By JAMES ALLAN
hawkeyesports.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa – It was Luka Garza and the Hawkeye reserves that led the eighth-ranked University of Iowa men’s basketball team to an 84-78 victory over Michigan State on Tuesday night on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Garza was Garza, finishing with a game-high 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting and 12 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. The Hawkeye bench was the difference, as the six reserves combined for 39 points, 19 rebounds, and eight assists.
“The bench was huge, I am so proud of those guys,” said Garza. “Throughout the whole game, they were making plays, first half, second half, they gave us a lift and were giving us energy.”
Redshirt sophomore Jack Nunge scored 12 points, including 11 in the first half, helping Iowa erase an 11-point deficit. Sophomore Joe Toussaint had 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting and six assists (to one turnover), Keegan Murray scored seven points and the trio of Patrick McCaffery (four points), Tony Perkins (four points), and Aaron Ulis (two points) combined for 11.
The Spartans came out on a torrid pace, making their first six 3-pointers to build a 26-15 lead eight minutes in. With a lineup consisting of Patrick McCaffery, Toussaint, Perkins, Nunge, and Garza, the Hawkeyes had the lead trimmed to 28-23 at the 8:41 mark.
Iowa got to within two at 32-30 and climbed all the way back to tie the game at 38 on two Garza free throws. The Hawkeyes closed out the first half on a 16-6 run to take a 48-43 lead into the break.
“We had that lineup on the floor that clicked,” said head coach Fran McCaffery. “It wasn’t like I came into the game and said I was going to go with this lineup. That lineup was on the floor and they played well together. That’s what you need, you have to be able to do that.”
Iowa pushed its lead to eight points early in the second half, but the Spartans battled back to tie the game at 57, 59, 61, and 63 with 10 minutes to play. The Hawkeye reserves took over.
Patrick McCaffery’s fast-break layup (on an assist from Toussaint) game Iowa a 65-63 lead, Toussaint followed with back-to-back jumpers, Murray made two free throws, and Perkins’ driving layup made the score 73-68.
The Hawkeyes pushed their lead to 79-70 with 3:37 left on a Garza layup, but the Spartans wouldn’t go away. Michigan State got to within a field goal at 80-78 and had a chance to tie or take the lead with 24 seconds to play, but Josh Langford’s pull-up jumper rattled off the rim.
Senior Jordan Bohannon then iced the win with four free throws in the final 15 seconds.
The Hawkeyes shot 50 percent from the field (28-of-56), but went just 5-of-17 from 3-point range (two of the makes were from Nunge). Iowa shot 35 free throws (but missed 12). The Spartans shot 40 percent, made 12 3-pointers, and were +4 on the glass.
Aaron Henry paced the Spartans with 24 points and nine rebounds.
