MOLINE, ILLINOIS – The Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team picked up a nice neutral court victory Friday night in Moline, Illinois, defeating the Washington State Cougars, 76-67.
The game was billed as the “John Deere Quad Cities Hoops Showdown” and played in the Vibrant Arena at the MARK in Moline, Illinois.
The Hawkeyes improve to 4-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and Washington State drops to 3-1 on the young season.
Friday’s game featured nine ties and 16 lead changes. Iowa rallied from a nine-point first half and three point halftime deficit.
Iowa had two players finish in double figures: Owen Freeman 21, Payton Sandfort 18. Freeman recorded his first double-double of the season and sixth of his career with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He was 9-of-15 from the field.
It was Freeman’s third 20-point game of his career on his 20th birthday.
The nine field goals are a career high.
Payton Sandfort scored 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting with two 3-pointers.
Sandfort has made two or more 3s in all four games this season and in 44 career games.
Drew Thelwell scored all seven of his points over a span of 92 seconds late in the second half. His second 3-pointer of the game with 3:03 left put the Hawkeyes ahead for good.
All 10 players that played in the game scored.
The Hawkeyes outscored Washington State, 43-30, in the second half.
Iowa went on a 12-2 run in the first half to erase a nine-point (29-20) deficit.
The Hawkeyes improve to 4-0 all-time in Moline.
It was the team’s first game in the Quad Cities since 1998.
Iowa is now 2-0 all-time against Washington State.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Tuesday, hosting Rider at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be streamed on B1G+.
