Pryce Sandfort’s four 3-pointers and 16-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench powered Iowa to an 83-68 win over Nebraska on Sunday in Lincoln, Neb.
The Hawkeyes (16-15, 7-13 Big Ten Conference) handed the Cornhuskers their fifth straight loss, while Iowa ended a three-game skid of its own, in an outcome that further muddled a murky picture for the Big Ten tournament.
Five teams began Sunday with seven conference wins, including Nebraska (17-14, 7-13). Iowa’s win made it six teams, but Rutgers now has eight after beating Minnesota later in the day.
One of the teams is the last squad eliminated from the 15-team tournament, joining Penn State and Washington.
After digging an eight-point hole early, Iowa went on an 11-0 run midway through the first half that changed the complexion of the contest for the ensuing 30 minutes.
The Hawkeyes took a five-point lead into halftime, then led for the entire second half behind the combined effort of both Payton and Pryce Sandfort. Payton Sandfort scored a team-high 22 points, including eight straight points in a second-half stretch.
He posted 12 points after intermission. Josh Dix also helped guide Iowa in the second half, scoring 11 of his 15 points.
Dix keyed a pivotal sequence when Nebraska pulled to within two points after the first media timeout of the second half. Dix assisted Drew Thelwell on a layup, then Dix hit a 3-pointer after a steal by Even Brauns.
A Dix layup on the next possession concluded a 7-0 Iowa burst, and the Hawkeyes advantage never dipped below seven points the rest of the way.
Dix finished with four assists, matching Brock Harding’s team-high. Harding also scored 12 points off the bench.
Nebraska’s Juwan Gary led all scorers with 24 points before fouling out. He also grabbed seven rebounds.
Sam Hoiberg, the only other Cornhusker to score in double-figures with 12 points, also fouled out. Brice Williams, one game removed from scoring a program-record 43 points in Nebraska’s double-overtime loss at Ohio State, finished with just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting from the floor in Sunday’s setback.
–Field Level Media
