NFL
By: Zachary Draves
The Iowa Men’s Basketball team kicked off their Big Ten conference play with a home matchup against fellow Big Ten contender Wisconsin. Against the backdrop of a ubiquitous conference, the Hawkeyes came in with a unique opportunity at cementing themselves as early and worthy challengers. With the #17 Illinois Fighting Illini currently 0-2 in conference play, the stakes are high to determine who will control the conference before the year’s end.
The Hawkeyes had a notable absence from their lineup in their leading scorer and rebounder Kris Murray, who is out with a leg injury.
(Courtesy: Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)
1st Half
From the start, the Hawkeyes were locked into a slower pace of play that worked in the betterment of Wisconsin. Through the first five minutes of the first half, Iowa couldn’t get their footing in and struggled to get on the board as they missed shot after shot, particularly from the three point line. Meanwhile, Wisconsin started off things with a 6-0 as they converted on open jumpers that were enabled by solid ball movement.
Control of the game was still up in the air as neither side was able to generate a run and get on a roll. The Hawkeyes were starting to play better in terms of taking drives to the lane for points as their long range shooting was still underwhelming. Defensively they were able to hold the Badgers at bay to where they started to miss shots.
At the 11:11 minute mark, Wisconsin led 10-7.
With under ten minutes left in the first half, the Hawkeyes started to up the ante. They were playing pressure backed defense, trapping the Badgers in the corner, and went to the full court press. As a result, they were able to bring themselves within one point at 15-14 after trailing by as many as seven.
But whenever it seemed as if Iowa was coming back, the Badgers seemed to have a response.
For example, at the 4:51 minute mark, the intensity of the game started to pick up as Iowa’s Junior guard Tony Perkins hit a three to tie the game at 19-19, but that momentum was quickly halted after Wisconsin sophomore guard Chucky Hepburn took Perkins to the basket for a lay up to make it 21-19.
With under three minutes left in the first half, the game was highly competitive and also low scoring. After trailing 25-18, the Hawkeyes managed to add five additional points to bring them within a basket at 25-23 and on the verge of potentially taking the lead for the first time in the game before half.
Then with just under a minute to play, Perkins came through with a jumper to tie the game at 25 and get Carver Hawkeye Arena on their feet. Then with 32 seconds left, it was Junior forward Patrick McCaffery, son of Head Coach Fran McCaffery, that put them ahead 27-25 and finished a 7-0 run by the Hawkeyes.
The place started to get louder and louder in anticipation of their Hawkeyes holding on to the slight edge in the locker, but Hepburn had other intentions as he hit a turn around fade away jumper to tie the game back up again at 27 with 1.8 seconds remaining. The Hawkeyes managed to turn the ball over off the inbounds in an attempt at a buzzer beater and went into the locker room with the score tied at 27.
(Courtesy: Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)
2nd Half
Going into the second half, the pace of the game was ultimately going to determine who will win. The quicker the pace followed by the most consistent style of play will set the tone as evident by the slowness of the first half.
Through the first three minutes, the Hawkeyes were doing just that. Another 7-0 run ensued culminating in an epic three pointer by McCaffery at the 16:36 minute mark that put Iowa ahead by their largest margin at 37-31. By this point, MCaffery had 10 points.
After a full timeout, the Badgers started to climb their way back and engaged in a run of their own. They went on a 7-2 run which brought them within a point at 39-38.
But the pace of the game started to cool down and it was still very low scoring with neither side really able to break out of that dynamic even with mutually impressive runs.
However, another run was ensued and not by either team, but by a single individual and that was Tony Perkins.
At 11:41, he scored his 7th point on a fast break layup that drew the foul and brought him to the foul line. He converted and put the Hawkeyes up 44-40 with just under twelve minutes left. He quickly followed up with another drive to the basket to make it 46-40. After a Badger basket, Perkins scored his third consecutive basket on a pull jumper from the top of the key to make it 48-42, which gave him 12 points.
But the same dynamic was back in full swing with the Badgers coming back and making it a game again just as it seemed that Iowa was in control. At 7:18, Carter Gilmore laid it in to give the Badgers their first lead since the halfway point of the first half at 49-48. At 6:30, Hepburn hit a jumper to increase the lead to 51-48.
The Hawkeyes were playing right into the Badgers hands and needed a spark. With five minutes left on the clock, their hopes at a crucial victory that would put them in good conference standing was hanging in the balance. Then with 4:13 left to go, a technical foul was rendered against Coach McCaffrey over a foul that was called against Perkins.
He was visibly angry at the referee and had to be held back by his assistants. Whal converted on the two free throws to put Wisconsin up 57-52.
