In terms of wins and losses, the Iowa men’s basketball team can’t be doing any better than it currently is in its exhibition European trip.
After defeating the German All-Stars by 34 points on Aug. 8 and the Swiss All-Stars by 69 on Aug. 10, the Hawkeyes took care of business on Saturday against the Milan All-Stars, winning, 106-64. Freshman Luka Garza was named the game’s MVP with his 25-point, 11-rebound performance.
The 6-foot-11 freshman finished the contest by going 8-of-11 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line in just 22 minutes played. Garza’s shooting performance helped the Hawkeyes as a team shoot 60.6 percent field in its 42-point victory.
Defensively, Iowa held the Milan All-Stars to to 29.7 percent from the field and out-rebounded the opposition by 22 (54-32). Outside of Garza, three other Hawkeyes scored in double digits, as Isaiah Moss had 18, Christian Williams put in 13 and Ryan Kriener added 10.
Garza, through the first three games on the European trip, has averaged 22 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery talked more about the game as a whole and Garza in particular, via hawkeyesports.com.
“We moved the ball tonight,” McCaffery said. “Sharing the basketball is the key to our team and philosophy. That’s why when you look at our box score, so many guys scored.
“Luka Garza never takes a possession off. He’s always in the right place. He’s fun to watch. He is one of the best players I have ever seen at finishing through contact.”
Garza was ranked as the No. 119 overall player in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports and the No. 10 center in the country.
