It wasn’t a game that will be remembered in basketball history, but Iowa got a win it desperately needed on Tuesday night.
In front of a lively Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeyes overcame slow starts in both halves to beat Rutgers 68-62. The win moves Iowa to 13-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten. It was far from a perfect performance for Ben McCollum’s team, but they got the win, which is what really matters at this point in this season. And despite the overall malaise of this game, there was still a lot to like from the Hawkeyes.
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Here are the biggest takeaways from Iowa’s home win over Rutgers.
Tate Sage sparks the Hawks
On a team full of great stories and underdogs, Tate Sage is among the best. The true freshman was a three-star recruit in the 2025 class, orignally taking set to take his talents to Drake. He followed Ben McCollum to Iowa City, but his role on this year’s team remained a question. It would’ve been easy for him to take a redshirt year, but Sage forced his coach’s hand through his stellar play.
The young guard has brought elite shooting, engaged defensive play, and a ton of energy to this team throughout the season. All of that was on display Tuesday night against Rutgers. Iowa desperately needed a spark, and the freshman guard delivered. Sage had a career-high 17 points on 4-6 shooting from three. He’s gone from a little-known recruit to indispensible role player in just a few months. Sage is going to be a good one for a while in Iowa City.
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Bennett Stirtz took over late
It wasn’t a great start for Bennett Stirtz and the Iowa offense as a whole, but he found his rhythm late. Stirtz had 13 second-half points to finish with a game-high 20 points. The senior guard also added four rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He had a ton of success in the mid-range and getting to the rim on a night when his shot wasn’t falling from behind the arc.
This performance might not make it onto many of his highlight reels, but it was a savvy one from a veteran guard. He realized early on that he needed to get to the rim to find some offensive success, and once that adjustment was made, Stirtz took over. Iowa needed every single point he provided, and he even drew a late charge to help get the Hawkeyes over the finish line. This was a workmanlike performance for one of the best guards in the country.
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Iowa found a way to win
These are the swing games that often determine whether or not a team makes the NCAA Tournament, and Iowa found a way to win. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination. There were too many turnovers, some cold shooting, and a lack of energy early. But all of that ended up not mattering, as the Hawkeyes displayed a ton of grit to walk out of Carver with a win.
Now the Hawkeyes get a much-needed eight days off following three games in six days. There are things to clean up, but there’s also a ton to like about this squad. They have a veteran go-to scorer. They defend with so much effort. And they’re getting contributions from some new faces. Games like Tuesday’s win over Rutgers will only help build the winning culture that McCollum is trying to establish. The Hawkeyes may just be hitting their stride now.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways as Iowa basketball secures gritty win vs. Rutgers
