MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 7 seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to No. 10 seeded Ohio State, 90-78, on Thursday night at the Target Center in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Junior Payton Sandfort led the way for the Hawkeyes scoring 19 points. It was the 12th time Sandfort has led Iowa in the scoring column this season. The Waukee, Iowa native grabbed six rebounds to go along with three assists. Sandfort shot 4-of-8 from deep.
Graduate Ben Krikke scored 13 points on an efficient 5-of-9 (55%) shooting from the field. Senior Tony Perkins dished out seven assists, a team high. Perkins added 13 points and four rebounds.
Freshman Owen Freeman rounded out the Hawkeyes in double digits with 10 points. Freeman grabbed a team high nine rebounds. Sophomore Josh Dix scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds, which was a career high.
Ohio State opened the game on a 10-2 run before the Hawkeyes responded with an 8-0 run of themselves to tie the game at 15 a piece. The Buckeyes continued their hot start from deep and led Iowa 29-22, at the under eight media timeout. Sandfort led the way for Iowa in the first half scoring nine points on 3-of-4 shooting including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Ohio State shot 8-of-11 (72.7%) from 3-point range in the first half as they led Iowa, 43-38, at the break.
The Hawkeyes continued to battle in the second half, but Ohio State had an answer for every Iowa run. Iowa struggled from the floor in the second half shooting 12-of-36 (33.3%) from the field and just 3-of-12 (25%) from deep. Sandfort led Iowa in the second half with 10 points.
Ohio State was led by Jamison Battle with 23 points, all of those coming in the second half. The Buckeyes finished the game shooting 31-of-60 (51.7%) from the field and 11-of-20 (55%) from three.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
“I’m really proud of this group. It’s hard to win 18 games with the schedule we had, you’re right. We had some tough times. We had some tough losses, but we had some great wins. We won some close games. We stayed together. I thought our young guys continued to get better and continued to produce. You know, not just Owen, who was Rookie of the Year but our other freshmen who played a lot. Ben Krikke being new, okay, he’s a veteran guy, but he’s new. I thought we fit in really well. We have great chemistry in that locker room, and I’m really proud of this team. We all want to go a little further, but fortunately we’ll get to keep playing.”
GAME NOTABLES
- The Hawkeyes are now 22-23 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament in program history.
- Junior Payton Sandfort scored a team-high 19 points, making 5-of-13 field goals and four 3-pointers. He also had six rebounds.
- Sandfort has made four or more 3-pointers in 11 games this season, three or more in 16 games and two or more in 26 games.
- He has been in double figures 26 times.
- Senior Tony Perkins finished with 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
- It was his seventh game with at least seven assists.
- He has been in double figures in 27 games this season.
- Graduate Ben Krikke finished with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting – his 22nd game in double digits.
- Freshman Owen Freeman finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, making 4-of-9 field goals.
- He has seven or more rebounds in 16 games this season.
- Freshman Brock Harding had five points and five assists.
- It was his second straight game with at least five assists and his fifth game with at least five assists.
- Iowa finished with 19 assists on 26 field goals and finished with just eight turnovers.
- The Hawkeyes made eight 3-point field goals. It was just Iowa’s second loss in 11 games when making at least eight 3-pointers.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will learn their postseason plans in the National Invitation Tournament on Sunday.
