Thrilling Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Northwestern Wildcats
In a thrilling matchup on Sunday, the Iowa Hawkeyes extended their winning streak to six games by narrowly defeating the Northwestern Wildcats 76-70. This loss marked Northwestern’s seventh consecutive defeat in a disheartening stretch for the team.
Player Highlights
Bennett Stirtz shone brightly for Iowa, achieving a personal best of 36 points, shooting an impressive 60% from the field with 12 successful shots out of 20 attempts, including four three-pointers. The senior guard also completed all eight of his free throws, demonstrating his efficiency at critical moments. Alongside Stirtz, teammate Tavion Banks contributed significantly with 13 points and seven rebounds.
For the Wildcats, Nick Martinelli led the scoring effort with 21 points, although he struggled with his shooting, making only 6 of 19 attempts. Other notable contributions came from Jake West, who added 18 points thanks to four three-pointers, and Tre Singleton, who scored 10 points before fouling out of the game.
Game Summary
The game began with Northwestern taking an early lead at 18-13, following a three-pointer from West. They maintained control until Stirtz orchestrated an impressive comeback for the Hawkeyes, tying the game at 30 with just over two minutes left in the first half. Iowa ended the half strong with a 12-5 run, capped off by Banks scoring the last five points, which gave them a 39-35 lead at halftime.
Iowa continued their momentum into the second half, starting with a basket from Kael Combs and a three-pointer from Stirtz that expanded their lead to nine points. After Stirtz scored another three-pointer, Iowa achieved their first double-digit advantage at 54-40. However, Northwestern retaliated with a strong 13-2 run, bringing the score to 56-53 with a few minutes left in the game.
Despite a late three-pointer from West that closed the gap to 70-67, Stirtz secured Iowa’s victory with a decisive layup, followed by Banks sealing the win with two free throws.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Hawkeyes will face off against Maryland on Wednesday, while Northwestern will host the highly-ranked No. 2 Michigan on the same day.
