HawkeyeSports.com — Make it three straight over Iowa State.
Senior Luka Garza scored 34 points, including 21 straight in the second half, to lead the third-ranked University of Iowa men’s basketball team to a 105-77 victory over Iowa State on Friday night on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes are 5-0 heading into their nonconference finale Sunday against Northern Illinois.
Garza made 13-of-14 field goals in the game, including a career-high six 3-pointers (in seven attempts) en route to his third 30-point game this season. It was his eighth 30-point game of his career.
Iowa was leading 68-55 when the Greatest Garza Show on Earth began. He hit four consecutive 3-pointers in a span of 2:13 to push the Hawkeye lead to 80-58. After back-to-back put back layups pushed the lead to 64-61, Garza hit his sixth 3-pointer at 7:24 mark before a layup at the 6:49 mark capped his run and ended his night.
The Hawkeyes stretched their lead to a game high 30 points in the final minute courtesy of a deep 3-pointer from walk-on and Iowa native Austin Ash.
Iowa shot 54.8 percent from the field (compared to 43.8 percent for Iowa State), but Iowa State made two more 3-point field goals (13-11). The Hawkeyes were 20-of-24 from the free throw line (ISU was 8-of-10) and Iowa out-rebounded ISU, 38-32.
Redshirt sophomore Jack Nunge posted a double-double, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Nunge scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in the first half when Garza played just seven minutes with after picking up two fouls.
Junior Joe Wieskamp was the third Hawkeye in double figures with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while sophomore Joe Toussaint had seven assists in 13 minutes.
The Hawkeyes got off to a quick start, jumping out to an 11-2 lead over the first three minutes before Iowa State countered by scoring 13 of 19 points to close to 17-15 at the 13:46 mark. Iowa followed with an 8-0 spurt to open a 25-15 lead at the 11:19 mark.
When Garza departed the game at the 10:48 mark of the first half with his second foul, the Cyclones capitalized, using a 14-2 spurt that turned a 27-18 deficit into a 32-29 lead. Iowa weathered the storm and closed the half on a 23-9 run to take a 52-41 lead into the locker room.
Javan Johnson led a trio of Cyclones in double figures with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting.
Iowa has won three straight over Iowa State for the first time since 1988-90.
Nunge was one of the most important Hawkeyes on the court in the first half, spelling Garza while he was in foul trouble. The Indiana native nearly posted a first-half double-double, finishing with 15 points and eight rebounds in 12 minutes.
Iowa concludes its five-game homestand on Sunday against Northern Illinois (0-4). Tipoff is set for 1:01 p.m.
