Iowa men’s basketball (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) earned their first Big Ten conference win of the season Tuesday night vs. Northwestern (6-3, 0-1 Big Ten) on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Josh Dix off an inbound pass with .8 seconds left.
The thrilling victory was a sigh of relief as the Hawkeyes let the Wildcats creep back into the game after leading Northwestern by as many as 15 points early in the second half.
As a team, Iowa shot 30-for-55 (54.5%) from the field and 9-for-23 from three-point territory but missed out on points from the free-throw line by finishing 11-for-19 (57.9%). The Hawkeyes also amassed 26 total rebounds throughout the night.
Iowa’s defense collected 21 defensive rebounds and forced 12 turnovers, including seven steals and two blocks. The Hawkeyes were also able to convert 18 points off those turnovers.
While only shooting 29-for-60 (48.3%) from the field, Northwestern was efficient at the free-throw line by converting on 13-of-16 (81.3%) opportunities and fell two points shy of equaled Iowa’s point production from the paint.
With the Hawkeyes starting off the 2024-25 Big Ten slate on a positive footing, here are the three stars who led Iowa to an exhilarating victory.
Josh Dix
Dix was the clear-cut first star of the night with his clutch game-winning three-pointer to snatch an Iowa victory from the gaping jaw of defeat.
Dix finished with 22 points on 9-of-16 (56.25%) shooting, including 3-for-8 (37.5%) from three-point territory, to reach double figures for the second straight game and the fifth time this season.
He also had six rebounds and one assist and was 1-for-1 (100%) from the free-throw line in 38 minutes of game time.
His last-second shot saved Iowa from what would have been a disappointing loss as the Hawkeyes allowed Northwestern to scratch and claw back into the game after leading the Wildcats for much of the game.
Payton Sandfort
Sandfort finished with 20 points on 6-of-14 (42.86%) shooting from the field, including 4-for-9 (44.4%) from deep and a perfect 4-for-4 (100%) from the charity stripe. He also had seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block to round out his 35 minutes on the night.
The performance from Sandfort is a welcoming sight, as he had struggled shooting the ball in his previous two games.
Iowa hopes the successful shooting night for the senior forward continues as they battle conference opponents throughout the season.
Brock Harding
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
While Harding’s 12 points on 6-of-10 (60%) finished fourth in team scoring on Wednesday, his defensive presence was critical throughout the night. The sophomore guard accounted for nearly half of Iowa’s defensive statistics with three steals and one block in 33 minutes. Harding also added eight assists and one rebound to close out his night.
The defensive play from Harding has been a valuable trend throughout the season so far, and one Iowa will look to continue moving forward.
The Hawkeyes return to action Saturday vs. Michigan (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) from Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in their first true road game of the season.
The game will begin at 1:00 p.m. CT and be televised on FS1. As always, the game will also be aired through the radio on the Hawkeyes Radio Network.
