01/07/2026
No. 19 Iowa Upset By Minnesota 70-67
The Hawkeyes had their four-game winning streak snapped, falling 70-67 at Minnesota on Tuesday night inside Williams Arena.
Iowa rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit (58-44), using a 20-5 run to take a 64-63 lead with 1:14 to play. The Gophers then reeled off five straight points in an eventual three-point win.
The Hawkeyes had three potential game-tying 3-point field goal attempts in the final 11 seconds.
The Gophers’ win also ended Iowa’s three-game winning streak in Minneapolis.
Iowa had three players land in double figures: Bennett Stirtz (21), Kael Combs (14), Isaia Howard (10)
Stirtz scored all 21 of his points in the second half. It was his third straight 20-point game and his seventh 20-point game of the season.
He picked up his second foul at the 14:24 mark in the first half and played only nine minutes in the first half.
Stirtz became the first Hawkeye to score 20+ points in a half since Payton Sandfort (20) vs. Washington (2/22/25).
Combs finished with a career high 14 points, tying a career-high with six field goals.
Howard landed in double figures for the second straight contest.
The Hawkeyes suffered just their second loss of the season when winning the rebounding battle. Iowa out-rebounded the Gophers, 39-28.
Iowa endured a nearly six-minute scoring drought in the first half, falling behind 12-3 at the 13:56 mark. The team made just one of its first nine shots to open the game.
The Hawkeyes used a 17-3 run over a 6+ minute stretch to gain a 20-16 lead with 6:23 left. After starting the game, Iowa made eight of its next 12 field goals.
Minnesota countered with a 12-0 and 15-4 spurt to close out the half to take a 31-24 lead into the locker room.
The Hawkeyes return to action Sunday, hosting No. 16 Illinois on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are available at hawkeyesports.com.
