INDIANAPOLIS – The fifth-seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team defeated ninth-seeded Indiana, 80-77, on Saturday in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
It was a game of runs as the Hoosiers jumped out to an early 15-3 lead before a 14-2 Iowa scoring burst tied things at 17-all. The Hawkeyes led by as many as three points in the first half, but Indiana scored seven of the period’s final nine points to take a 38-32 advantage into intermission.
Iowa cut into the deficit repeatedly, but a 3-pointer from Indiana’s Miller Kopp followed by a transition dunk from Trayce Jackson-Davis put the Hoosiers up nine with 5:29 left in regulation.
The Hawkeyes kept fighting, however, as sophomore Tony Perkins converted an and-one off a fastbreak to bring the Indiana lead to three points with 3:20 remaining. Then, sixth-year senior Jordan Bohannon stepped up, draining a triple to tie the game, 71-71, with 2:30 to play.
Sophomore Keegan Murray took a charge in the paint on the ensuing Indiana possession, then proceeded to hit a deep 3-point shot to give the Hawkeyes a 74-71.
Iowa extended the lead to four points, but the Hoosiers picked Perkins’ pocket with 30 seconds left and drove to the bucket to tie the game once more at 77-77.
Then, holding for the final possession, Iowa ran a set with 10 seconds to play. With Indiana stymieing any open looks and denying Murray the ball, Bohannon pulled back from the center-court logo and banked in the game-winner to send the Hawkeyes to Sunday’s title game.
Murray led the game with 32 points 8-of-10 shooting on 3-point attempts. The Big Ten’s leading scorer also grabbed nine rounds and posted three assists, two blocks, and two steals to round out his stat line against the Hoosiers.
Redshirt sophomore Patrick McCaffery was Iowa’s second-leading scorer with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, followed by Bohannon who posted 12 points off of four 3-point makes.
Iowa lost the rebounding battle, 36-30, but managed to shoot 46 percent (28-61) from the floor and 14-of-32 (43.8 percent) on 3-point tries to secure the comeback victory.
