Iowa-Ohio St. Basketball Takeaways

Hawkeyes' 4-Game Win Streak Snapped Saturday in Columbus

Ohio State guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (1) is defended by Iowa guard Ahron Ulis (1) during the second half on Jan. 21, 2023 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Joseph Scheller-The Columbus Dispatch)

Winning on the road in the Big Ten isn’t easy.

Playing a team that had lost five consecutive games didn’t take any of that difficulty away for Iowa on Saturday.

The Hawkeyes had sluggish moments in both halves against Ohio State, and it showed in a 93-77 loss.

Iowa (12-7 overall, 4-4 Big Ten), which had won four consecutive games, fell behind by 11 points in the first half before getting to within 37-35 at halftime.

But the Buckeyes (11-8, 3-5) outscored the Hawkeyes 56-42 in the second half, opening the half with a 12-2 run that left Iowa scrambling for the rest of the game.

A look at the takeaways from Saturday’s game:

DEFENSIVE FAILURES

The Hawkeyes allowed Ohio State to shoot 56.3 percent for the game, 64.7 percent in the second half.

The Buckeyes were 8-of-16 in 3-pointers, but almost all of the second-half damage they inflicted came inside the arc. Ohio State had 50 points in the paint, including 14 second-chance points.

The Hawkeyes had no answer for Bryce Sensabaugh, who led the Buckeyes with 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Five Buckeyes scored in double figures.

Iowa has been good at rallying during this recent winning streak behind its defense, but the Hawkeyes could get no stops on this day.

STRONG GAME FOR ULIS

Iowa’s Ahron Ulis continues to get confident on offense.

Ulis finished with 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting, playing 28 ½ minutes.

Iowa’s backcourt needs to stay productive as the Big Ten season nears its halfway point. A confident Ulis running the point will certainly help.

STRUGGLES FOR MCCAFFERY, PERKINS

While Ulis was scoring in double digits, backcourt mates Connor McCaffery and Tony Perkins had trouble making shots.

McCaffery, plagued by foul trouble in the second half, had just six points on 2-of-7 shooting. Perkins had eight points, also making 2-of-7 shots.

This game was probably a blip on the radar for both, since they have been playing well during the recent winning streak. But the Hawkeyes will need production from both.

STEADY REBRACA, STEADY MURRAY

Kris Murray and Filip Rebraca had their usual big games for the Hawkeyes.

Murray had 22 points and seven rebounds, while Rebraca had 15 points.

Without Patrick McCaffery, Murray and Rebraca have had to log a lot of minutes while carrying Iowa’s inside game. Murray played 35 minutes, while Rebraca played 31. That workload will decrease a little once McCaffery returns, but for now Murray and Rebraca are the steadiest parts of Iowa’s offense.

THE UPS AND DOWNS

Freshman guard Josh Dix is trending up for the Hawkeyes these days.

Dix had six points in 14 ½ minutes, becoming more comfortable in Iowa’s rotation.

On the other side is guard Dasonte Bowen, who didn’t provide much production in the 8 ½ minutes he played. Bowen went scoreless — he didn’t even attempt a shot — and he had two assists and two turnovers.

A freshman season can often resemble a roller coaster, and right now Bowen is on the up side of the ride.