Iowa Survives Rutgers Scare In Big Ten Thriller

On a chilly Tuesday night in Iowa City, the Carver-Hawkeye Arena was alive with anticipation as the Iowa Hawkeyes squared off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten clash that proved far more dramatic than the pregame odds suggested. With Iowa favored by a hefty 17.5 points, many expected a routine home victory, but what unfolded was a gritty, back-and-forth battle that saw the Hawkeyes survive a late Rutgers surge to claim a 68-62 win.

The win improved Iowa’s record to 14-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten, while Rutgers dropped to 9-10 and 2-6 in conference play. For the Hawkeyes, it marked their sixth consecutive victory over the Scarlet Knights and reinforced their dominance in this series, now leading it 15-3 all-time and boasting a 7-1 home record against Rutgers.

This game had all the makings of a classic Big Ten dogfight, with both teams trading blows and momentum swings throughout. The Scarlet Knights, coming off a tough 96-87 loss at Wisconsin, entered Carver-Hawkeye Arena as underdogs but showed no signs of intimidation. They jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, capitalizing on some early Iowa misses. But as has become a theme for Rutgers this season, offensive droughts crept in. After their hot start, the Knights endured a four-minute scoring silence, allowing Iowa to respond with a 7-0 run of their own.

Rutgers managed to weather the storm, thanks in part to the sharpshooting of junior guard Tariq Francis. His back-to-back three-pointers gave the Scarlet Knights an 18-13 lead midway through the first half, and for a moment, the upset alarm bells were ringing. But Iowa’s defense, ranked among the top five nationally, began to clamp down. The Hawkeyes forced 12 first-half turnovers, converting them into 13 points, and closed the half on a decisive 18-6 run. By the time the teams headed to the locker rooms, Iowa held a 31-24 advantage.

“We’ve had games where we’ve had six turnovers in 45 minutes and tonight we had 19,” Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell lamented after the game. “Our guys fought and they played hard. I thought our defense was good enough to win, but you can’t turn the ball over.”

Indeed, turnovers were a storyline that haunted Rutgers all night. Despite outrebounding Iowa 31-24 and getting strong contributions from their bench (22-12 advantage in bench points), the Scarlet Knights’ 19 giveaways led directly to 19 Hawkeye points—a margin too great to overcome in a tight contest.

The second half opened with a bang for Rutgers. The Knights rattled off a 9-0 run in less than three minutes, highlighted by a three from freshman guard Kaden Powers, four clutch free throws from redshirt junior Darren Buchanan Jr., and a thunderous dunk by senior center Emmanuel Ogbole. Suddenly, Rutgers had seized a 33-31 lead, and the Carver-Hawkeye crowd fell silent as Iowa missed seven straight shots out of the break.

But the Hawkeyes didn’t panic. Led by senior Bennett Stirtz, who despite a cold shooting night (20 points on 21 attempts), found ways to impact the game when it mattered most. With the score knotted at 46-45 following a key layup from Stirtz and a momentum-swinging three-pointer by freshman Tate Sage, Iowa began to claw back control.

Sage, who finished with 17 points on the night, provided a much-needed spark off the bench. His timely shooting and poise down the stretch were critical in keeping Iowa afloat as Rutgers continued to threaten. “Tate Sage was really good for Iowa,” noted Hawk Central’s Tyler Tachman in his postgame analysis. “He made two big free throws with 18 seconds left to give the Hawkeyes a 66-62 lead.”

The closing minutes were not for the faint of heart. With Iowa clinging to a 64-60 lead in the final minute, Rutgers’ Francis calmly sank two free throws to make it a one-possession game. But with the pressure mounting, Sage stepped to the line and delivered, knocking down both shots to restore a four-point cushion. Isaia Howard then iced the contest with two more free throws in the final five seconds, ensuring there would be no last-second heroics from the visitors.

For Rutgers, Darren Buchanan Jr. led the way with 17 points, while Francis added 15 and Ogbole contributed 8 points and 10 rebounds. Their collective effort was nearly enough to snap the losing streak against Iowa, but the Knights’ inability to take care of the basketball ultimately proved costly. “Our guys fought and they played hard,” Pikiell reiterated, emphasizing the team’s defensive intensity and resilience despite the loss.

On the Iowa side, Stirtz’s perseverance stood out, even as his shot refused to fall for much of the evening. He scored six points in the final four minutes of the first half and came alive late in the second, providing the offensive punch Iowa needed. Tavion Banks, fresh off a career-high performance in the previous game against Indiana, contributed 10 points and continued his strong play from beyond the arc, now 11-for-20 on the season from three-point range.

Coach Ben McCollum, in his first season at the helm for Iowa, saw his team respond to adversity with composure. The Hawkeyes’ defense and opportunistic scoring off turnovers were decisive, as was their ability to withstand Rutgers’ second-half surge. “Nothing comes easy in the Big Ten,” Tachman observed, capturing the essence of a league where even heavy favorites can be pushed to the brink.

Looking ahead, Rutgers will try to regroup as they return home to face Indiana at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Friday night, with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. on Fox Sports 1 and 88.7 WRSU-FM. As for Iowa, the Hawkeyes will look to build on this hard-fought win as their schedule begins to ease, offering a chance to stack more victories in conference play.

On a night when the odds-makers predicted a blowout, fans were instead treated to a tense, competitive contest that showcased the heart and hustle of both squads. Iowa walks away with another Big Ten win, but Rutgers leaves Iowa City knowing they pushed the Hawkeyes to the limit and proved, once again, that there are no easy nights in this conference.