Hawkeyes Fall in State College, 89-79

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. –  The University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to Penn State, 89-79, on Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Hawkeyes fall to 13-10 on the season and 5-7 in Big Ten Conference play.

Graduate Ben Krikke led the Hawkeyes in the scoring column with 22 points. The effort marks Krikke’s seventh time this season scoring 20+ points. Krikke shot 10-of-18 from the field and pulled in five rebounds.

Senior Tony Perkins totaled 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Perkins dished out eight assists and grabbed four rebounds. Senior Patrick McCaffery rounded out the Hawkeyes in double digits with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Iowa was able to convert in the paint in the first half scoring 20 points in the paint. Ball security was an issue for both teams as Iowa had 10 first half turnovers followed by Penn State’s nine first half turnovers. Iowa was able to convert those turnovers into eight points but trailed the Nittany Lions at the break, 42-34.

The Hawkeyes were able to battle back and retake the lead in the second half. Leading 63-56, an 11-0 Penn State run allowed the Nittany Lions to take the lead back for good. Iowa shot 19-of-29 (65.5%) from the field and 2-of-7 (28.6%) from three in the second half.

Iowa finished the game shooting 33-of-59 (55.9%) from the field and 4-of-15 (26.7%) from deep. The Hawkeyes stayed hot at the free throw line converting on 9-of-10 free throws. Penn State was led by Ace Baldwin Jr. with 22 points with 18 of those coming in the second half.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
“Yeah, we were up seven with under ten. Then [Penn State] scored on 12 of the next 13 possessions. So, you’ve got to give them credit. They were executing. They had different guys making shots. We have to be better defensively.”

“[Penn State] is going to scramble your offense. You have more guys handling the ball. More passes that have to be made. They are going to be up in the passing lanes getting deflections. We had some guys that made some very uncharacteristic turnovers for them. But you’ve got to credit your opponent on that.”

GAME NOTABLES

• • The Hawkeyes erased an eight-point first half deficit, using an 12-1 run over a 2:06 stretch to build a 61-54 lead with 9:54 left.
    • Penn State outscored Iowa, 35-18, over the final 9:54.
• Graduate Ben Krikke scored 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting for his seventh 20-point game this season.
  • It was Krikke’s first game in double figures since Jan. 20 against Purdue.
  • Krikke has made 10+ field goals in four games this season.
  • He has reached double figures in 17 games this season and 99 games in his career.
• Senior Tony Perkins finished with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with eight assists.
  • It is 14th consecutive game in double figures and his 22nd in 24 games.
  • Perkins has had seven or more assists in five games and 5+ in eight contests.
• Senior Patrick McCaffery reached double digits for the second straight game, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
  • It was his 11th game in double figures this season.
• Junior Payton Sandfort has made two or more 3-point field goals in 19 games this season.
• Iowa shot 50 percent or better from the field for the second straight game and third time in four games. 
  • The Hawkeyes shot 55.9 percent for the game, but made just 4-of-15 3-point field goals.
  • It is just Iowa’s second loss this season when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor (10-2).
• The Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle, 28-26.  Iowa is now 10-3 when out-rebounding its opposition.
• Penn State forced Iowa into committing 18 turnovers, the second-most in a game this season.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Sunday, hosting Minnesota at 2 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.