IOWA CITY – Iowa blew a big lead versus Northwestern Tuesday night and only a Josh Dix bomb delivered a victory for the Hawkeyes over the pesky Wildcats, 80-79.
Iowa (7-1, 1-0 B1G) played Northwestern (6-3, 0-1 B1G) Tuesday night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and came away with their first Big Ten opening victory since the 2020-21 season. Josh Dix hit a 3-pointer from 26 feet with 0.8 seconds remaining to send Iowa to a 80-79 victory.
Iowa had four players finish in double digits: Josh Dix 22, Payton Sandfort 20, Owen Freeman 16, Brock Harding 12.
Payton Sandfort scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting with four 3-point field goals. He also had seven rebounds and four assists. It was Sandfort’s third 20-point game this season and the 21st of his career. It was his third game with four 3-pointers this season and his 21st career game with 4+ 3s.
Dix scored 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting to reach double figures for the second straight game and the fifth time this season. He also had six rebounds. It was Dix’s second 20-point game this season and the sixth of his career.
Iowa led, 45-34, at halftime and had a 17-point lead late in the first half.
Freeman finished with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. He has shot over 60 percent from floor in six games.
Sophomore Brock Harding reached double digits for a third straight game, finishing with 12 points, eight assists and three steals. He has had at least five assists in seven of the team’s eight games and seven or more twice. Harding has had three or more steals in four straight games.
Iowa opened with a 13-3 run, making 5-of-8 shots (and limiting Northwestern to 1-of-9 shooting over the game’s first five minutes).
Freeman, Sandfort and Dix combined for 30 of Iowa’s first 36 points and 34 of 45 in the first half.
All three players landed in double figures in the opening 20 minutes.
Iowa tallied nine threes, making this the sixth game where Iowa has scored eight or more threes this season.
The Hawkeyes shot 65.4 percent (17-of-26) in the first half.
It was the second straight half shooting over 65 percent (65.6 vs. USC Upstate).
Iowa has held all eight opponents under 50 percent shooting this season.
Iowa has won 13 of the last 15 and 18 of the last 22 meetings over Northwestern, including nine straight from 2018-23.
The Hawkeyes have won ten straight over the Wildcats inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Northwestern’s last win in Iowa City came in 2012 — a 70-66 triumph.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Saturday, traveling to Ann Arbor to face Michigan in their first true road game of the season. The game will begin at 1 p.m. (CT) and be televised on FS1.
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