EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – A big first half run and the ability to hold it late propelled Iowa over Michigan State Tuesday night, 78-71.
Iowa (16-11, 8-8 B1G) snapped Michigan State’s (17-10, 9-7 B1G) nine-game home winning streak. It was the Spartans’ third home loss this season (14-3).
The victory is Iowa’s second straight Quad 1 victory and the third true road win of the season.
The Hawkeyes have won two of the last three road games at Michigan State and have won five of the last six in the series overall.
The win is Iowa’s eighth Big Ten victory of the year, moving the team’s record to 8-8.
The Hawkeyes are .500 in the conference for the first time since Jan. 15.
The Hawkeyes led by as many as 16 (51-35) in the second half.
Iowa trailed 27-24 at the 6:34 mark of the first half before going on 15-1 run over a 3:36 span to build a 39-28 lead.
Junior Payton Sandfort hit a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in half, giving Iowa a 45-33 advantage at the break.
Graduate Ben Krikke recorded his third double-double, finishing with 18 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. He was 7-of-11 from the floor. He had 11 points and nine rebounds in the first half, playing all 20 minutes.
Senior Patrick McCaffery scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting and went 4-of-5 from the free throw stripe. He has been in double digits in four of the last six games and 13 times this season. McCaffery is nine points shy of becoming the 53rd 1,000-point scorer in program history.
The Hawkeyes shot 50.9 percent from the field and went 18-of-23 from the free throw line. Iowa shot 57.1 percent (16-of-28) in the first half and committed only two turnovers.
The Hawkeyes made more free throws (18) than Michigan State attempted (14).
Iowa is 12-2 when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor.
The Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle, 35-34.
Iowa committed just six turnovers – its 16th game with 10 or fewer turnovers.
Up Next
The Hawkeyes continue on the road, traveling to Champaign on Saturday to face No. 12 Illinois at 1:15 p.m. (CT) at the State Farm Center.
