Mackey Arena is a house of horrors for most teams, and honestly, Wednesday night was no different for the Hawkeyes. If you're looking for the quick score of the iowa basketball game, here it is: No. 5 Purdue 79, Iowa 72.
It was a back-and-forth scrap that saw 14 lead changes. Fourteen. That’s the kind of game that leaves a fan base exhausted because, for a good chunk of the second half, it really felt like Iowa was going to pull off the upset in West Lafayette. They actually held a nine-point lead at one point. But in the end, the Boilermakers did what elite teams do at home—they found a way to grind it out when the shots stopped falling for the visitors.
Breaking Down the Score of the Iowa Basketball Game
Let's look at how this actually went down on the floor. Iowa entered the locker room at halftime with a slim 34-31 lead. Usually, when Fran McCaffery’s squad is leading at the break and shooting well, you feel pretty good about their chances. They ended the night shooting nearly 53% from the floor, which is typically a winning recipe.
The second half started with a bang. After Purdue took a momentary lead, Iowa absolutely exploded. They went on a 10-0 run in less than two minutes. Back-to-back dunks from Cam Manyawu had the Iowa bench jumping and forced Matt Painter to burn a timeout. At that moment, the scoreboard read 48-39 in favor of the Hawkeyes.
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Purdue didn't blink. Braden Smith, who was held scoreless in the first half, decided to take over. He scored all 16 of his points after halftime. It’s kinda wild how one player can flip the energy of a 14,000-seat arena just by finding his rhythm. Purdue answered with their own 12-2 run, and from there, it was a dogfight.
Tate Sage hit a massive three-pointer with about five minutes left to tie it at 64. But down the stretch, the Hawkeyes just couldn't get the stops they needed. Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith sealed it at the free-throw line.
Key Performers for Iowa
- Bennett Stirtz: He led the way with 19 points. Stirtz has been the engine for this team all year, and he kept them in it late with some tough buckets.
- Kael Combs: A really solid night with 16 points. He was efficient, hitting 4-of-5 from deep.
- Cam Manyawu: Finished with 13 points and some much-needed interior presence, though foul trouble limited his minutes slightly.
The Bigger Picture for the Hawkeyes
This loss marks the third straight defeat for Iowa, pushing their record to 12-5 overall and a concerning 2-4 in Big Ten play. It’s a tough stretch. They lost a heartbreaker to Illinois 75-69 last Sunday and dropped a road game to Minnesota before that.
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The defense is the talking point. While the offense is clicking—they hit 12 triples against Purdue—they just can't seem to get that decisive stop in the final four minutes. Purdue shot 52.9% as well, and they killed Iowa at the charity stripe, making 19 free throws compared to Iowa’s 6. That 13-point discrepancy at the line is basically the game right there.
It's also worth noting the women's team is having a very different January. While the men are sliding, the No. 14 Iowa women just pulled off a gutsy 56-53 comeback win against Indiana at Assembly Hall. They trailed by 16 at the half and somehow held Indiana to just four points in the third quarter. Hannah Stuelke was a beast in that one, recording 12 points and 12 rebounds.
What's Next for Iowa Basketball?
The schedule doesn't get any easier. The men have to pack their bags again and head to Cincinnati this Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1:00 PM. If they want to stay in the conversation for a decent NCAA tournament seed, they simply have to start winning these close games on the road.
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Next Steps for Hawkeye Fans:
- Watch the Cincinnati Game: Saturday, Jan 17 at 1:00 PM. This is a "must-win" to stop the three-game skid.
- Monitor the Injury Report: Keep an eye on the frontcourt rotation, as Manyawu's ability to stay on the floor without fouling is becoming the X-factor for the defense.
- Check the Women's Schedule: They return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena soon, and with the way they're defending, those tickets are getting even harder to find.
Basically, the Hawkeyes have the talent to play with anyone in the country. We saw that for 30 minutes in West Lafayette. The challenge now is finishing the job and turning those close scores into marks in the win column.