How would Iowa respond to a frustrating, not-that-close loss to Duke less than 48 hours ago? How would they handle playing a game without all-everything star player Kris Murray, out indefinitely with a foot injury? Well, by beating the brakes off Iowa State from the opening tip and not taking a foot off the gas until the Cyclones were a wet smear on the Carver-Hawkeye court.
To boil it down:
- Iowa never trailed in the game
- Iowa had a double-digit lead for the final 37 minutes of the game
- Iowa led 15-0 before Iowa State scored a single point
- Iowa scored nine points over the final 10 minutes of the game -- and still won by 19.
This was as emphatic a bounce-back performance as you could hope to get, especially after the Duke debacle, the Murray injury, and against a loathsome in-state rival. It's hard to imagine a better way for Fran McCaffery to record his 500th career victory than dumptrucking Iowa State in front of a sellout home crowd. (Well, beating Duke in Madison Square Garden also would have been a pretty cool way to get win #500, but this will do nicely.)
15-0 run for @IowaHoops to start the game. pic.twitter.com/D8fPCjdjGv
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 9, 2022
One of the key questions heading into this game was how Iowa would handle Murray's absence and who would step up in his place. The answer turned out to be his most obvious replacements. Connor McCaffery replaced Murray in the starting lineup and provided exactly the kind of steadying performance you'd want to see from a sixth-year senior, with 14 points (albeit on 2/7 shooting, all from 3-point range), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. He provided a cool head against Iowa State's defensive pressure and his early threes helped Iowa build the early lead that buried the Cyclones.
But the real star of the show was Filip Rebraca, normally Kris Murray's running buddy who became the unquestioned lead performer in this game. Rebraca was simply phenomenal, scoring an Iowa career high 22 points (on 9/11 shooting), grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds, dishing out a team-high 4 assists, and adding 3 blocks for good measure. He was, by a wide margin, the best player on the floor. He was a menace on the offensive glass (five rebounds), and an excellent nuisance on defense, blocking shots, drawing charges, and contesting looks. How much was it his night? He went 2/2 from behind the arc. Rebraca has already looked better this season than he did a year ago, but if he can hit this level more frequently -- especially while Kris Murray is on the shelf -- Iowa's ability to withstand Murray's absence looks a whole lot better.
Rebraca rocks! @IowaHoops @FRebraca recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds in the Cy-Hawk series. pic.twitter.com/8YtcCCRMmx
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) December 9, 2022
Patrick McCaffery also got in on the fun with 13 points, including 10 points on 4/4 shooting (2/2 from 3-point range) in the second half. His scoring flurry early in the half helped put a dagger in any ISU hopes of a miracle comeback. Tony Perkins was the final Iowa player in double figures, with 10 points on 3/11 shooting, as well as 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. While he only made three buckets, they were all notable. His three-pointer off an early ISU turnover gave Iowa a 3-0 lead a minute into the game. His three-pointer two minutes later -- also off an ISU turnover -- pushed Iowa's lead to 10-0. Those buckets were an early sign that a) this was going to be Iowa's night and b) the three-point shooting slump was over. His final bucket was cherry-on-top-of-the-sundae material, but who doesn't love a cherry? He got a steal midway through the second half and ran out in transition before absolutely exploding for a hammer dunk that blew the roof off CHA.
TONY. PERKINS. @Saucy___T x @IowaHoops pic.twitter.com/IGdFCwJli5
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 9, 2022
BOOM.
Let's watch that again, this time from the POV of the rim.
OMFG!!!! pic.twitter.com/FT4CFPRic5
— Ray Ortega (@RayJOrtega) December 9, 2022
BOOOOOOOOOOOM. What a perfect visual.
Back to the three-pointers for a minute, though. Iowa has been ice cold from 3-point range for several weeks (give or take 9 made triples against Georgia Tech a week ago). They smashed that slump tonight, though, draining 12/23 three-point attempts, including 7/14 in the first half. Those early three-pointers by Perkins and Connor McCaffery set the tone early and gave Iowa a ton of confidence -- this wasn't going to be one of those sluggish, can't-shoot-the-ball nights. Iowa packed their flamethrowers for this game and they were locked-in and ready to torch some nets.
Iowa was also impressive on defense, especially early in the game when they punched Iowa State in the mouth and built the lead that would turn the final 75% of the game into a rout. Iowa harassed shooters, smothered the glass, and forced several turnovers. Iowa State looked completely out of sync at the beginning of the game and for most of the first half, and Iowa's defense certainly deserves credit for that.
Turnovers were one of the few sore spots for Iowa in this game -- 18 turnovers is too many, especially since so many of them were very unnecessary. Ahron Ulis had six turnovers in the game, the negative in an otherwise solid evening of work (8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals). There was just a little too much careless ball-handling and a few poor decisions on passes. That said, forcing turnovers is also what Iowa State's defense does (and they do it better than anyone in the country), so we do have to tip our cap to them a bit. The turnovers didn't end up mattering in this game since Iowa shot the ball so well when they weren't turning the ball over (especially in the first half) and because they were also able to force plenty of Iowa State giveaways (15 total, including 8 in the first half as they built their insurmountable lead).
This game also continued the recent trend of blowouts in the Cy-Hawk series.
- 2022: Iowa 75, Iowa State 56
- 2021: Iowa State 73, Iowa 53
- 2020: Iowa 105, Iowa State 77
- 2019: Iowa 84, Iowa State 68
- 2018: Iowa 98, Iowa State 84
At some point there will be another close game in this series -- but tonight wasnot that night. Beating Iowa State is always satisfying. Stomping a mud hole in the Cyclones and walking it dry? Doesn't get much better than that.
GO HAWKEYE STATE AWESOME
