Field Level Media
Dec 12, 2019
Luka Garza scored 21 points as visiting Iowa returned to nonconference play in dominating fashion, taking care of rival Iowa State in an 84-68 victory Thursday in Ames, Iowa.
Garza went 9 of 16 from the field and added 11 rebounds as Iowa won at Iowa State for the first time since 2003, snapping the Cyclones' eight-game home winning streak in the series. Joe Wieskamp added 13 points for the Hawkeyes (8-3)
Tyrese Haliburton scored 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting for Iowa State (6-4), which entered with three victories in its past four games.
Iowa took control early, grabbing a 39-24 lead at halftime despite shooting just 38.5 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Garza had 13 points before halftime. Iowa State was just 2 of 13 (15.4 percent) from 3-point range in the first half.
Iowa State pulled to within seven points at 44-37 with 16:26 remaining after a layup by Solomon Young. Iowa then went on an 8-2 run to take a 52-39 lead with 15 minutes remaining before later going on an 11-0 run -- sparked by a pair of 3-pointers from CJ Fredrick -- to open the advantage to 65-43 with 11:06 remaining.
Garza was stunned briefly with three minutes to play when he took an elbow to the mouth by Wieskamp on a rebound attempt but returned to the game.
The 6-foot-11 junior was coming off consecutive Big Ten Conference games against Michigan and Minnesota in which he scored a combined 65 points. Garza was named Big Ten player of the week last week.
Jordan Bohannon and Connor McCaffery scored 12 points each for the Hawkeyes. Fredrick added 11 points as Iowa had five players in double figures.
It could have been the last game of the season for Bohannon, who returned from hip surgery last May. Thursday was the senior's 10th game of the season, the maximum he could play while still being able to redshirt this season.
Young had 10 points for Iowa State, which was outrebounded 42-37 by the Hawkeyes.
Iowa improved to 46-27 all-time against Iowa State after the Cyclones had won four of the previous six meetings.
--Field Level Media