Iowa 72, Minnesota 52

Dec 10, 2019, 02:08 am

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- — Sophomore Joe Wieskamp scored a season-high 23 points and Iowa blew past Minnesota 72-52 on Monday night in its Big Ten home opener.

Luka Garza had 21 points with 10 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten), who hit eight of their first 16 3s in cruising to their second win in three tries.

Wieskamp opened the second half with a 3 to give Iowa its first double-digit lead, 40-29, and Wieskamp pushed it to 49-34 on a layup. Garza followed with an inside bucket that made it a 17-point game and forced Minnesota coach Richard Pitino to call a timeout even though a media stoppage was imminent.

Minnesota (4-5, 0-1) showed some life though, as Daniel Oturu's 3 cut it to 55-45 with just over 10 minutes left. But Wieskamp dashed to the 3-point line to block a Tre' Williams jumper and took the loose ball down the floor for a dunk that stopped a 7-0 Gophers run.

Garza followed with a jump hook and a 3 and the lead was back to 62-47.

Oturu had 22 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. But Oturu also had eight turnovers, many of them coming when he walked while attempting a post move.

Minnesota shot just 6 of 25 on 3s and committed 15 turnovers.

THE BIG PICTURE

Minnesota: The Gophers entered the week having played the fifth-toughest schedule in America. Still, being 4-5 is no place a Power Five team wants to be — and next up is a home date with No. 3 Ohio State.

Iowa: If Wieskamp can consistently play like he did on Monday, he and Garza will give the Hawkeyes an inside-outside duo that should frighten the rest of the Big Ten.

UP NEXT

Iowa plays at Iowa State on Thursday.

Minnesota hosts the Buckeyes on Sunday.