If you turned off the TV thinking the Hawkeyes were headed for a mid-season collapse, nobody would’ve blamed you. Honestly, things were looking pretty grim for a minute there. Three straight losses will do that to a fanbase. But then Saturday happened. The latest Iowa Hawkeyes game score—a dominant 74-57 win over Indiana—didn't just snap a skid; it felt like a statement that this team isn't ready to roll over just yet.
Bloomington is never an easy place to play. Assembly Hall is loud, the fans are on top of you, and the Hoosiers usually protect their house. But Iowa walked in and never trailed. Not once.
The Stirtz and Banks Show in Bloomington
Let’s talk about Bennett Stirtz and Tavion Banks. Calling them "the duo" feels like an understatement after what they did to Indiana. Stirtz finished with 27 points and five assists, looking every bit like the floor general this team needs. Meanwhile, Banks put up a career-high 26.
Think about that for a second. Two guys combined for 53 of Iowa’s 74 points. They nearly outscored the entire Indiana roster by themselves.
- Bennett Stirtz: 27 points, 5 assists, 14 points in the first half alone.
- Tavion Banks: 26 points, 8 rebounds, and a perfect night from the charity stripe.
It wasn't just that they were scoring; it was how they did it. Iowa shot 50% from the field and an incredible 91.3% from the free-throw line. When you’re hitting 21-of-23 free throws on the road, you’re going to win a lot of basketball games. Banks has now made 21 consecutive free throws over the last seven games. That’s the kind of reliability that wins close matchups, even though this one ended up being a blowout.
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Defense is Finally the Identity
For years, the knock on Iowa was that they could score 90 but they’d give up 95. That script has been flipped. This season, the Hawkeyes are allowing just 62.4 points per game. That’s the best in the Big Ten. It’s also the fifth-best in the entire country.
Holding Indiana to 57 points at home is no small feat. The Hoosiers shot just 38.5% from the floor and a miserable 25% from three-point range. Iowa’s length on the perimeter basically erased Lamar Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries. Those two combined for only 16 points, which is about 17 points below what they usually produce.
Basically, Iowa’s defense turned a potentially high-scoring shootout into a methodical, suffocating grind that Indiana couldn't handle.
Looking Back at the Football Season
While the hoops team is the main focus right now, we can’t ignore how the 2025-26 football season wrapped up. It was a classic Iowa ride—ups, downs, and a lot of elite punting.
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The Iowa Hawkeyes game score that really mattered most to fans was the 34-27 victory over No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Ending the year 9-4 felt like a solid "B+" season, especially with that 40-16 thumping of Nebraska in Lincoln to close out the regular season.
The football team's defense was, as usual, the backbone. They gave up only 16.08 points per game while the offense actually found some rhythm, averaging 29.31. It wasn't always pretty, but it was effective.
What’s Next for the Basketball Hawkeyes?
The win at Indiana was Iowa's first true road win and their first "Quad 1" victory of the season. It moved them to 13-5 overall and 3-4 in conference play.
Now they head back to Iowa City. The 23rd-ranked Hawkeyes will host Rutgers on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Rutgers has been struggling a bit lately, dropping three of their last five, but they’ve got some talent in Tariq Francis.
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Iowa has won five straight against the Scarlet Knights, and with the way Stirtz is playing, they’ll be heavy favorites. The key will be avoiding a "hangover" after such a big emotional win in Bloomington.
Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're tracking the Iowa Hawkeyes game score movements this week, keep these nuances in mind:
- Free Throw Reliability: Iowa is currently one of the best in the nation at closing games from the line.
- The Quad 1 Factor: This win at Indiana helps the tournament resume immensely.
- The Rotation: Junior Kael Combs is starting to emerge as a reliable third scoring option, providing a spark when the starters need a breather.
Keep an eye on the Tuesday matchup against Rutgers (7:37 p.m. CT on BTN). If the Hawkeyes can keep this defensive intensity up, they aren't just a tournament team—they’re a dark horse to make a deep run in March.
Next Steps for Hawkeye Fans:
- Check the updated Big Ten standings to see how Iowa's 3-4 conference record compares to the middle of the pack.
- Monitor Bennett Stirtz’s assist-to-turnover ratio as it remains a primary indicator of Iowa's offensive efficiency.
- Look for tickets for the upcoming home stretch at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, as the team typically plays significantly better (scoring 85.8 ppg) in front of the home crowd.