Harper gives Rutgers 48-46 win over Iowa

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Ron Harper Jr. throws down powerful flush

Ron Harper Jr. throws down powerful flush.

Jan 20, 2022, 04:15 am

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- — Ron Harper Jr. scored 15 points including two free throws with two seconds remaining to lift Rutgers to a 48-46 win over Iowa on Wednesday night.

Harper was fouled by Keegan Murray as he tried to find a way through the Hawkeyes' perimeter defense. After his free throws and a timeout, Connor McCaffery threw a long inbounds pass to Murray, who made the catch in a crowd but had his 3-point try fall short.

Harper was 5-of-10 shooting, but no other Rutgers player reached double-figure scoring. Clifford Omoruyi grabbed 14 rebounds.

Murray finished with 13 points but on 5-of-14 shooting and had 13 rebounds. Patrick McCaffery was 4 of 12 from the floor for 11 points. Filip Rebraca had 10 rebounds with eight points.

Iowa (13-5, 3-4 Big Ten), just outside the Top 25, had won six of its previous seven games but saw a two-game win streak end. Rutgers (11-6, 5-2) has won six of its last seven.

On a night when offenses struggled and defenses excelled, Iowa scored a season-low total while the Scarlet Knights tied their low. The Hawkeyes, the Big Ten's highest-scoring team coming in at over 86 points per game, shot just 28% to Rutgers' 31% with the teams' combining to make only 35 of 119 attempts.

At one point in the second half when it scored just 19 points, Iowa went over 9 1/2 minutes without a field goal, going 0 of 10, though Rutgers was just 1 of 14 over the same span.

Rutgers committed 15 turnovers, but Iowa turned those into only six points. There were 15 blocks, 10 by Rutgers — three apiece by Omoruyi and Geo Baker — and a combined 15 steals.

A pair of free throws by Iowa's Joe Toussaint broke a tie and McCaffery added another with 26 seconds remaining for a 27-24 halftime lead.

Iowa is host to Penn State and Rutgers is at Minnesota on Saturday.

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