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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Iowa men’s basketball earns signature win, topping Nebraska with defensive adjustments, balanced offense in 18-point triumph

Dishing out 30 assists, the Hawkeyes featured three players with a double-double, headlined by first-year Owen Freeman’s 22 points and 10 boards.
Matt McGowan, Sports Reporter
January 12, 2024
Carly Schrum
Iowa Forward Owen Freeman after getting a foul call on his layup during a men’s basketball game between Iowa and Rutgers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday, Jan. 6. The Hawkeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights, 86-77.

The Iowa men’s basketball team earned its best victory of the season so far, taking down 13-win Nebraska, 94-76, just three days after the Huskers upset No. 1 Purdue. Despite conceding an early lead, the Hawkeyes stepped on the gas with a balanced offensive attack and potent zone defense as they outscored their opponent, 45-26, over the final 16:50 in a dominant performance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

With the triumph, Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery tied the program record for career wins, notching his 271st to bring him atop the list alongside Tom Davis.

Playing in front of a depleted crowd due to blizzard conditions throughout Iowa, the Hawkeyes provided some early excitement for the limited fans in attendance, getting off to a 17-2 run in the opening five minutes. Iowa junior forward Payton Sandfort scored eight points during this stretch, drilling two threes. He would finish with 19 points, shooting 5-of-12 from beyond the arc.

The Hawkeye lead would soon slip, as the Cornhuskers dominated in the paint to get within three with 6:27 remaining in the first half. Nebraska forward Josiah Allick jammed three dunks as the Huskers scored 30 points from inside the lane in the opening 20 minutes. Yet even with the advantage down low, coach Fred Hoiberg’s squad struggled from deep, shooting 1-of-1o from three-point land to Iowa’s 35 percent.

Even in a more contested contest, the Hawkeyes remained in front with further production from Sandfort. When Iowa second-year guard Josh Dix hit his second triple of the half, the Hawkeyes found themselves up, 41-36, at the break. Dix’s five makes from beyond the arc etched a career-best.

It took less than two minutes for Nebraska to knot the contest at 44 apiece as Reink Mast nailed a triple off an Iowa turnover. Iowa answered in kind with another Sandfort three, and Nebraska wouldn’t lead by more than one point for the less of the period, as Iowa employed a 2-3 zone defense that gave the Huskers fits, as they shot 14-of-31 in the second half.

In his postgame interview with Big Ten Network, McCaffery credited the defensive shift to assistant coach Sherman Dillard. While admitting he was initially hesitant towards Dillard’s halftime idea, the head coach changed his mind during the break, and his choice paid dividends.

Snagging eight steals and scoring ten fast break points, Iowa moved the ball with astonishing pace, amassing 17 assists in the final minutes as it gradually pulled ahead for what would soon become a laugher. Hawkeye grad transfer Ben Krikke got in the action with two corner threes, nearly half of his made three-pointers this season.

Iowa senior guard Tony Perkins stretched the Hawkeye lead to 21 with a three-ball from beyond the arc, and Sandfort would provide the finishing touch with his fifth triple of the night.

The game featured plenty of milestones for the Hawkeyes, as first-year Owen Freeman and Dix finished with career-highs in points with 22 and 15, respectively, while Perkins dished out a personal-best 15 assists.

Three Iowa players, Perkins, Sandfort, and Freeman, finished with a double-double as the Hawkeyes earned their second Big Ten win this season. Over its last four home games, Iowa is averaging 97.25 points per contest.

Up Next 

Iowa hits the road for a trip up north on Jan. 15 for a 5 p.m. battle against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are 12-4 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. They had won seven consecutive contests before being vanquished by Indiana on Jan. 12. Guard Dawson Garcia leads the squad in scoring with 16.5 per game.

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