4 assists per game last season, which was fifth in all of college basketball.

It is likely that Iowa begins the 2020-21 season as a preseason top five team, which would be the first time they have held that position in the preseason poll in school history, as the previous high was #7, which Iowa held in 1983 and 1988 under George Raveling and Tom Davis, respectively.

Even if Iowa is given a top 5 ranking in the preseason polls, the chip on their shoulder is still a large one. This is an Iowa team that is hungry and eager. Eager to prove that they were more than able to make a run in Indianapolis for a Big Ten Tournament title and be the first Hawkeye men’s team to make it to the second weekend since 1999.

The players on this Iowa team showed game-in and game-out last season that they hold an “us against them mentality.” They weren’t afraid to let people know when they did something great or to go nose-to-nose with their doubters.

Last year’s Iowa team was the toughest I’ve ever seen, physically and mentally. Match that with another off-season of work and returning the best player in college basketball, this team could and very well should be competing, and maybe even celebrating, in Lucas Oil Stadium on April 5th, 2021.

The post Douglas: Garza’s return spells historic upcoming season for Iowa appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Hawkeyes started off lightning quick as they ran out to a 17-4 lead by the Under-16 media timeout. It would only get worse from their. Luka Garza led all scorers with 22 points, going 8-8 from the field and going 5-6 from the free throw line.

“I play as hard as I can, my teammates were finding me in open spots, and my jump shot felt really good,” Garza said of his consistency. “I worked really hard all summer to have a consistent three-point shot, so that felt great as well.”

Right behind Garza in the score column was star freshman Joe Wieskamp, who dropped 20 points on the night, with 18 coming in the first half. “He was really aggressive tonight and that’s what we want him to be,” Fran McCaffery said of Wieskamp. “He puts it on the deck, shoots the three, and is aggressive on the glass. He is versatile.”

Garza and Cook led the Hawkeyes in scoring with Tyler Cook trailing behind with 15 points and a couple of nice dunks in the half-court set. Isaiah Moss, who had struggled in New York during the Empire 2K Classic, came to life in front of the home fans, scoring 15 points, knocking down three of four, three-pointers, and a beautiful fast-break dunk in the first half.

“Now Moss with the steal – SHOWTIME!”@IowaHoops jumped ahead 12-0 on this slam. pic.twitter.com/qzbYiU9WtH

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) November 22, 2018

It was also a big night for the Iowa walk-ons as all four of them saw playing time: Riley Till, Austin Ash, Nicholas Hobbs and Michael Baer. Austin Ash scored his first career points as a Hawkeye on three-pointer with 4:17 to go in the ball game, and the crowd very nearly took the roof off Carver-Hawkeye Arena is Ash’s follow up three-pointer would have fallen.

Iowa now begins a crucial four-game stretch starting with their matchup against the Pitt Panthers in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on November 27th. “You’ve got four monsters coming up, but I don’t look at it that way, I look at it as one monster coming up, and we’ll worry about the ones after that,” Fran McCaffery said of the four-game slate against Pitt, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Iowa State.

Iowa’s next match-up is against Pitt in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on Tuesday, November 27th at 8:00 PM on ESPNU.

The post Garza, Wieskamp lead Iowa past Alabama State appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Thursday night, the Iowa offense was struggling, at halftime the Hawkeyes were only 8-25 from the field, shooting 17 threes in the process. “In the first half, we took 17 threes and eight two-point shots, So I was really disappointed in that aspect, I thought we had an advantage in the post offensively, I know I wanted to try and exploit that but we were jacking threes”, Fran McCaffery said of the first half shooting.

Iowa turned to their defense in their 77-63 win over the UMKC Kangaroos, “It was kind of funny, we kind of joked around about it in the locker room,” junior forward Ryan Kriener said. “This was kind of the first time that offense has been our problem, our offense was a little stagnant and our defense really held us in there”. Kreiner played 16 minutes and was very effective on the defensive end, adding eight rebounds to his six points.

