Iowa Burned By Red-Hot Gonzaga In 87-68 Setback

After five straight departures on the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Gonzaga is back in the Sweet 16. For Iowa, a return to the regional semifinals is now 16 years and counting.

The Hawkeyes (22-12) couldn't overcome Gonzaga's effecient offensive performance and fell to the second-seeded Bulldogs, 87-68 at Key Arena in Seattle, Wash., Sunday night (March 22, 2015).

Gonzaga (34-2) started the game hot and continued its torrid shooting throughout the game. The Bulldogs blistered the nets with 60-percent shooting from the floor in each half and made 10-of-16 three-pointers. The Zags won the the rebounding battle, 34-22, and scored 22 points off the Hawkeyes' 11 turnovers.

Kyle Wiltjer made a three-point jumper for Gonzaga less than 30 seconds into the game and the Bulldogs never trailed. In all, they hit 7-of-10 shots from behind the arc in the first half enroute to a 46-29 halftime lead.

Iowa tried to make a run in the second-half. The Hawkeyes cut the margin to 11 points three different times after intermission, but each time failed to get the deficit to single digits.

Jarrod Uthoff scored 20 points to lead Iowa, while senior Aaron White finished with 19 in his final collegiate game. White ended his career as the Hawkeyes' second all-time leading scorer with 1,859 points and third-best rebounder with 901.

Anthony Clemons was the only other Iowa player in double-figures with 10. Clemons also finished his career with the Hawkeyes, as did senior teammates Josh Oglesby, Gabe Olaseni and Cedar Falls native Kyle Denning.

The loss denied the Hawkeyes their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1998-99, Dr. Tom Davis' final season as head coach.