Iowa Escapes USC Comeback in Gritty 73-72 Win, Thanks to Clutch Free Throws and Defensive Grit
For about 35 minutes, Iowa looked like a team in control. They had clawed back from an early 10-0 hole, built a commanding second-half lead, and seemed poised to cruise to a comfortable win at home. But this is Big Ten basketball - and no lead is ever truly safe.
The Hawkeyes (15-5, 5-4) survived a furious late rally by USC (15-6, 4-6), ultimately pulling out a 73-72 victory that pushed them above .500 in conference play. It took two clutch free throws from Bennett Stirtz with 4.6 seconds left and a missed buzzer-beater from Kam Woods to seal it, but Iowa got it done - barely.
Let’s break it down.
From Flat Start to Furious Rally
The first three minutes couldn’t have gone worse for Iowa. USC came out firing, jumping to a 10-0 lead behind Chad Baker-Mazara’s hot hand. It looked like the Hawkeyes were still shaking off the rust from an eight-day layoff - missing shots, coughing up the ball, and getting beat to loose balls.
But Iowa didn’t panic. They dug in defensively, tightened up on the glass, and started to chip away.
Cooper Koch finally got them on the board, and then it was Tavion Banks and Alvaro Folgueiras who injected some life into the offense. Banks sparked a mini-run with a layup and a dunk, and Folgueiras added a transition bucket to cut the deficit to four.
Still, USC wasn’t going away. Baker-Mazara hit back-to-back threes to push the lead back to 10 with just over five minutes left in the half.
But from that point on, Iowa’s defense took over. The Trojans managed just two field goals the rest of the half, while Iowa closed on a 9-0 run - capped off by a Koch steal and assist to Stirtz for a breakaway dunk that gave the Hawkeyes their first lead.
USC would take a 28-27 edge into the break, but considering the way the game started, Iowa had to feel good about where they were.
Banks Takes Over, Iowa Builds a Cushion
The second half opened with a bang - a Stirtz three to retake the lead - and then it became the Tavion Banks Show. The sophomore guard was everywhere.
He knocked down a three, scored at the rim, and calmly sank four straight free throws to keep the pressure on USC. Then came back-to-back threes from Isaia Howard and Stirtz that suddenly ballooned the lead to 15.
This was the stretch where Iowa looked like a team ready to put the game on ice. Banks and Folgueiras each hit threes, Cam Manyawu added a putback, and with just over five minutes to go, the Hawkeyes were still up 15. At that point, it felt like Iowa could coast to the finish line.
But Kam Woods had other plans.
Woods Nearly Stuns Iowa with Solo Scoring Barrage
Woods, who had been relatively quiet, turned into a one-man wrecking crew. He attacked the rim relentlessly, got to the line, and rattled off 12 straight points in a two-minute span to cut the Iowa lead down to three. The Hawkeyes, who had controlled the game for most of the second half, suddenly found themselves on their heels.
Folgueiras answered with a massive three to give Iowa some breathing room, then traded buckets with Woods to keep the lead at six. But Woods wasn’t done - he buried his second three of the game with 1:33 left to cut it to three again.
After a disjointed Iowa possession that ended in a desperation heave from Folgueiras, Woods drew a foul on a pick-and-roll and knocked down both free throws. Just like that, it was 71-70.
Stirtz had a decent look at a three but couldn’t convert. On the other end, Woods missed a layup, but the Hawkeyes’ help defense left a Trojan wide open for a putback layup with nine seconds left. USC had taken the lead - their first since early in the second half.
Stirtz Delivers in the Clutch
With the game slipping away, Stirtz pushed the ball up the floor, likely looking to call timeout. But instead, he was fouled near the sideline with 4.6 seconds left - a call that drew plenty of questions but stood. Stirtz stepped to the line and calmly sank both free throws to give Iowa a 73-72 lead.
USC called timeout and drew up a familiar play - the same one Villanova used to win the 2016 national title. Woods had the ball, but instead of hitting the trailing Baker-Mazara, he took a contested three himself. It missed.
Iowa survived.
Stirtz, Banks Shine; Folgueiras Steps Up
Bennett Stirtz and Tavion Banks each finished with 20 points, leading the way offensively. Banks continues to be a force at the line - he’s now just four free throws away from tying Chris Street’s program record of 34 consecutive makes. His second-half scoring burst came at the perfect time, and his ability to get to the line and convert is becoming a real weapon for Iowa.
Stirtz, meanwhile, did more than just score. He spent most of the second half guarding Baker-Mazara, who had been scorching early but finished the game with seven turnovers and just two points after halftime. It was a gritty, two-way performance from the sophomore guard, and his poise at the line in the final seconds was the difference.
Folgueiras also deserves credit - the freshman had his best Big Ten game to date, finishing with 14 points and hitting a huge three late to hold off the USC rally. His energy and finishing ability in transition were key to Iowa’s first-half comeback, and his late-game poise was impressive.
A Win - But Also a Warning
This is the second time this season Iowa’s let a big lead nearly slip away against a team from Los Angeles with a point guard who got hot running simple sets. It didn’t cost them tonight, but it’s a pattern they’ll want to correct before it does.
Still, a win is a win - especially in the Big Ten, where every game is a grind and nothing comes easy. Iowa showed toughness, resilience, and just enough composure to get across the finish line.
They’ll take it.