Hawkeyes disappointed, not deterred after Maryland defeat

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — As two significant Iowa winning streaks evaporated into the rafters at noisy Xfinity Center Thursday night, disappointment was the prevailing mood among the Hawkeyes.

No. 7 Maryland outfought and out-defended No. 4 Iowa in a 74-68 win to end the Hawkeyes' 13-game win streak in Big Ten play. The loss ended Iowa's (16-4, 7-1 Big Ten) nine-game overall streak and sent the Hawkeyes into a first-place tie with Indiana. Maryland (18-3, 7-2) now rests just a game behind both Iowa and Indiana.

On a night where nothing fell right for the Hawkeyes, Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery chose to remain upbeat in his postgame message rather than dwell on the negatives.

'I thought we fought,' McCaffery said. 'I don't think we played as well as we are capable of playing, and I'll give Maryland credit for that. Maryland competed and played better than we did. They executed better than we did. No screaming and yelling at the team because we didn't play our best game and we were still right there with two minutes to go. I think that says something about the character of our team.'

There was nothing positive in the box score, which actually could mean something positive for Iowa. Jarrod Uthoff, the Big Ten's leading scorer, was held to a season-low nine points on 2-of-13 shooting. Center Adam Woodbury posted a double-double, then fouled out with his team down four points inside of three minutes. After hitting nearly 44 percent from 3-point range in league play, the Hawkeyes knocked down just five of 24 3-point attempts (20.8 percent). Maryland scored on its final eight possessions for the win.

Collectively, that's a game of yuck for Iowa. So losing by six points at the No. 7-ranked team which has won 24 straight at home — including every Big Ten home game since joining the league last year — doesn't hurt Iowa's confidence. But it adds to the aggravation.

'We didn't play well at all, and we stuck with Maryland, who's very, very good,' Uthoff said. 'You take the way we just played one of the best teams in the country, and we stuck with them at their own place not playing very well.'

'This was a great team on the road,' Iowa point guard Mike Gesell said. 'It's really nothing to hang our heads about. We thought we didn't play our best game, and we still had a chance to win it. That's all you can really ask for. So we've got a quick turnaround, and we'll just get right back to it.'

The lead changed nine times, including six in the second half alone. But with the game in the balance, Maryland freshman Diamond Stone gave the Terrapins an insurmountable lead in the final two minutes.

Shortly after Woodbury fouled out, Stone took a post feed from Jake Layman and blew past Iowa's Dom Uhl for a dunk to put Maryland up four points. One possession later, Stone stripped Gesell, which turned into a Jared Nickens basket and a 66-60 lead.

'That wasn't just Dom Uhl's fault,' McCaffery said. 'That was a collective mistake. They swung the ball, they hugged away. If we're going to front the post, we've got to get over. That was just a breakdown.'

Iowa, which is ranked third by the Associated Press, cut Maryland's lead to four points three different times in the final minute. But four missed 3s, coupled with eight Maryland free throws, kept the Hawkeyes from drawing closer.

Whether it was Maryland's physical defense, a different basketball (from Under Armor), an off-night shooting or calls not going Iowa's way, the Hawkeyes prefer to look at the game as a missed opportunity experience.

'That's always tough, the what-ifs come into play,' Woodbury said. 'We lost (last night). That's a very good team, a very talented team.'

Rasheed Sulaimon and Robert Carter each scored 17 points for Maryland. Jok led Iowa with 14.

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