By Richard Podhajsky

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Through nine minutes, 57 seconds, Megan Gustafson didn’t score a single point.

But it turns out she only needs three quarters to get to her nation-leading points per game average, even against one of the top teams in the country.

Gustafson scored 31 points – 24 in the second half – and grabbed 17 rebounds, helping lead 14t-ranked Iowa past No. 7 Maryland 86-73 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, moving the Hawkeyes into a first-place tie with the Terrapins with only three games remaining this season.

“It shows our resilience,” Gustafson said. “No matter who we’re facing, no matter what kind of situation we’re in, we’re able to really pick it up. Whether that’s scoring the ball or getting defensive stops. I was really proud of our defensive intensity; that’s something we worked on all week long. And our rebounding was great, especially in the second half and that’s what we really needed.

“It’s going to help us in March when we’re having those tough games. We’re going to know we can do it as long as we stick together.”

While the senior center got off to a slow start, her teammates made up the difference. Seven different Hawkeyes got on the board, four in double figures, despite the team making just three of 13 three-point attempts.

“We believe in all of our parts,” head coach Lisa Bluder said. “Part of the guards’ responsibilities are to find Megan with great assists but they also know we have full belief in them in putting down three-point shots. We have full belief in them when they drive and get to the free throw line. We have full belief in them in all areas.

“But we’re also smart and know we’ve got a special player in Megan.”

The game was tied at 33 at the half, with Gustafson scoring only seven points before the break. But Iowa kept going back to its star, who played through a physical game by making 11 of 12 free throw attempts.

Iowa led by only four with 1:30 left. But they finished the game on an 11-0 run, aided by the fact they hit 27 of 29 free throws for the game, compared to Maryland’s four of eight.

“I just thought they made a focus of going into (Gustafson) even a lot more with her touches,” Maryland head coach Brenda Frese, a Cedar Rapids native, said. “Obviously, we were trying to bring a lot of players in through the foul trouble but, you know, she never stops working. And, obviously, when you go to the foul line 12 times and 17 boards, she’s just a match-up nightmare.

“You saw a lot of times we were throwing two and three people at her and it still didn’t make a difference. She’s obviously that talented.”

The win marks the first time the Hawkeyes have beaten Maryland since they joined the Big Ten in 2014, ending a six-game losing streak.

“I think it gives us a lot of confidence,” senior guard Tania Davis said of their ability to hang around while Gustafson wasn’t scoring. “Piggybacking off what Coach Bluder said, we have so much confidence in each other – like I have so much confidence in Kathleen (Doyle) or (Makenzie Meyer) to knock down threes. And I know as soon as we start knocking down threes or using Megan in our pick-and-roll game, obviously no one wants to leave Megan so that leaves driving lanes for us.”

Iowa (21-5 overall, 12-3 Big Ten) returns to action on Thursday, traveling to Indiana.