Iowa Hawkeyes hang on, beat Minnesota Gophers, 81-71

Hawkeyes saw 23-point lead shrivel to 3 before scoring game’s last 7 points

Jan. 16, 2022 3:04 pm, Updated: Jan. 18, 2022 1:31 pm

Minnesota guard Luke Loewe (12) works around Iowa forward Filip Rebraca (0) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

MINNEAPOLIS — Iowa avoided an epic collapse and defeated a depleted Minnesota men’s basketball team Sunday afternoon in Williams Arena, 81-71.

The Hawkeyes improved to 13-4 overall, 3-3 in the Big Ten. Minnesota is 10-5, 1-5.

Iowa led 58-35 with 14:48 left, but Eylijah Stephens scored 13 of his 24 points after that in leading the Gophers to pull within 74-71 with 1:30 left.

Keegan Murray’s 3-pointer with two seconds left on the shot clock and: 59 remaining on the game clock made it 77-71, and Minnesota didn’t score again.

Playing with just seven scholarship players because of an ankle injury to starting forward Eric Curry and COVID-19 issues with others, Minnesota was undersized and outmanned. The Gophers took a 7-2 lead, but Iowa reeled off the next eight points and never gave up the lead.

The Hawkeyes used a 15-4 run to establish a 43-27 halftime advantage, built on a 25-15 edge in rebounds and just two turnovers to the Gophers’ six.

Murray had 25 points for Iowa. McCaffery, Filip Rebraca and Jordan Bohannon had 12 apiece.