Iowa Hosts Rutgers After Statement Win at Indiana: Can the Hawkeyes Build Momentum?
Coming off their most complete performance of the season, Iowa (13-5, 3-4 Big Ten) returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a chance to stack wins before a much-needed week-long break. The Hawkeyes snapped a three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion on Saturday, picking up their first Quad 1 win of the year in Bloomington against Indiana - and they did it with style.
Guards Bennett Stirtz and Tavion Banks lit up the scoreboard, combining for 53 points in the win. That kind of one-two punch hasn’t been seen in Iowa City since Jordan Bohannon and Keegan Murray dropped 60 on Maryland back in 2022. For a team that’s been searching for consistent scoring options, Saturday’s performance was a loud reminder of what this group is capable of when its top threats are clicking.
Stirtz, who’s been the engine of Iowa’s offense all season, leads the team with 18.2 points per game. He’s not just putting up numbers - he’s doing it efficiently and in big moments. Banks, a versatile guard-forward hybrid, is contributing 10.6 points per game and continues to be a steady presence on both ends of the floor.
Now, the Hawkeyes turn their attention to Rutgers (9-9, 2-5 Big Ten), a team that’s struggled to find its footing in conference play. The Scarlet Knights are still searching for their first Quad 1 or Quad 2 win of the season, and they’re coming off a loss at Wisconsin that didn’t do much to shift momentum.
Steve Pikiell’s squad plays with simplicity on both ends - not necessarily a run-and-gun tempo, but a brand of basketball that allows them to get into their sets quickly and create scoring opportunities in a hurry. That’s something Iowa head coach Ben McCollum is well aware of.
“They keep things pretty simple offensively and defensively, which is what makes them be able to play fairly fast,” McCollum said Monday. “Not necessarily tempo-wise, but they play pretty fast.
They’re a good basketball team. They can put up points really, really quickly.
So we’ll have our hands full.”
Rutgers is led by a pair of double-digit scorers: Tariq Francis (15.3 ppg) and Dylan Grant (11.8 ppg). Both players have shown flashes this season, but the Scarlet Knights have lacked consistency, especially against top-tier competition. If they’re going to challenge Iowa on the road, they’ll need big-time performances from both.
History is on the Hawkeyes’ side. Iowa leads the all-time series 14-3, including a 6-1 record in Iowa City, and they’ve won the last five meetings. That kind of track record, combined with the momentum from Saturday’s win, puts Iowa in a strong position heading into this one.
But in the Big Ten, nothing comes easy. Every game is a grind, and Rutgers has the kind of defensive grit that can muddy things up if Iowa isn’t sharp. With a matchup against USC looming on Jan. 28, this is a critical opportunity for the Hawkeyes to stay on track and continue building toward a postseason push.
Tip-off is set for Tuesday night, with coverage on BTN and the Hawkeye Radio Network.