INDIANAPOLIS – Senior Luka Garza scored a game-high 24 points to lead the second-seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team to an 86-74 victory over 15th-seeded Grand Canyon on Saturday night at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
The Hawkeyes advance to the Second Round where they will face seventh-seeded Oregon on Monday. The Ducks game against 10th-seeded VCU was declared a no contest.
Iowa shot 53.7 percent from the floor and made 10 3-pointers in the game. The Antelopes won the rebounding battle, 37-33, which included 18 offensive rebounds.
Garza made 9-of-16 field goals, including four 3-pointers, and grabbed six rebounds to lead the team. Junior Joe Wieskamp scored 16 points and had a game-high eight rebounds, while freshman Keegan Murray and Jordan Bohannon had 13 points apiece.
Iowa’s reserves accounted for 26 points in the contest.
The Hawkeyes scored the game’s first five points and never trailed. Iowa stormed out to an 11-2 behind 3-pointers from Garza and Bohannon over the first 4 ½ minutes.
Iowa had a 20-12 lead at the midway point of the first half, but Grand Canyon hung around. The Antelopes pulled to within 27-23 at the 5:53 mark before the Hawkeyes methodically pushed the lead to double digits.
Murray’s second-chance layup pushed Iowa’s lead to 33-24 at the 4:15 mark and the lead went to 11 on a Wieskamp step back 3-pointer with 1:41 left. The Hawkeyes led 42-31 at the break after shooting 55 percent from the field.
Iowa’s lead never got below double digits over the final 20 minutes. The advantage grew to 65-46 with 10:53 left in the game on a Garza layup.
Grand Canyon shot 42.9 percent and went 7-of-26 from 3-point range. Asbjorn Midthaard led Grand Canyon with 18 points and six rebounds.
Iowa will face No. 7 seed Oregon in the second round on Monday.
Iowa’s second round foe – Oregon – had its game declared a no contest, meaning the Ducks first game will be Monday against the Hawkeyes.