The game also marked the official debut of freshman guard Joe Wieskamp, the former five-star recruit from Muscatine High School was the Hawkeyes leading scorer with 15, including four, three-pointers in the first half.

“Being here since June, going up against the guys every day, I think you just adjust,” Wieskamp said of his adjustment to the college game. Wieskamp also showed his great athleticism with a beautiful putback dunk in the second half that received a rousing cheer from the Carver crowd of 9,317.

Get up then, @JWieskamp21!

The @IowaHoops freshman has showed out tonight: pic.twitter.com/tuuY6MGx1j

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) November 9, 2018

Junior guard Maishe Dailey also played a big role off the bench against the Kangaroos as he scored 11 points. “We just needed to bring intensity, we felt like we got hit in the mouth in the first half so we just wanted to bring that fight and we reciprocated that fight in the second half,” Dailey said of Iowa’s performance.

Dailey also believes he’s transitioned into the role of “Defensive stopper and defensive leader,” and if he in fact has, would be a huge boost to this Iowa team.

Joe Wieskamp led all Iowa scorers with 15 points and also added four rebounds and an assist. Juniors Jordan Bohannon and Tyler Cook followed up with 12 points each, Bohannon added four rebounds and three assists, while Cook accumulated eight rebounds and five assists.

Next in the scoring column was Maishe Dailey, who had 11 points with two assists to boot. Sophomore Luka Garza added eight points and three rebounds and freshman Connor McCaffery contributed seven points and three assists.

Iowa’s next action is Sunday afternoon against Wisconsin-Green Bay, tipoff is at 2 P.M. local time.

The post Hawkeyes use defense to beat UMKC appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Iowa defeated the odds Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, putting together their best complete game as a team in well over a month as they rolled over the Badgers, 85–67.

“We watched a lot of film of the Purdue game”, said Iowa center Luka Garza, “Seeing the lack of awareness, attention to detail … we saw that … and it was hard for a lot of our guys, and we locked into what we needed to do, and we did it.”

Garza stole the show on Tuesday, putting together one of his best games in what has been a miraculous freshman season for the big man. Garza tied for the team lead with 17 points, collected 16 rebounds and more than held his own on the defensive end against Badgers All-American Ethan Happ. Happ finished with 21 points but was kept in tune most of the first half and turned the ball over four times.

Garza’s performance did not go unnoticed.

“He’s a gamer. He’s a warrior. He’s relentless,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “He’s a worker,” said Tyler Cook, “He’s always in the gym, always working on his game … when you got a guy like that, even if you struggle, you never hit a wall.”

Garza’s 16 rebounds are the most by any Iowa player in almost two years. He’s improved almost all aspects of his game since a slow start to Big Ten play in the new year.

Cook added 17 points of his own while throwing down some ferocious dunks to open the second half.

“He had a monster game,” said McCaffery. “I thought he was a big reason why we got the lead we got.”

Iowa did not light up the scoreboard with three-pointers like they have tried to do in recent games, only nailing six threes, but their defense on that same end was steadily improved. After allowing a Big Ten record 20 three-pointers against Purdue on Saturday, Iowa held Wisconsin to just 4 of 18 shooting from beyond the arc.

“We weren’t happy with what we did this weekend,” said Garza. “We locked in, everyone was focused and ready to play with emotion, and when you do that, momentum comes your way.”

One of the key moments in the game came towards the very end of the first half, with the Hawkeyes leading by just four. Isaiah Moss took a corner three that looked to be too strong off the back rim, before bouncing around a bit and falling through the hoop. It put the Hawkeyes up seven, which they would stretch to nine (again via Moss) a few seconds later.

“Oh yeah,” said Moss, when asked if he knew that shot was going in. “The timeout before that, Tyler said he was going to pass it to me, so I was ready.”

The Hawkeyes had been lacking that sort of continuity and preparedness on offense in their last several Big Ten games. If the kinds of messages sent after the Purdue loss continue to resonate, the Hawkeyes could surprise some teams the last half of Big Ten play.

Iowa is back in action on Saturday when they visit Nebraska.

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