Hawkeyes Fall to No. 23 Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to No. 23 Michigan, 85-83, on Saturday afternoon at the Crisler Center. The Hawkeyes move to 7-2 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten play. Sophomore Pryce Sandfort attempted a three-pointer at the buzzer for the win, but the shot fell just short.

Michigan opened the game on a 20-4 scoring run but the Hawkeyes struck back quickly, creating turnovers and turning them into points. Iowa used a 12-2 run to cut the Wolverine lead to 22-16 with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half. The Hawkeyes would tie the game at 35-35 with just under four minutes remaining in the first half.

The Hawkeye defense forced 11 turnovers in the first 20 minutes while committing just two turnovers themselves. Iowa was able to turn those turnovers into 13 points while Michigan had zero points off turnovers in the first half. The Hawkeyes struggled offensively in the first half shooting 15-of-39 (38.5%) from the field and just 3-of-13 (23.1%) from deep.

Despite the poor shooting and Michigan leading for all but eleven seconds in the first 20 minutes, the Hawkeyes trailed the Wolverines, 40-37, at the break. Graduate student Drew Thelwell and Pryce Sandfort led the way for Iowa in the first half with 10 points apiece. The Hawkeyes were without sophomore Owen Freeman for the majority of the first half, as he picked up his second foul just over two minutes into the game.

Sophomore Josh Dix gave the Hawkeyes their first lead of the game, 45-44, a few minutes into the second half. A three-pointer from senior Payton Sandfort a few possessions later would give the Hawkeyes their biggest lead of the game, 51-48, with under 16 minutes to play. The game would go on to stay within a few possessions before the Wolverines went on a 9-2 run to push their lead to 70-61 with just over eight minutes remaining.

The Wolverines led the Hawkeyes, 81-73, with two and a half minutes remaining before the Hawkeyes would go on a 10-2 run to tie the game at 83-83 with 20 seconds remaining. Payton Sandfort hit two big three-pointers in that span, including the three-pointer to tie it with 20 seconds remaining after sophomore Brock Harding was able to create a steal.

Michigan would take an 85-83 lead with three seconds remaining after a block from Freeman was ruled a goaltend. Pryce Sandfort’s three-point attempt fell just short at the buzzer as the Hawkeyes dropped their first Big Ten game of the season.

After zero lead changes in the first half, the second 20 minutes featured four lead changes and two ties. The Hawkeyes would finish the game shooting 32-of-77 (41.6%) from the field and 9-27 (33.3%) from deep. Iowa struggled at the free throw line converting on just 10-of-17 (58.8%) attempts. The Hawkeyes were led by Payton Sandfort with 19 points — with 16 of them coming in the second half. Dix and Pryce Sandfort finished with 16 points apiece, while Freeman added 13.

The Wolverines were led by Vladislav Goldin who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
“We kept fighting. You know, we had 15 offensive rebounds, which was a problem the other night. We only turned it over four times against a heavy pressure defense, proud of the guys.”

“We were struggling offensively, and the bench came in and provided some offense, which we desperately needed. Especially Drew [Thelwell] and Pryce [Sandfort], they were special. Chris [Tadjo] and Riley [Mulvey] were good too.”

“We got a good look [at the end]. A good shooter with a good look.”

GAME NOTABLES

• The Hawkeyes overcame a 16-point first-half deficit and 11 with 6:30 to play before falling, 85-83, in the team’s first road game of the season.
• Michigan’s Roddy Gayle’s field goal on an Iowa goal tend with 3.6 seconds remaining was the difference.
  • Iowa had a look at the buzzer for a second straight game, but Pryce Sandfort’s shot caromed off the rim.
• Iowa had five players reach double figures: Payton Sandfort 19, Josh Dix 16, Pryce Sandfort 16, Owen Freeman 13, Drew Thelwell 10
• Payton Sandfort finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
  • He has been in double figures in eight of the team’s nine games.
  • Sandfort made 4 or more 3s for the third time this season (22 in his career).
• Dix scored 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting and had a team-high seven rebounds. He has been in double figures in three straight and six games this season.
• Pryce Sandfort reached double figures for the fourth time this season, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with three 3-pointers. It was his second highest scoring output of the season.
• Iowa committed just four turnovers – a season low.
• The team finished the game shooting 41.6 percent (32-of-77) from the field – a season low.
• Iowa made nine 3-pointers – the team has made at least eight 3s in all but one game.
• It was the first time this season an Iowa opponent shot better than 50 percent from the field. The Wolverines had a 54-32 advantage in points in the paint.
• The Hawkeyes forced 17 turnovers (11 in the first half), but were out-rebounded, 45-30.
• Michigan jumped out to a 20-6 lead over the first eight minutes after limiting Iowa to 3-of-16 shooting to start the game. The Hawkeyes erased the 16-point deficit to tie the game at 35 and 37 before trailing 40-37 at the break. Iowa made 12-of-23 attempts over the final 12 minutes.
• Freeman played only two first-half minutes because of foul trouble.

UP NEXT
Iowa returns to action Thursday, hosting No. 5/6 Iowa State in an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series matchup inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will tipoff at 6:30 p.m. (CT) and be televised on FS1.