After a first half that saw Iowa make just 1-of-13 from 3-point distance, the Hawkeyes trailed Richmond 29-28 at halftime. The Hawkeyes connect on just 30 percent of their field goal attempts in the first half.
But, it was just halftime, and this Iowa team came steamrolling into the NCAA Tournament with a head of confidence after winning the Big Ten Tournament championship and nine of its past 10 games. Surely, Iowa would manage to outrace Richmond in the final 20 minutes.
It looked that way, too. Even after Richmond’s Jacob Gilyard score five quick points right after halftime to bring the score to 34-28. Iowa’s Patrick McCaffery canned a couple of back-to-back 3-pointers, Tony Perkins added a three-point play and McCaffery added another jumper. That quick 11-0 response from Iowa seemed to signal that there was no panic from the Hawkeyes and that they were set to figure things out and advance.
Instead, Richmond responded right back with an 11-0 spurt of their own that began with a Nathan Cayo layup and ended with another made Gilyard 3-pointer. Iowa pulled back within a point after star Keegan Murray drove inside and finished a layup with 10:21 remaining.
The Hawkeyes were held scoreless for the next five minutes and three seconds of game time, though. Ultimately, that drought proved too much to overcome for an Iowa team that some thought had a chance to emerge as the champion from the Midwest region. Instead, it’s a short stay in the NCAA Tournament.
Richmond advances and will meet No. 4 seed Providence in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.
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