IOWA CITY, Iowa — Payton Sandfort showcased an impressive performance by scoring 21 of his total 23 points in the second half, leading Iowa to a commanding 85-60 victory over Indiana on Saturday night.
In the first half, Sandfort managed to contribute only two free throws, but he turned the game around after the break, hitting 7 of 9 shots, including four 3-pointers. The Hawkeyes improved their season record to 12-4 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten Conference with this win. Sophomore Owen Freeman also had a notable game, achieving his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds, along with blocking four shots. Meanwhile, fellow sophomore Brock Harding recorded his second double-double with 10 points and 10 assists.
Supporting Sandfort’s efforts, Drew Thelwell and Josh Dix each contributed 12 points for Iowa. For Indiana, Myles Rice scored 12 points and provided five assists, but the Hoosiers (13-4, 4-2) saw their winning streak come to an end at five games. Oumar Ballo recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Freeman had a strong first half, contributing 10 points and eight rebounds, while Dix and Harding contributed with nine points each, helping Iowa establish a 43-33 lead by halftime. Rice led Indiana at the break with 11 points. Both teams demonstrated solid shooting percentages, surpassing 52%, but Iowa had the advantage by taking six more shots than the Hoosiers and converting five additional baskets.
The second half saw Sandfort make waves by scoring a 3-pointer and then getting fouled on another attempt, making all three free throws to extend Iowa’s lead to 52-36 just under 17 minutes remaining in the game. He followed this up with two consecutive 3-pointers, increasing the lead to 65-40 just over four minutes later. From that point on, Iowa maintained a lead that hovered above 20 points for the remainder of the game, ultimately culminating in a lead of 30 when Sandfort hit another 3-pointer with just 1:39 left on the clock.
Iowa is set to head to Southern California for their next matchup, while Indiana will prepare to take on No. 13 Illinois on Tuesday.
