Kris Murray ignites social media with 30-20 game

Kris Murray is officially a star in college basketball. It felt like that was going to be the case, but after his latest eruption versus Georgia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, it feels like that’s now a fairly obvious takeaway.

Murray went bonkers again, tallying a career-high 31 points and wrangling 20 rebounds to go with four assists and a pair of blocks. He also knocked down four of Iowa’s nine total 3-pointers against the Yellow Jackets in the Hawkeyes’ 81-65 win.

“[Kris Murray] had two double-doubles down in Florida, so I wasn’t concerned with how he would respond… The really impressive thing about the rebounding, with Kris, is that six offensive rebounds in the first half were a big difference in this game. We were struggling shooting the ball, and he went back and got it six times. Now the other thing is, a lot of guys can get 30, but very few people are going to get 20. Most guys who are getting 30 [points] aren’t rebounding, so I think that is impressive,” Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said afterwards.

Murray became the first Hawkeye since Luka Garza at Minnesota on Dec. 25, 2020, to total 30-plus points to go along with 15-plus rebounds. Per ESPN Stats and Info, Murray also became the first major college player since former Texas Longhorn Kevin Durant to register 30 points, 20 rebounds and four made 3-pointers.

It’s Murray’s fourth double-double in the last five games and his fourth 20-plus point outing in the last six.

Suffice it to say, he’s in a groove. So are the Hawkeyes. With the win, Iowa improves to 6-1 overall and the Hawkeyes extend their success in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge to an eight-game winning streak.

Iowa gets a week off before the big date at Madison Square Garden in New York City against Duke.

In the meantime, check out how social media was abuzz with Murray hype during and after the big performance against Georgia Tech.