IOWA CITY, Iowa – The 25th-ranked University of Iowa men’s basketball team drained 12 3-point field goals on Tuesday night en route to an 86-60 pummeling of No. 24 Michigan State on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
While Hawkeye basketball legend Luka Garza (‘21) was being honored with a jersey-retirement celebration at halftime, the Hawkeyes carried a 14-point lead into the locker room thanks in part to 7-of-14 3-point shooting in the first period.
Sophomore Keegan Murray had 18 first half points in 18 minutes of action, helping Iowa extend an early lead to as many as 15 points in the first 20 minutes.
The Spartans hung around early in the second half, posting the first two buckets of the half and later cutting the deficit to 11 points on a driving layup with 13 minutes remaining.
Sixth year senior Jordan Bohannon had a swift and forceful answer, draining a deep 3 as the shot clock expired and another step-back trey on the following possession. Soon after, a string of three triples in just over two minutes from sophomore Kris Murray broke the game open, with the Hawkeyes claiming a 32-point lead at their zenith.
The Hawkeyes led for 38 minutes of game time, as Keegan Murray finished with 28 points in another dominating performance. The Wooden Award and Lute Olson Award late season Watch List honoree shot 10-of-15 (67 percent) from the floor and posted five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.
Bohannon and Kris Murray both added 11 points apiece, each draining a team-best three 3-point shots on the contest. Eleven total Hawkeyes scored, as Iowa shot 43 percent from both the floor (28-of-65) and behind the arc (12-of-28).
QUOTING HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
“We’ve been pretty good. We’ve won five out of six. Our consistency on offense pushing the ball, moving the ball, sharing the ball were important, and then our consistency defensively challenging on the glass. You play Michigan State, it’s not easy to out-rebound them. If you out-rebound whoever you play, you have a pretty good chance to win. We know who Michigan State is. If you are not tenacious, they are going to come back on you and they’re going to beat you. It’s that simple. So you have to be able to match the physicality and intensity, and we did that.
“I am pleased that our fans showed up. Our students came out. Our fans came out. When you wake up in the morning and see there is ice everywhere you are concerned, are people going to be able to get here? People that want to come, can they get here? They were here. We had the 19-3 run and they were right in there, they were really loud.
“To have them to recognize four of the greatest to ever do it here with the jersey ceremony. It was great to have Dev (Marble) back, one of my favorites. When you have a celebration like that you want everything to go well and it did.”
NOTABLES
- Tonight’s victory is No. 500 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa is 500-151 all-time at the venue over the last 39 years. Iowa is 14-3 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season.
- The Hawkeyes have won three straight in the series over Michigan State for the first time since the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
- Iowa has defeated the Spartans by a combined 56 points in its last two victories – 88-58 on Feb. 13, 2021, in East Lansing and 86-60 tonight. Iowa has won by 26+ points in the last two meetings.
- The 26-point victory is the largest margin in Iowa City since 1996 (83-47).
- Tonight’s win was Iowa’s second straight win over a ranked opponent (W, 75-62 over No. 18 Ohio State on Feb. 19). Iowa has won consecutive games over ranked opponents for the first time since beating No. 19 Northwestern and at No. 14 Rutgers last season.
- Iowa led 46-32 at the half. The Hawkeyes’ 46 first-half points were the most Michigan State has allowed in the first half this season and the third-most it has allowed in a half this season.
- Sophomore Keegan Murray finished with a game-high 28 points, making 10-of-15 field goals, including two 3-pointers. Murray, who scored 18 points in the first half, has scored 25 or more in an NCAA-best 12 games this season.
- The Hawkeyes made 12 3-point field goals, shooting 42.9 percent from long range. Iowa has made 10 or more 3s in three of the last five games and in 10 contests this season. Michigan State entered the game with a Big Ten-best 30.2 percent 3-point defense.
- Sophomore Kris Murray tied a career-high with three 3-point field goals.
- Iowa won the rebounding battle, 44-43. The Hawkeyes are 16-0 this season when out-rebounding their opponents.
- Michigan State attempted four free throws (two makes) – season lows in both categories. They are a season low total by a Hawkeye opponent.
- Iowa went on a 10-0 run in the first half and a 12-0 run in the second half. It was the team’s 21st and 22nd runs of 10 or more in 27 games.
- Today’s meeting was the only regular season meeting between Iowa and Michigan State.
- Two-time National Player of the Year Luka Garza was in attendance and had his No. 55 retired at halftime. Iowa also retired the jerseys of Hawkeye greats Charles “Chuck” Darling, Roy Marble and Murray Wier prior to the game.
UP NEXT
Iowa (19-8, 9-7) travels to Lincoln to face Nebraska on Friday at Pinnacle Arena. Tipoff is set for 8:07 p.m. (CT).