UI Athletics news release
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to Maryland, 77-70, on Wednesday night at the XFINITY Center, ending its six-game win streak. The Hawkeyes moved to 18-6 on the season and 8-5 in conference play.
Trailing early to start the game, the Hawkeyes used a 7-0 run making three-straight field goals to take their first lead of the game, 9-6. Over the next 10 minutes, both teams would exchange leads and ties as neither team was able to grow its lead over three. The Terrapins closed the half on a 10-5 spurt as they built a five-point halftime lead. After 20 minutes, the Hawkeyes trailed Maryland, 37-32.
Senior Bennett Stirtz led Iowa with 13 points shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Senior Tavion Banks added eight points, four rebounds, and two assists in the opening half. The Hawkeyes shot 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) from the field, 4-of-12 (33.3 percent) from 3-point range, and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. Iowa made just 1-of-8 field goal attempts to end the half.
Facing their largest deficit of the game, 39-32, a couple minutes into the second half, the Hawkeyes battled back with a 3-pointer from Stirtz tying the game, 45-45. Senior Brendan Hausen then connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to give Iowa, at the 11-minute mark, its first lead since the 4-minute mark of the first half.
The Hawkeyes were holding onto a two-point lead before Maryland responded with an 8-0 run to take a 62-56 lead with six-and-a-half minutes remaining. The Hawkeyes were unable regain the lead as they suffered its first defeat in seven games.
Stirtz led all scorers with 32 points and six assists. The Liberty, Mo. native shot 13-of-21 from the field and 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. Banks added 13 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4-of-8 from the field. Iowa shot 25-of-59 (42.4 percent) from the field and 7-of-28 from 3-point range. The Hawkeyes converted 13-of-17 (76.5 percent) from the free throw line.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
“We didn’t guard the ball very well, didn’t defensive rebound or do the things that we typically do really well. It’s been snowballing on us for a couple games, we just kind of got away with it, got enough stops in a couple of those games where we were able to turn it around and today it did us.
They are a difficult matchup for us just because they kind of drive at you, sometimes with no intent to really make it, it’s just kind of to draw fouls and create the contact. It becomes difficult for us to really guard the ball and wall up. We just have to do a better job.”
GAME NOTES
- Iowa had its six-game winning streak snapped, falling 77-70 at Maryland on Wednesday night at the XFINITY Center.
- The loss snapped the Hawkeyes’ three-game road winning streak.
- Iowa had two players finish in double figures: Bennett Stirtz (32), Tavion Banks (13)
- Stirtz notched his second straight 30-point game (third this season) and seventh consecutive 20-point contest (14th of the season), making 13-of-21 field goals, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range. He also had six assists without committing a turnover (eighth time this season).
- Stirtz is the first Hawkeye since Kris Murray to score 30+ in back-to-back games in the 2022-23 season.
- The seven straight 20+ point games is the longest streak by a Hawkeye since Keegan Murray in 2022 and the longest streak by an Iowa guard since downtown Freddy Brown’s 16 such games in 1971.
- Stirtz has made four 3-pointers in each of the last four games.
- He played all 40 minutes for the ninth time this season (49th time in his career).
- Iowa faced its largest deficit of the game, trailing 39-32 at the 18:03 mark in the second half.
- Back-to-back 3-pointers by Brendan Hausen gave the Hawkeyes their first lead of the second half at 48-47 and 51-50.
- The Terps out-rebounded Iowa, 34-25, which included 10 offensive rebounds, turning them into 11 points.
- Iowa committed just four turnovers – its fourth straight game with single digit turnovers.
- Maryland shot 52.4 percent in the second half (and 53.2 percent for the game) en route to 77 points.
- It is the first time this season an opponent has scored more than its season scoring average.
- The Terps were 19-of-28 from the free throw line; Iowa was 13-of-17.
- Maryland scored 11 of the final 16 points of the first half, turning a one-point deficit into a 37-32 halftime lead.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Saturday, hosting No. 13/12 Purdue at 4 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game is sold out.