KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team lost 77-69, to Utah State Friday night at the T-Mobile Center in the Hall of Fame Classic. The loss was Iowa’s first setback of the season (5-1), while the Aggies improved to 5-0.
Mason Falslev netted game highs in points (25) and rebounds (12), while Ian Martinez tallied 13 points and a game-best six assists to lead Utah State. The Aggies owned a plus-16 advantage on the glass, including grabbing 15 offensive rebounds, and outscoring the Hawkeyes 24-12 in second chance points.
Sophomores Brock Harding (19) and Owen Freeman (18) combined to score 37 points. Senior guard Payton Sandfort registered 14 points despite a cold night shooting, going 4-of-18 from the field, including 1-of-13 from long distance.
The Hawkeyes took a four-point advantage into halftime, 37-33. Iowa dominated the paint over the first 20 minutes, scoring 24 points compared to Utah State’s 16. Freeman had 10 points and five rebounds in the first half.
Utah State used a 9-0 scoring run midway through the second half to gain momentum. The Aggies shot 56 percent from the field in the second half, compared to 44 percent for the Hawkeyes.
Harding scored 15 points of his career-high 19 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers. Freeman added eight points and secured six rebounds, posting a double-double (18 points and 11 rebounds).
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
“Brock was terrific tonight. He really attacked the zone, played great defense, shot it well and loaded up his teammates. If we shot it better tonight, he likely would have been in double digits for assists. I am really proud of him. We went small a couple times tonight, but we have to do a better job on the glass. It’s going to be hard to win when being outrebounded by 16.
GAME NOTABLES
- After trailing 37-33 at the break, Utah State outscored the Hawkeyes, 44-32, in the second half to hand Iowa its first loss of the season.
- Harding scored a career-high 19 points, making 8-of-15 field goals, including a career-high three 3-pointers. He also had five assists and tied a career-high with four steals.
- His eight field goals were a career high.
- He has had at least four assists in every game.
- It was the first time in Harding’s career that he led the team in scoring.
- Freeman made 9-of-12 field goals en route to his 18 point performance and he grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and had three blocks.
- It was Freeman’s second double-double of the season and the seventh of his career.
- He has been in double figures in all five games he has played.
- Payton Sandfort finished with 14 points. He has been in double figures in every game this season.
- Utah State held Iowa to a season-low five 3-point field goals (in 26 attempts) and a season-low 19.2 3-point percentage.
- Utah State had a 21-4 advantage in fast-break points.
- Friday was the first game Iowa has played at full strength this season.
- The contest was Iowa’s first game in Kansas City since 2009.
UP NEXT
Iowa returns to competition next Tuesday against USC Upstate. The game will begin at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and it will be televised on BTN.
