Iowa men’s basketball won its first Big Ten contest of the season against Maryland on Monday night, 80-75. 

Sophomore forward Keegan Murray led the Hawkeyes, tying his season high of 35 points and going 5-of-6 from 3-point range. He also grabbed eight rebounds and three blocks. 

“He never forces anything, he just plays at his own pace,” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said postgame. “He was not hunting shots, he just does not rattle.”

The Hawkeyes and Terrapins had a back-and-forth game throughout the second half, but Iowa went on an 8-0 run with seven minutes left to go up by nine points down the stretch. 

The Terrapins attempted to claw their way back, getting within four points of the Hawkeyes in the final five minutes. But senior guard Jordan Bohannon drained 5-of-6 free throws for the Hawkeyes to hold on to the game.

“We maintained our composure,” McCaffery said. “We did a really good job down the stretch and against their pressure.”

Big Picture

Iowa moved to 11-3 on the 2020-21 season and 1-2 in conference play.

The Hawkeyes’ three losses include then-No. 2 Purdue, then-No. 17 Iowa State, and Illinois.

Rebraca’s Big Night

Senior Filip Rebraca started his Hawkeye career as a utility player with a low offensive output — averaging 5.6 points per game before playing against Maryland.

Rebraca put his offensive struggles aside against the Terrapins, finishing with a season-high 13 points as he shot 75 percent from the field. He added eight rebounds while playing a season-high 29 minutes.

“He’s good. He’s a talented guy,” McCaffery said. “I think he’s tried really hard to fit in. He’s such a good person. He wants to win. He wants to be a great teammate. He wants to be coachable. And at some point you have to go after it the way he did tonight. I think you’re right. It was noticeable. His aggressiveness, physicality, was really impressive. I’m happy for him.”

Toussaint Steps Up 

Junior point guard Joe Toussaint was Iowa’s main playmaker on Monday night as he finished with nine assists.

Toussaint also added nine points, four rebounds, and three steals.

“I thought his activity and his sense of what we needed was really good,” McCaffery said postgame. “…  Nine points, nine assists, he’s guarding one of the fastest guys in college basketball. And that guy who’s really fast is getting a ball screen, like, about every five seconds. That’s not easy to do. I’m proud of the way he competed.”

Up Next

Iowa will hit the road for another game against a ranked Big Ten foe. 

The Hawkeyes will  face the No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday night at 8 p.m. The game will be aired on FS1.