The question became whether the Hawkeyes would feed off their coach’s fiery passion to their advantage and be the spark that they were in search for?
But with 2:07 left, that spark was immediately extinguished when Connor Essegian hit a big three pointer to put the Badgers up 60-52.
After that shot, fans in Carver were starting to make their way to the exit, but perhaps prematurely. A running layup and subsequent free throw by coach’s other son Connor McCaffrey, adding three major points to make it 60-55. It started to seem that Iowa had a legitimate chance at a comeback victory.
(Courtesy: Row Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)
With 23.0 seconds left, they took their last timeout and had possession of the ball. On the inbounds, Tony Parkins converted on a layup.
Then Patrick Mccaffery gave them that spark they needed in a big way with a wide open three pointer with 09.4 seconds left to tie the game at 60 and unleashed a frenzy of thunderous applause for those who still remained at Carver.
The stage was set, the intensity was palpable, and the energy was electric. Wisconsin had possession of the ball and as the seconds ticked away, Hepburn missed what would have been a game winning jumper and that sent the game into overtime.
Overtime
Five minutes stood in the way of either an amazing victory or a devastating loss. The first basket was by none other than Patrick McCaffery who was fouled on a floating shot in the lane to put them up 62-60. He converted on the extra point that gave him 19 points.
Iowa ran the full court press but Wahal was able to break through it for a layup to make it 63-62. At the 3:50 minute mark, Patrick was followed again and made both free throws to make it 65-62.
Everyone in Carver was on their feet, but Connor Essegian sat them right back down with a basket to make it 65-64.
Then Patrick’s brother Connor got in on the action and scored his own layup to make it 67-64.
The sight of seeing the McCaffrey brothers potentially sealing the deal and redeeming their father for the technical would have made this an even greater story than it already was.
A back and forth sequence of unbelievable proportions transpired held everyone’s breath.
At 2:40, Wahl went to the foul line and converted on two free throws to bring the Badgers back within one at 67-66.
At 2:10, Perkins got in on the action with a fade away jumper to make it 69-66 Iowa. Then Wahl stuck a dagger in the heart of the Iowa faithful with a three to tie the game, but on the next Iowa possession, Patrick tipped the ball into the basket on a rebound, was fouled, and then hit the extra point to make it 72-69
(Courtesy: Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)
As if it wasn’t getting exciting enough, Wisconsin’s Jordan Davis came off the bench and answered right back with a three to tie it at 72.
With 1:18 left, Perkins was fouled hard and sent to the line. He missed his first but converted on the second to give the Hawkeyes a one point lead at 73-72.
Then Steven Crowl just beat the shot clock to give the Badgers a 74-73 lead with just under a minute left.
With 26.4 seconds left, Hepburn stole the ball and was fouled. He went to the foul line and converted on both to make it 76-73 Badgers.
Then with 18.9 seconds left, Perkins lost the ball to Wahl, who was subsequently fouled and sent back to the line. He missed both leaving the Hawkeyes with a chance.. Filip Rebraca was able to bring the game within a basket in the paint with 10.2 seconds left and Iowa immediately called a timeout.
Trailing by one, the Hawkeyes ran the full court press with almost tantalizing intensity. The Badgers managed to break through and on an open break Wahl dunked it. As the seconds ticked away, Patrick tried at a three to send it into a second overtime, but to no avail.
After a game of tremendous twists, turns, and turmoil, Wisconsin defeated Iowa 78-75.
Patrick McCaffrey finished with a game high 24 points and 7 rebounds. Connor finished with 17 points, a game high 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Tony Perkins had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Filip Rebraca had 10 ooints, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Tyler Wahl had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Connor Essegian had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist. Steven Crowl finished with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and a game high 7 assists. Chucky Hepburn finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
(Courtesy: Youtube)
When asked about what the future prospects are for Iowa in the Big Ten standings, Coach McCaffrey spoke in a mellowed manner on the need to focus one game at a time and to learn from this game.
“We will break this game down, learn from it, and get ready for the next one,” he said. “We will see who’s healthy and go from there.”
Understandably, the impact of his sons who combined for 31 total points cannot be overlooked, but Coach McCaffrey also took time to acknowledge the impact of Perkins who played with a high level of intensity.
“He’s gonna keep coming,” he said. “Defensively I thought he was working hard, whether he was on Hepburn, he’s a handful. So I thought Tony was impressive tonight.”
Iowa (7-3, 0-1) will be back at home Saturday December 17 against Southeast Missouri State University (5-5) at 7:30 pm CST.
