Bennett Stirtz recorded another 30-point game, but the lack of a balanced scoring attack doomed the Hawkeyes on this night.
Like its in-state rival last night, Iowa basketball may have been caught overlooking a weak conference opponent.
The Hawkeyes could never get going against a bad Maryland team, suffering a disappointing 77-70 loss at the Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland on Wednesday.
Bennett Stirtz led the way with 32 points - his third consecutive game with 30 or more points - but the lack of additional scoring played a pivotal role in the outcome. Tavion Banks was the only other Hawkeye to reach double figures (13 points).
The loss abruptly ends Iowa's six-game winning streak and drops it to 18-6 overall and 8-5 in Big Ten play.
First Half
Maryland's 32.1% three-point clip is tied for the third-worst in the Big Ten, but it made two of its first three attempts on this night. Offensive rebounding killed Iowa in the early going, but five early points from Stirtz gave the Hawkeyes a 9-6 lead at the first media timeout.
The Terrapins already recorded six offensive boards five minutes into the game, helping them convert four consecutive field goal attempts. Iowa was contesting shots, but the lack of a rebounding presence was frequently present in the first half.
The Hawkeyes struggled to connect from distance in the frame (several shots went in-and-out), but the first half was defined by their defense. Andre Mills' layup with 10:20 left in the period would be Maryland's last points until his jumper at the 6:40 mark, and that was because Iowa simply put the clamps down on the Terps - forcing four turnovers.
Mills and David "Diggy" Coit helped ignite Maryland for the rest of the half, and once the duo started to get going, the Hawkeyes had a difficult time stopping it. Coit nailed several tough jumpers to give the Terps the lead, and Iowa's poor defense made Ben McCollum angrily call a timeout.
Neither team managed a lead of over four points for most of the half, but more Hawkeye defensive lapses allowed Maryland to suddenly build a six-point lead in the final seconds. Stirtz responded with a triple, but an easy layup on the other end gave the Terrapins a shocking 37-32 lead at the break (they shot 53% from the floor).
Second Half
Iowa badly needed some halftime adjustments to get it back into the game, but it took an uncomfortable amount of time for those to come to light. The FS1 broadcast crew quickly pointed it out, but the second half just didn't really have much of a flow to it.
A lengthy official review didn't help, but both teams struggled to play defense without fouling - as both were in the bonus by the halfway point of the second. Stirtz continued to do everything on offense for the Hawkeyes and didn't get any help until Brendan Hausen entered the game.
The senior guard hasn't played much in league play this year, but he promptly came in and made several clutch plays - drawing a charge and making two triples - to help Iowa reclaim the lead, 51-50.
Just when it seemed like the Hawkeyes would take control, Maryland responded with an 8-0 scoring run to build a six-point lead with 6:29 to go. McCollum called a timeout to reset his team, but the Terps still maintained a two possession lead late.
Iowa attempted to make a final push, but Maryland make its free throws down the stretch to pull off a stunning victory.
Up Next
The Hawkeyes return to action on Saturday, Feb. 14, for a Valentine's Day showdown against No. 13 Purdue. The Boilermakers (20-4, 10-3) have played inconsistent basketball over the last few weeks, but survived an overtime thriller at No. 7 Nebraska on Tuesday.
Tip off from a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena is set for 4 p.m. on FOX.