Iowa Hawkeyes End Slump with Victory Over Indiana Hoosiers
In a decisive victory, the Iowa Hawkeyes brought an end to their three-game slump by defeating the Indiana Hoosiers 74-57 in Bloomington on Saturday. Bennett Stirtz was the standout performer, contributing 27 points, while Tavion Banks notched a personal best with 26 points of his own. With this win, Iowa improved its record to 13-5 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten, capitalizing on key moments throughout the game without ever relinquishing the lead.
Game Highlights
The game began with Iowa establishing an early advantage, executing a strong 14-5 run that pushed them ahead 24-13. A notable stretch saw both teams shooting perfectly for over four minutes as Iowa held a slim 30-23 lead with just over five minutes left in the first half. As the half wrapped up, Iowa expanded its lead to 38-28, limiting Indiana to just five points in the last four-and-a-half minutes before the break.
In the second half, Indiana made a push, narrowing the gap to 49-45. However, Stirtz quickly responded by sinking two three-pointers, while Banks added a three-point play and a midrange jumper, giving Iowa a substantial 62-48 lead with seven minutes remaining. Iowa continued to build on their lead, converting six free throws in a row, and a layup by Banks extended their advantage to 70-50 with four minutes on the clock. The Hawkeyes were exceptional at the foul line, with 21 successful free throws out of 23 attempts; Banks was perfect, hitting all nine of his, and Stirtz made 10 of 11.
Indiana’s Struggles
On the Indiana side, Tayton Conerway contributed 16 points, and Sam Alexis added 13. However, Lamar Wilkerson, who had been the leading scorer in the Big Ten with an average of 26.0 points per game against conference opponents, struggled to find his rhythm, finishing with only nine points on a 3-for-10 shooting performance.
Looking Ahead
This latest triumph by Iowa marks their sixth victory in the last seven encounters against Indiana, reinforcing their dominance in this historic Big Ten rivalry. The game also featured a subplot between the teams’ head coaches, Ben McCollum (Iowa) and Darian DeVries (Indiana), both of whom previously led the Drake Bulldogs.
Looking ahead, Iowa will return to their home court for a matchup against Rutgers on Tuesday, while Indiana is set to take on Michigan the same day.
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