The University of Iowa men’s basketball team suffered a close 85-83 loss to No. 23 Michigan at the Crisler Center on Saturday afternoon. Despite falling behind early, the Hawkeyes fought back and tied the game several times. Payton Sandfort led Iowa with 19 points, while Josh Dix and Pryce Sandfort each contributed 16 points.
The Hawkeyes overcame a 16-point deficit in the first half and an 11-point deficit with just over six minutes remaining to tie the game at 83-83 with 20 seconds left. However, Michigan ultimately secured the win with a last-second goal tend call. Despite the loss, Iowa had a strong performance with only four turnovers in the game.
Head coach Fran McCaffery praised the team’s resilience and effort, highlighting the bench players who provided crucial offense. The Hawkeyes will look to bounce back when they face No. 5/6 Iowa State in their next game on Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The game featured strong performances from Iowa’s players, with five players reaching double figures in scoring. Payton Sandfort’s 19 points and Pryce Sandfort’s 16 points were instrumental in keeping the game close. The team’s shooting percentage was below average for the season, but they managed to stay competitive throughout the game. Iowa will now turn its focus to the upcoming matchup against Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.
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Photo credit hawkeyesports.com