Iowa men’s basketball (5-1) suffered its first loss of the season Friday night by a 77-69 score against Utah State (5-0) in the NABC Hall of Fame Classic at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
The Hawkeyes played their sloppiest offensive game this season as the team had 16 total turnovers and shot 28-for-64 (43.75%) from the field, including a dreadful 5-for-26 (19.23%) from 3-point distance.
Iowa held its own defensively by forcing 18 turnovers, including 13 steals and six blocks while limiting Utah State to 7-for-21 from deep.
Despite the disappointing loss against an equally scrappy Utah State bunch, here are three Hawkeyes who performed admirably in Friday night’s game.
Brock Harding
Despite the loss, Friday night’s game against Utah State was arguably the best Harding has played all season.
The sophomore guard finished with 19 points, five assists, four steals, and one rebound in 33:45 of game action. Harding shot 8-for-15 (53.3%) from the field, including a team-leading 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Harding’s breakout performance is a welcome sight for Iowa as the guard had primarily been a ball facilitator and a factor on the defensive end through the season’s first five games. Iowa will hope Harding’s showing is the start of a trend as opposed to a one-off burst of offense.
Owen Freeman
Along with Harding, Freeman was one of the few Hawkeyes that thrived offensively Friday night as he finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists through 33:59 of playing time.
Freeman shot an efficient 9-for-12 (75%) from the field, which fueled the Hawkeyes’ offense, especially in the paint.
With Freeman expected to have solid performances in almost every game, it is still appreciated, especially when the Hawkeyes struggle to convert on their shots.
Iowa will look to rebound on Tuesday, Nov. 26 versus USC Upstate from inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena with tip set for 7 p.m. CT and the game broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
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