Game Awards: Iowa Basketball 84, North Dakota Fighting Hawks 73
By Jeremy Karll
Bench Player Of The Game: Brady Ellingson
This could easily go to Cordell Pemsl, who recorded nine points and 11 rebounds, or Nicholas Baer, who recorded eight points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, but Brady Ellingson played his best game since scoring 10 points against Rio Grande Valley.
By Christian Williams only seeing six minutes off the bench, it shows that Fran McCaffery isn’t afraid to stretch his starter’s minutes out if the bench isn’t producing. Iowa has options in their backcourt, which puts Brady Ellingson in a tough spot, especially since he’s been struggling lately.
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Ellingson scored more than five points for just the third time this season and ended a seven game streak of scoring five points or fewer. He shot 4-of-5 from the field and made both of his free-throws, as he went for 10 points.
He only recorded one rebound and assist, but that’s not the part of his game that will buy him minutes off the bench. Iowa needs him to be a serviceable defender and an aggressive scorer.
North Dakota left Ellingson open, and he took advantage. He attempted at least five shots for the third time this season and made multiple shots for just the fourth time. He didn’t hesitate when he was open, and it paid off.
Ellingson won’t average 10 points per game or be a great scorer off the bench this season, but he can be productive and give the Hawkeyes a boost. He has a chance to be an important piece off the bench for Iowa, but he has to have more game like this where he’s not afraid to look for his shot.