In a hard-fought Big Ten showdown, the Iowa Hawkeyes overcame a sluggish performance to defeat Rutgers 68-62 on Tuesday night in Iowa City. Despite struggling for most of the game, Iowa’s late-game resilience and clutch free throws helped them secure their second straight victory. The win moved Iowa to 14-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
Clutch Shooting Secures Iowa’s Narrow Victory
The game began with Rutgers seizing an early 5-0 lead, exploiting Iowa’s defensive lapses. However, the Hawkeyes quickly regained their footing, sparked by freshman guard Tate Sage, who drained a pair of crucial three-pointers. Iowa’s senior point guard Bennett Stirtz also played a pivotal role, contributing seven points before halftime, leading Iowa to a 31-24 advantage at the break.
The first half wasn’t without its issues for Iowa, as both teams combined for 19 turnovers, with Rutgers responsible for 12 of them. Despite this, Iowa managed to take control late in the half, using an 18-6 run to pull ahead. Coach Ben McCollum admitted that while the team’s effort was there, concentration was lacking throughout the first 20 minutes.
The second half started poorly for Iowa. Rutgers came out on fire, scoring nine unanswered points to take a 33-31 lead. With Iowa struggling to score, McCollum’s frustration was evident. The Hawkeyes, who had only managed eight points in the first 10 minutes of the half, seemed poised to collapse.
But Sage turned the game around for Iowa. His two additional three-pointers sparked a critical 15-7 run that put the Hawkeyes back in front, 53-49. Sage finished with 17 points, shooting an impressive 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. “I just feel dependable,” Sage said after the game, acknowledging his growing role on the team.
Stirtz, despite missing all six of his three-point attempts, emerged as the game’s hero in the final minutes. He scored nine of his game-high 20 points in the last 5:30, including a three-point play that gave Iowa a six-point lead with 1:42 remaining. “His effort was great,” McCollum praised, highlighting Stirtz’s timely contributions, especially in defense.
Rutgers made a final push, cutting the lead to 64-62 with just 22 seconds remaining. However, Iowa held their nerve, with Sage sinking two free throws to extend the lead to four. Isaia Howard sealed the win with two more from the charity stripe with five seconds left.
With the victory, Iowa improves its home record to 9-2 and extends its winning streak to two games. Meanwhile, Rutgers dropped to 9-10 and remains winless in five true road games this season. The Scarlet Knights will look to regroup as they prepare for upcoming conference matchups.
Looking ahead, the Hawkeyes will enjoy a rare week off before hosting USC on January 28. The Trojans, who currently hold a 14-4 record but have lost three of their last five games, will face tough tests against Northwestern and Wisconsin before making the trip to Iowa City. Coach McCollum plans to use the break to fine-tune the team’s performance. “We need to get better,” he said, emphasizing the need for continued improvement.
