IOWA CITY (AP) — Fran McCaffery couldn’t afford to take out Mike Gesell. The Iowa coach didn’t want to put his other freshman point guard on the bench, either.

Gesell scored 15 points and fueled a big second-half run as the Hawkeyes beat Central Michigan 73-61 on Monday night. Gesell played almost the entire second half — much of it alongside his backup, Anthony Clemmons — as Iowa held off the Chippewas’ small but pesky lineup.

“(Gesell) was too good,” McCaffery said. “He was in control. He didn’t look rattled at all.”