It wasn’t a game that will be remembered in basketball history, but Iowa State got a much-needed win on Tuesday night.
The Hawkeyes overcame a slow start in both halves to beat Rutgers 68-62 in front of a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 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 side, but they got the win and that’s all that really matters at this point in the season. Despite the overall poor performance in this game, there was still a lot to like about the Hawkeyes.
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Here are the biggest takeaways from Iowa’s home win over Rutgers.
Tate Sage sparks Eagles
In a team full of great stories and underdogs, Tate Sage is the standout. The true freshman was a three-star recruit in the class of 2025 and initially offered his talents to Drake. He followed Ben McCollum to Iowa City, but his role on this year’s team remains a question. It would have been easy for him to get a redshirt season, but Sage forced his coach’s hand with his stellar play.
The young guard has brought great shooting, aggressive defense and plenty of energy to this team throughout the season. All of that was on display Tuesday night against Rutgers. Iowa State desperately needed a spark, and the freshman guard provided it. Sage scored a career-high 17 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. In just a few months, he went from unknown rookie to indispensable role player. Sage is going to be a great player for a while in Iowa City.
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Bennett Stirtz took over late
It wasn’t a great start for Bennett Stietz and the entire Iowa offense, but he found his rhythm late. Stitz scored 13 points in the second half and finished with a game-high 20 points. The senior guard also added four rebounds, five assists and two steals. When his shots aren’t falling from beyond the arc, he’s had tremendous success in the mid-range and at the rim.
This performance may not appear on many of his highlight reels, but it was a savvy performance from a veteran defender. He realized early on that he needed to get to the basket to be successful offensively, and once that adjustment was made, Stietz took over. Iowa State needed every point he had to offer, and he even made a late charge to help the Hawkeyes get over the finish line. It was a masterful performance from one of the best defenders in the country.
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Iowa finds a way to win
These swing games often determine whether a team makes the NCAA Tournament, and Iowa found a way to win. It’s not pretty by any stretch of the imagination. Too many turnovers, some lukewarm shooting, and a lack of energy early on. But none of that mattered in the end, as the Hawkeyes showed tremendous grit and walked away from Carver with a win.
Now, the Hawkeyes get a much-needed eight days off after three games in six days. While there’s still a lot to clean up, there’s a lot to like about this team. They have an experienced primary scorer. They put in so much effort on defense. They also got contributions from some new faces. Games like Tuesday’s win over Rutgers will only help establish the winning culture McCollum is trying to establish. The Hawkeyes may be just hitting their stride now.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeye Line: Takeaways from Iowa basketball’s win over Rutgers
