Following a disastrous performance against the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday, the Iowa men’s basketball team (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) roared back from a rather disgruntling first half to secure a resounding overtime victory vs. Nebraska (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten).
Aside from junior guard Josh Dix scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 (66%) from the field, including 4-of-6 (66%) from beyond the arc, the Hawkeyes‘ first half was marred by turnovers and lack of offensive production.
Despite shooting 12-for-28 (42.9%) from the floor, including 7-of-16 (43.8%) from deep, the combination of sloppy play and almost no secondary scoring outside of Dix allowed the Cornhuskers to quiet the Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd while leading 34-31 at halftime.
Nebraska proceeded to build a 52-37 lead at one point early in the second half.
Then, a completely different Hawkeyes team appeared on the court as Iowa’s offense found a groove thanks to senior forward Payton Sandfort erupting with 30 points after halftime.
While Nebraska tied the game at 76 on a buzzer-beating 3-point shot, Iowa never took the foot off the gas as they outscored the Cornhuskers 21-11 in the overtime period to claim a spectacular 97-87 victory.
Iowa finished the game shooting 29-for-61 (47.5%) from the floor, 17-for-35 (48.6%) from long range, and 22-of-25 (80%) from the charity stripe. The Hawkeyes also forced 21 turnovers, including seven steals and six blocks.
As Iowa escapes with a victory, here are three stars that contributed to the team’s performance against Nebraska.
Josh Dix
Dix had a career-high 31-point performance, making 10-of-14 field goals, including a career-high 7-for-10 (70%) from deep and 4-for-4 (100%) from the charity stripe. He also had a career-high-tying seven assists, six rebounds, four steals, and one block in 45 minutes of action.
Tuesday night’s performance is the third 20-point game of the season and the seventh of the blossoming guard’s career.
Dix was specifically critical in running the Hawkeyes’ offense in the first half, as his 16 points were the lone positive takeaway from the game’s opening 20 minutes.
Payton Sandfort
After being held scoreless in the first half, the senior forward exploded for 30 combined points in the second half and overtime to finish shooting 8-of-15 (53.3%) from the field, 6-of-10 (60%) from deep, and 8-for-9 (88.9%) at the free throw line.
Sandfort also contributed six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in 35 minutes of action.
For Sandfort, the explosive second half is something that the Hawkeyes will need to transition into a full-game performance, as his scoring ability and leadership are the heartbeat of the Iowa program.
Owen Freeman
Despite not quite having his typical dominant performance on Tuesday night, the sophomore forward still finished with 15 points off 5-for-12 (41.7%) shooting from the floor and 5-for-6 (83.3%) from the free throw line in 39 minutes.
Freeman also added a team-leading eight rebounds with four blocks, one steal, and one assist.
While a better stat line from Freeman was to be desired, his physical presence on the defensive side of the ball aided the Hawkeyes’ second-half comeback and eventual win.
Iowa’s next matchup will occur from Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday night vs. Indiana (12-3, 3-1 Big Ten). Game time is set for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Fox.
As always, the Hawkeye Radio Network will provide excellent coverage over the airwaves for fans as well.
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