Rutgers sneaks past Iowa for 48-46 Big Ten victory

Hawkeyes slip to 3-4 in conference play after shooting 27.9% from the field, zero bench points

Jan. 19, 2022 9:47 pm, Updated: Jan. 19, 2022 10:07 pm

Iowa forward Patrick McCaffery (22) scores despite the defense of Rutgers guard Paul Mulcahy (4) late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Piscataway, N.J. (Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media via AP)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — In a rather gruesome affair basketball-wise, the Rutgers men’s basketball team defeated Iowa on Wednesday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena, 48-46.

Iowa shot 27.9 percent (18-of-61) from the field and got no points from its substitutes.

With the loss, the Hawkeyes slipped to 3-4 in the Big Ten, 13-5 overall. Rutgers is 5-2, 11-6.

Ron Harper Jr. made a pair of free throws with two seconds left for the margin of victory.

The Hawkeyes took a 27-24 halftime lead despite going 6:20 without a score. Rutgers scored six points in that time to take a 12-10 lead.

Iowa used a 6-0 run for a 21-17 lead, and didn’t trail the rest of the half. Filip Rebraca had eight points and seven rebounds in the half.

The Hawkeyes stretched the lead to 32-24, but went 5:48 without a point and 9:38 without a basket.

Iowa led 43-42 with 3:38 left after Joe Toussaint drove for a basket. The Hawkeyes’ Jordan Bohannon missed three 3-pointers in the next 1:46. One was an airball, the last one was blocked by Harper for the fourth 30-second violation against Iowa.

Patrick McCaffery scored with 27.9 seconds left to tie the game at 46. With two seconds left, Iowa’s Keegan Murray fouled Harper far from the basket. It was hardly the most-physical defensive play of the evening.