Iowa looked uncomfortable in a Big Ten road game yet again, but Brendan Hausen proved his worth with a strong second half.
For 36 minutes, it looked like Iowa was on the verge of death. Nothing was going its way, but a sudden surge gave the Hawkeyes a late lead.
However, that late lead still turned into a heartbreaking defeat. Iowa had three good looks to tie the game in the closing seconds, but couldn't get any of them to fall. Instead of overtime and a potential win, the Hawkeyes are left to wonder what could've been and get themselves back off the mat in time for a showdown against Illinois on Sunday.
The loss dropped Iowa to 12-3 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Here are three observations from the loss:
ROAD WOES
Iowa has played in three true road games this season. Outside of the near-upset win at Iowa State on Dec. 11, they've looked completely lost. The Hawkeyes never had a chance against Michigan State, and they came out sluggish on Tuesday. Coming out slow against a solid Spartans team in the Breslin Center is understandable, but Iowa didn't play with much energy against an average Minnesota team in half-empty Williams Arena.
With a tough stretch - Illinois, at Purdue, and at Indiana - looming, this was a game the Hawkeyes really couldn't afford to drop, but they did just that. There's a lot of season to play, but Iowa has to start finding ways to win on the road if it wants to be an NCAA tournament team this year.
INCONSISTENCY AT THE TOP
Iowa's four leading scorers - Bennett Stirtz, Alvaro Folguieras, Tavion Banks, and Cam Manyawu - have been the backbone of its success this year, but all four struggled throughout the contest. Yes, Stirtz finished with 21 points, but all 21 of those points came in the second half after he battled foul trouble and an 0/5 start.
Stirtz was the only one of the trio to even reach double figures on this night. Manyawu had a team-high eight boards, but missed his lone field goal attempt and didn't have any points. Folguieras also registered a goose egg with an 0/2 showing, while Banks recorded five points on 1/6 shooting.
Stirtz deserves credit for his second half response, but those two missed open triples to tie the game late symbolized his rough evening. None of these four players are going to be able to register perfect box scores night in and night out, but the Hawkeyes can't afford to see all four have off nights, especially on the road, if they want to be competitive this season.
HAUSEN PROVES HIS WORTH
If there's one positive to take away from the loss, it's Brendan Hausen's performance in the second half. Hausen's lack of playing time this year has been puzzling to fans, but McCollum's decision to insert him into this game nearly resulted in Iowa stealing an improbable victory.
Hausen recorded only three points in this one, but the Hawkeyes' mojo seemed to change once he entered the game. Having a veteran presence (especially one that has played at the Power Five level) is crucial for any basketball team, but especially for an Iowa team built with transfers from mid-major Drake.
McCollum hasn't provided much of an explanation for not playing Hausen, but the senior did everything he possibly could've in this one. He's never going to be the best defender on the floor, but he played with enough scrappiness and grit, collecting one steal.
Though his game-tying three-pointer rattled out, Hausen's ability to stretch the defense with his long-range shooting distance should warrant him receiving more minutes moving forward.
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