After losing four of its previous five games, the Iowa men’s basketball team was in need of a win entering its Wednesday night game. And it got one.

No. 15 Iowa (14-6 overall, 8-5 Big Ten) defeated No. 25 Rutgers (11-7, 7-7), 79-66, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This is the second time this season the Hawkeyes have defeated a ranked Scarlet Knights team after previously doing so Jan. 2 in New Jersey.

Rutgers had been one of the hottest teams in the conference entering the game, winning four in a row prior to Wednesday’s contest.

A cold shooting start to the game was a theme for both teams early on. Iowa started 0-for-8 from the field. Rutgers wasn’t much better, only hitting one of its first seven shots.

The Hawkeyes didn’t score until four minutes and 25 seconds into the game. Joe Wieskamp hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the first media timeout. Luka Garza, the nation’s leading scorer, didn’t score until the 7:58 mark of the first half.

An 8-0 Iowa run, combined with a five minutes and 17 second stretch without a Rutgers field goal, allowed the Hawkeyes to jump ahead of their top-25 opponent.

Wieskamp hit his third 3-pointer of the first half with 37 seconds remaining in the first half to snap the team’s 1-for-9 shooting stretch and put Iowa up 34-25 at halftime. Wieskamp (16) and Garza (8) combined for 24 of Iowa’s 34 first-half points.

Three quick Iowa 3-pointers to start the second half contributed to a Hawkeye run that had the team leading by 14 points just under five minutes into the final 20 minutes of the game.

After dominating the first half, it took Wieskamp almost 10 minutes of game time to score in the second half. But then he got going.

Wieskamp scored 10 points in the second half on his way to a season-high 26 on the game. The junior shot 9-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

Rutgers stayed with Iowa throughout the second half, but the Hawkeyes maintained a double-digit lead for most of the final stretch of play. Unlike its previous losses, Iowa held its lead late and never let it go.

Garza followed up Wieskamp’s 26 points with 22 of his own. The senior shot 8-of-20 from the field and tied Wieskamp for the team lead with 10 rebounds. Off the bench, freshman Keegan Murray contributed 10 points, six rebounds, a block, and a steal for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa’s next game is Saturday in East Lansing in a rematch against Michigan State. The game is scheduled to tip off at 1:37 p.m. on FS1.

Fredrick returns to the lineup

After missing all or most of Iowa’s previous five games, sophomore guard C.J. Fredrick returned to the starting lineup on Wednesday and was available throughout the game. Fredrick played 17 minutes but did not score a point, going 0-of-3 from the field.

Fredrick did tally two rebounds and three assists, while also playing pivotal perimeter defense.

Iowa in control

The Hawkeyes gave up leads late over their losing stretch. They didn’t allow that to happen against the Scarlet Knight. Rutgers only led for two minutes and 50 seconds of the contest, all of that time coming early in the first half.

Iowa led for 33:10 of the game and kept a double-digit lead for most of the final stretch of the game.

Hawkeyes hot, Scarlet Knights cold from 3-point range

Iowa shot 48 percent from 3-point range on Wednesday night (11-of-23). Rutgers never got going from deep, shooting 21 percent (6-of-28) from deep.