IOWA CITY, Iowa — In the season opener on Monday night, Payton Sandfort delivered an impressive performance, contributing 20 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists to lead Iowa to a comfortable 89-67 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce.

Iowa also saw significant contributions from Owen Freeman, who added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Pryce Sandfort chipped in with 13 points. Both Josh Dix and Drew Thelwell played crucial roles as well, each scoring 10 points to bolster the team’s offensive efforts.

Payton Sandfort showcased his shooting skills, finishing the game with a shooting record of 7 for 14 from the field and 4 for 9 from beyond the arc. Last season, he averaged 16.4 points per game and made 94 three-pointers, ranking third in the history of the program for a single season.

For Texas A&M-Commerce, Khaliq Abdul-Mateen led the scoring with 12 points, while Scooter Williams Jr. contributed with 11 points.

The Hawkeyes established their dominance midway through the first half, entering halftime with a 42-35 lead. The Sandfort brothers combined for an impressive 15 points, including three three-pointers, during the opening period.

Although the Lions managed to reduce the deficit to five points in the early stages of the second half, Iowa quickly swung momentum with an impressive 33-9 run, extending their advantage to 84-55 with just 3:42 left on the clock. Key moments during this surge featured Pryce Sandfort sinking two three-pointers and Freeman executing an alley-oop dunk.

This matchup was a history-making event, marking the first time these teams faced each other. Notably, Iowa boasts a solid record of 10 wins and only one loss against teams from the Southland Conference, and they’ve triumphantly secured victory in 90 out of their last 96 non-conference home games dating back to 2012.