IOWA CITY, Iowa — In a thrilling match on Saturday, Payton Sandfort led Iowa to victory with an impressive 24-point performance, while Owen Freeman contributed 16 points, helping the Hawkeyes secure a 95-88 win over Utah.

The victory marked Iowa’s second consecutive win following a period of back-to-back losses. Alongside Sandfort and Freeman, Josh Dix scored 15 points, shooting an effective 7 of 10, Drew Thelwell added 15 points, and Brock Harding chipped in with 12 points, bringing Iowa’s record to 9-3.

Iowa showcased remarkable shooting accuracy, finishing the game with 53.1% from the field (34 out of 64 attempts). Utah closely trailed with a shooting percentage of 51.5% (35 out of 68).

The game reached a pivotal moment when the score was tied at 75. Sandfort then made two consecutive layups, followed by another from Dix, allowing Iowa to take an 81-78 lead with 5:49 remaining. From that point on, the Hawkeyes maintained their lead. Harding made two free throws, Dix hit a jump shot, and Harding capped it off with a three-pointer, extending Iowa’s lead to 88-80 with just over three minutes left. Utah attempted to rally but could only narrow the gap to six points with a pair of quick layups from Lawson Lovering.

Lovering delivered an exceptional performance for Utah, finishing with a career-high 25 points on an impressive 11 of 14 shooting. Mason Madsen also contributed significantly, scoring 24 points for the Utes, who now hold a record of 8-3.

This victory was particularly noteworthy for Iowa, as it marked their first win against Utah after losing to the Utes in their last two encounters. Looking ahead, Utah will kick off their Big 12 Conference schedule with an away game against Baylor on New Year’s Eve, while Iowa is set to host New Hampshire on December 30.