No. 4 Iowa Upset by Unranked Indiana Despite Luka Garza's 28 Points
January 22, 2021
Down goes another Top 10 team. And yet again, it happened in shocking fashion.
Two days after No. 6 Tennessee was absolutely steamrolled by unranked Florida, Indiana pulled off a 81-69 upset over No. 4 Iowa on Thursday evening, led by a strong performance from Trayce Jackson-Davis and a 23-3 second-half run.
Whether it was Indiana ratcheting up the defensive pressure or Iowa just going ice cold, the Hawkeyes couldn't buy a bucket down the stretch.
Coming into the night, Indiana (9-6) was 0-4 against ranked opponents, making the upset all the more surprising. The 12-3 Hawkeyes, meanwhile, have now dropped a second Big Ten matchup, also losing to Minnesota.
Naismith Player of the Year candidate Luka Garza showed out yet again, but his teammates didn't offer much support, as Iowa shot just 21.7 percent from three (5-of-23) and struggled to consistently break down Indiana's defense.
Key Stats
Trayce Jackson-Davis, IND: 23 points, seven rebounds
Rob Phinisee, IND: 18 points
Armaan Franklin, IND: 11 points, six rebounds
Luka Garza, Iowa: 28 points, 12 rebounds
Joe Wieskamp, Iowa: 16 points, 12 rebounds
Jordan Bohannon, Iowa: Zero points, five rebounds
Jackson-Davis Had Himself a Game
Garza was the bigger name in this matchup, but Jackson-Davis more than held his own. Frankly, had he not gotten into foul trouble, he may have done even more damage.
It shouldn't be a huge surprise—he came into the game averaging 20.4 points per game. But his efficiency, finishing 9-of-14 from the field, was huge.
Jackson-Davis has the makings of being an All-American selection this season. He showed why on Thursday, carrying the Hoosiers until they went on a late run without him to close out the Hawkeyes.
Garza Couldn't Will Iowa to Victory
It's no surprise that Indiana struggled to contain Garza—he came into Thursday averaging 26.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. The dude is a problem.
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfoLuka Garza had his 49th career 20-point game tonight, the most by a Big Ten player over the last 25 seasons. However, Indiana notched its 3rd road win against an AP top-5 opponent in school history. The Hoosiers were 2-35 all-time on the road vs AP top-5 teams entering tonight. https://t.co/TGVbgSQYPS
But when every player not named Garza or Wieskamp combines to score just 25 points, well, that's a different kind of problem. The sort that will make it very tough for Iowa to win games.
Iowa came into this game averaging 92.2 points per game, third in the nation, so this game is likely an aberration. Most nights, Bohannon isn't going to go 0-of-8 from three. Most nights, Iowa will sit closer to the 21.4 assists per game they average, tops in the nation, than the 14 they mustered Thursday.
Sometimes it's not your night, even when you have a superstar like Garza. Give the Hoosiers some credit—they played arguably their best defensive game of the season. But outside of Garza, Iowa was flat-out poor.
What's Next?
Iowa travels to No. 22 Illinois on Jan. 29 at 9 p.m. ET, while Indiana will look to build on its big win vs. Rutgers on Sunday at noon ET.