Strong first half helps Iowa pull away from Ohio State

Field Level Media|published: Wed 25th February, 23:42 2026

Iowa head coach Ben McCollum instructs his players during a basketball game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers Feb. 17, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

Brian Stirtz had 22 points and Alvaro Folgueiras 20 when Iowa used a first-half surge to pull away for a 74-57 win over Ohio State in Iowa City on Wednesday.

The Hawkeyes (20-8, 10-7 Big Ten) won for the eighth time in 11 games to maintain eighth place, the last spot for a double-bye in the conference tournament.

Iowa led by 14 at the half and extended the margin to 66-43 with 7:25 to play on back-to-back baskets by Folgueiras.

Cam Manyawu chipped in with 12 points and Tavian Banks 10 for the Hawkeyes.

The story for Ohio State (17-11, 9-8) was not who led the team in scoring but who didn't.

Bruce Thornton, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week and fifth in the conference in scoring (20.4), did not score until a layup while being fouled with 12:34 left in the game. He missed the foul shot and finished with 10 points after averaging 29.0 points in the previous three games.

Devin Royal scored 16 and John Mobley Jr. 15 in their returns to the Ohio State lineup.

Iowa staged a dramatic turnaround to take a 37-23 halftime lead. Trailing by 12 in the first eight minutes, the Hawkeyes used runs of 13-0 and 9-0 during a 28-3 blitz over the next 10 minutes and finished the half outscoring the Buckeyes 35-9 after trailing 14-2.

In one stretch, Ohio State went 9:40 without scoring. The Buckeyes shot 31.8% (7 of 22) in the half and committed six turnovers that led to seven points for the Hawkeyes, whose two miscues did not result in any points.

The Buckeyes were without center Christoph Tilly (ankle) but got immediate results from the return of Mobley, who was out three games because of a broken right pinkie, and Royal. He missed the last game against Michigan State due to illness. Prior to that, he scored 25 vs. Wisconsin.

Mobley opened the Ohio State scoring by canning 3-pointers on his first two shots before Royal's slam dunk. A pair of triples by Amare Bynum made it 4-for-4 from beyond the arc for the Buckeyes and a 14-2 lead before they collapsed.

Tilley's absence was felt inside where the Buckeyes were outscored 44-18 in the paint.

--Field Level Media

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