Iowa has been incredibly hot over it's recent stretch of games, winning six in a row.
With those six games in their rearview mirror, the Hawkeyes were on the road in College Park, Maryland, for what looked like an easy game against a struggling nine-win Terrapins squad.
Everything was looking good for Iowa on paper, but that's why you play the games.
Bennett Stirtz did Bennett Stirtz things, dropping 32 points and adding six assists, but it wasn't enough as Iowa fell flat in a 77-70 loss to Maryland.
Iowa left its defense in Iowa City and shot a miserable percentage from three-point range in the loss, and now has to pick up the pieces before back-to-back games against Purdue and Nebraska.
The defense took the night off in the loss
The calling card all season for the Hawkeyes in Ben McCollum's first season at the helm has been defense.
Iowa is one of the most efficient defensive teams in college basketball, holding every team under its season point totals.
That all changed against Maryland.
The Terrapins were averaging just under 72 points per game this season, and for the first time all year, the Hawkeyes allowed them to pass their season average with 77 points.
The Hawkeyes also allowed the Terrapins to shoot 53 percent from the field in the loss, a complete 180 from what they have done all season.
Iowa clearly had Purdue on its mind, leaving its defense in Iowa City.
Iowa's worst shooting night of the season came at the wrong time
Iowa is not only one of the most efficient defensive teams in college basketball, but also one of the best shooting teams.
The Hawkeyes fell flat on the offensive end, and excluding Bennett Stirtz, the entire squad had a very bad shooting night.
Stirtz shot 62 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc to give the Hawkeyes a chance, but the rest of the team shot a combined 12 of 38 (32 percent) from the field and 3 of 18 (17 percent) from beyond the arc.
That won't get it done, and if Iowa shoots that poorly against Purdue on Saturday, the squad will get run off of its own floor.
Iowa is running out of leeway to drop games before Selection Sunday, and losing a game to a bad Maryland squad can't happen down the stretch.