Iowa is playing a dangerous game, in which the volume of the broader program narrative will only get louder should it continue down this path.

Dawson Garcia scored 20 points, Femi Odukale added 18 and Minnesota held off Iowa for a 72-67 victory on Tuesday night. Minnesota led by double digits for most of the second half until Owen Freeman scored six points during Iowa’s 13-3 run to cut the deficit to 70-67 with 30 seconds left.