Payton Sandfort delivered a career-defining performance Saturday, scoring 27 points and sinking 12/13 free throws to propel the Iowa Hawkeyes to an electrifying 85-79 comeback win. The victory marks Iowa's first lead capture at the 9-minute mark after trailing Washington's early dominance.
Washington opened the second half with an 8-0 run before Iowa countered with seven unanswered points. Sandfort's clutch 3-pointer at 9:04 tied the game 56-56, followed by three made free throws that gave Iowa its inaugural lead. The Huskies fought back through Mekhi Mason's 19-point effort, but critical defensive stops sealed their fate.
This team never quits - that second-half energy shift won us the game,said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery post-game.
Key statistical advantages emerged late:
- Iowa's 23/26 free throw accuracy (88.5%)
- Washington's 16 missed 3-point attempts
- 16 combined rebounds from Osobor/Kepnang neutralized by Iowa's bench depth
Riley Mulvey's layup at 2:30 extended Iowa's lead to 74-68, while Washington's DJ Davis scored 11 points in the final 120 seconds - too little, too late. The Hawkeyes improve to 15-12 ahead of Tuesday's crucial Big Ten clash against Illinois.
Washington (13-14) faces No. 11 Wisconsin next, needing urgent improvements to their perimeter defense after allowing 47% shooting from Iowa. With both teams battling for conference positioning, this game underscores the high-stakes intensity of late-season NCAA basketball.