University of Minnesota Athletics

Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Drop Road Match with Iowa
2/6/2022 6:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Keegan Murray led all players with 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Iowa (15-7, 5-6 Big Ten) outscored Minnesota 26-5 during a 12-minute stretch of the second half to rally from a five-point deficit and pull away for a 71-59 win Sunday afternoon at Carver Hawkeye Arena.
The Gophers (11-9, 2-9 B1G) led for most of the first half and enjoyed a 38-34 lead at the half after a buzzer-beating half-court heave from Luke Loewe. Early in the second half, a pair of three-pointers from Loewe and one from Payton Willis had the Gophers holding a 47-42 lead with 16:48 remaining, but that's when the Hawkeyes' began their rally, and Minnesota wasn't able to respond. Loewe wound up tying his season-high with 19 points, while Willis finished with 16 points and tied Eric Curry with a team-best eight rebounds.
The Gophers opened the game by establishing a 7-0 lead, and continued to hold a lead in the first half for all but 2:18. Three times, Iowa had one-point leads, the last with just over a minute left in the half on a three-pointer by Keegan Murray, who led the Hawkeyes with 14 points and nine boards at the break. But Willis made a short jumper with 1.4 seconds left, and Loewe closed the half with an exclamation point by intercepting Iowa's late heave and immediately returning it the other way for a buzzer-beating half court shot to give Minnesota a 38-34 lead. Willis and Loewe each had 11 first-half points for the Gophers, while Eylijah Stephens added six points and four rebounds.
UP NEXT
Minnesota: At Nebraska on Wednesday, Feb. 9
Iowa: At Maryland on Thursday, Feb. 10
The Gophers (11-9, 2-9 B1G) led for most of the first half and enjoyed a 38-34 lead at the half after a buzzer-beating half-court heave from Luke Loewe. Early in the second half, a pair of three-pointers from Loewe and one from Payton Willis had the Gophers holding a 47-42 lead with 16:48 remaining, but that's when the Hawkeyes' began their rally, and Minnesota wasn't able to respond. Loewe wound up tying his season-high with 19 points, while Willis finished with 16 points and tied Eric Curry with a team-best eight rebounds.
The Gophers opened the game by establishing a 7-0 lead, and continued to hold a lead in the first half for all but 2:18. Three times, Iowa had one-point leads, the last with just over a minute left in the half on a three-pointer by Keegan Murray, who led the Hawkeyes with 14 points and nine boards at the break. But Willis made a short jumper with 1.4 seconds left, and Loewe closed the half with an exclamation point by intercepting Iowa's late heave and immediately returning it the other way for a buzzer-beating half court shot to give Minnesota a 38-34 lead. Willis and Loewe each had 11 first-half points for the Gophers, while Eylijah Stephens added six points and four rebounds.
UP NEXT
Minnesota: At Nebraska on Wednesday, Feb. 9
Iowa: At Maryland on Thursday, Feb. 10
Team Stats
MINN
Iowa
FG%
.361
.446
3FG%
.391
.391
FT%
.667
.444
RB
40
38
TO
12
6
STL
4
7
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Highlights: Gophers 80, NDSU 54
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