After suffering two close losses in a row, Maryland hits the road again this week as they face off against Iowa on Wednesday night. The Hawkeyes currently hold a record of 11-7 (3-4), and have won three of their last four games. Their best win of the year so far came against Nebraska in early January, while their worst loss was to Michigan in early December. For all of their regular season success, head coach Fran McCaffrey has never taken his team past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. This is his 14th season at the helm in Iowa City.
As is typically the case, Iowa features a fantastic offense and a terrible defense. Unlike most Hawkeyes teams of the past, this one is led by a big man. Senior power forward Ben Krikke leads the team in scoring after transferring from Valparaiso, averaging 17 points per game. He's shooting 59% from the field, including 42% from beyond the arc. Fran's son Patrick is dealing with an ankle injury and may not be available in this game.
Since joining the Big Ten, Maryland is 5-7 against Iowa. The Hawkeyes have won each of the last four matchups, with the Terps' last win coming in January, 2020.
KenPom Rankings
- Maryland: #68 (#171 AdjO, #17 AdjD; #299 AdjT)
- Iowa: #46 (#18 AdjO, #113 AdjD; #7 AdjT)
