BLOOMINGTON — Armaan Franklin's scoring total wasn't anything to write home about. The sophomore guard from Indianapolis had just four points in Indiana's 67-65 win over #8 Iowa at Assembly Hall Sunday.
It was Franklin's second basket that will be remembered. A jumper with one second left gave the Hoosiers a badly needed win over the Hawkeyes. "Race (Thompson) faked a screen creating kind of a diversion, Luka (Garza) stepped out a little bit and I got going downhill and I saw him leaning, he stepped back and I just let it go. You know my teammates had the ultimate confidence in me," said Franklin in describing the winning bucket."
It was the second time this season IU has come out on top against Iowa. In January, with the Hawkeyes ranked fourth in the nation, the Hooisers left Iowa City with an 81-69 win. "I think our guys are really together and we are getting better, and then after a hard overtime game the other night, you know to be able to get back up here today and play another really good team like Iowa and be able to find a way, you know hopefully gives us a shot in the arm and gives us some confidence that we need," said Indiana Coach Archie Miller.
For awhile, it appeared the Hoosiers might fold in the first half. They were down as many as 13 points, but by halftime, had a two point lead.
IU would have to fight back again in the second half, with Iowa taking a 10 point lead at the 14:30 mark. Then, with six minutes to play, the Hoosiers tied the score. The teams would trade baskets down the stretch, with Iowa's Jordan Bohannon making it 65-65 with 27 seconds left.
Franklin then hit the winner with one second left. “The game was in the balance, the kid hit a tough step back," said Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery. "We had opportunities. We had a lead in the second half, we had wide open threes that were good shots that didn’t go."
Trayce Jackson-Davis led the Hoosiers with 17 points and 12 rebounds. IU's conference record improves to 5-6 and 10-8 overall.
Luka Garza and Joe Wieskamp each had 18 points for Iowa. Garza, a candidate for Big Ten Player of the Year, was held to seven points below his average and missed a critical jumper with 41 seconds to play.
"Guarding Garza is a challenge. I mean you really got to give him different looks because he is a great player, so I mean you really have to focus on giving him different looks and really focus on not letting him get the ball in the first place," said IU forward Race Thompson, who was assigned to Garza.
The Hawkeyes are having their troubles. After going 6-1 over the first seven Big Ten games, Iowa has lost four of its last five for a 7-5 conference record and 13-6 overall.
