INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WFRV) – Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza scored 24 points for Iowa, Wisconsin sputtered through a late nine-minute field goal drought and the Badgers bowed out of the Big Ten basketball tournament with a 62-57 loss to the rival Hawkeyes.
It was Iowa’s third win against Wisconsin in three tries this season.
The Badgers led 32-26 at half, but a quick spurt out of the locker room closed the gap for the Hawkeyes. Led by Garza, Iowa went shot for shot with Wisconsin before the Badgers went nine minutes without a field goal in the final minutes of the game.
UW broke the streak with a three-pointer to cut it to 60-57 with under 20 seconds left, but Iowa salted the game away at the free throw line for a 62-57 win.
The Badgers now await their seed in the NCAA Tournament with a 17-12 record. Wisconsin won the regular season Big Ten title last season before all postseason tournaments were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
