Kris Murray set career highs with 31 points and 20 rebounds to pace Iowa to an 81-65 win over Georgia Tech on Tuesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa.
Murray was 11-for-18 from the field, 4-for-8 on 3s, 5-for-8 at the line and added four assists and two blocks to help the Hawkeyes bounce back from their first loss and win their fifth straight ACC-Big Ten Challenge game.
It was the third straight double-double for Murray and his fourth of the season. Murray’s previous career scoring best was a 30-point performance against Omaha on Nov 21. His previous high for rebounds was 12 against Clemson on Nov. 25.
Iowa (6-1) also got 13 points from Filip Rebraca, his best since joining the program as a graduate transfer from North Dakota. Tony Perkins scored 11 and Connor McCaffery added 10 points.
The win was No. 499 in the 27-year career of Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, who has been the Hawkeyes’ coach since 2010.
Georgia Tech (4-3) was led by Miles Kelly, who scored a season-high 21 points. Deebo Coleman added 12 points and Deivon Smith and Jalon Moore each had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Iowa used a 16-6 run midway through the first half and took a 13-point lead when Connor McCaffery dropped a 3-pointer. The Hawkeyes dominated the offensive glass, getting 13 offensive rebounds which helped produce 20 second-chance points. Iowa held a 40-29 lead at halftime.
Georgia Tech opened the second half by scoring the first seven points and cut the lead to 40-36 on Kelly’s 3-pointer at 18:19. But the Yellow Jackets could not get any closer and the Hawkeyes put the game away with a 12-2 run punctuated by a Rebraca dunk at 10:17 which extended the lead to 16 points.
Georgia Tech plays again at home on Friday against Northeastern. Iowa doesn’t play again until Tuesday against Duke at Madison Square Garden in New York.
–Field Level Media
