IOWA CITY – Iowa was able to pull away from Northern Illinois in a second half surge Friday night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, leading to a 103-74 victory.
Iowa (8-5, 0-1) put up 54 points in the first half – its sixth 50-point half this season – and held the Huskies (6-6) to just 26 second half points.
The Hawkeyes eclipsed the century mark for the second straight game and for the fourth time on the year. Iowa has scored 100+ points 13 times since the start of the 2021-22 season.
The Hawkeyes had six players reach double figures for the second time this season. Iowa has had at least four players in double digits in 10 games.
After giving up 48 points in the first half on 66.7 percent shooting, Iowa limited NIU to 26 second-half points on 29 percent shooting.
Graduate Ben Krikke scored 20 points, making 9-of-12 field goals. The forward also had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
It is Krikke’s team-best fifth 20-point game this season and the 29th such game of his career.
Krikke has scored in double figures in 11 of 13 games this season.
Senior Tony Perkins had 10 points and tied a career high with eight assists.
Perkins has 22 assists to three turnovers over his last three games.
Junior Payton Sandfort scored 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including going 2-for-5 from 3-point range. Sandfort also had seven rebounds and three assists.
Sandfort has made two or more 3-point field goals in eight consecutive games.
Freshman Owen Freeman narrowly missed his second career double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes. The forward also had four steals and three blocks in the game.
Sophomore Dasonte Bowen finished with 15 points (two off his career high) on 5-of-8 shooting. It was his fourth game in double figures this season.
Freshman Pryce Sandfort reached double figures for the first time in his career, finishing with a career-high 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting.
Sandfort made three 3-pointers — his first career game with multiple 3-point field goals.
Iowa finished the game with 23 assists on 42 field goals. The Hawkeyes are 6-1 when handing out 20 or more assists.
Iowa finished with a season-high 15 steals and a season-high nine blocks.
The team had a season-high 38 fast break points in the victory.
The Hawkeyes made eight 3-pointers, moving their record to 5-1 when making at least eight 3s.
Iowa shot at least 50 percent from the field for the seventh time this season (6-1 record).
The team scored 56 points in the paint. Iowa has scored 122 points in the paint in its last two games.
The win is head coach Fran McCaffery’s 269th career victory, three wins from becoming the winningest coach in Iowa history.
Iowa has won 89 of its last 95 nonconference home games dating back to 2012.
The Hawkeyes improve to 6-1 this season inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Up Next
Iowa returns to action Jan. 2, traveling to Madison to face No. 23 Wisconsin at 6 p.m. (CT) at the Kohl Center. The game will be televised on BTN.
