IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Rutgers men's basketball team took a tough road loss at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday afternoon.The Hawkeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights, 86-77.

Mawot Mag led RU with his first career double-double, notching career-highs in points (24) and rebounds (10). Austin Williams added 14 points for RU with a strong performance off the bench. 

Iowa Junior forward Peyton Sandfort had a game-high of 24 points and made five three-pointers. Freshman forward Ben Krikke scored 18 points. Iowa had 17 team assists and scored 38 points in the paint. 

The Hawkeyes got off to a hot start and began the game on a 19-5 run. RU started the game 1-of-15 from the field and 0-of-3 from three-point range.

Rutgers closed the first half by knocking down three of their last four shots and on a 15-4 run to cut the lead to seven points. Senior forward Mawot Mag made a three as time expired before the break and scored 13 points in the first half, his most in a half as a Scarlet Knight. 

Rutgers opened the second half shooting 7-of-13 from the field. After opening the game cold at 6-of-27, RU made 11 of its next 19 shots. However, Iowa made nine of its first 11 shots in the second half, including Peyton Sandfort making his first four three-point attempts of the second stanza, to keep pace and hold the lead in double-figures. RU finished the game on a 10-2 run but Iowa closed out the home win.

Postgame Notes

• Mawot Mag had a career-high in points with 24.
  • Mag also had career-highs in field goals made (seven) and three-pointers (three)
• Mag had a career-high 10 rebounds to notch his first career double-double.
• Guard Austin Williams had a career-high 14 points.
• Cliff Omoruyi had four blocks. He has multiple blocks in 11 of 14 games this season and seven games of at least four blocks.
  • Omoruyi entered the game third nationally with 3.3 blocks per game, raising that average with his performance.
• The Scarlet Knights bench outscored Iowa's 32-6.

 
Up Next

The Scarlet Knights return home to Jersey Mike's Arena for their second Big Ten home game of the year. The contest, against Indiana on Tuesday, Jan. 9, will be just the second home game for RU in 24 days. The game will be broadcast on Peacock.