Iowa
Enter Sandfort: Iowa forward helps shoot down Michigan in OT win
Iowa’s Payton Sandfort (20) and Connor McCaffery (30) high-five after Sandfort hit two free throws late in time beyond regulation in the course of the Hawkeyes’ 93-84 win over Michigan Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Enviornment. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — It seemed unlikely for some time, however Iowa ahead Payton Sandfort and his teammates despatched Michigan off to never-never land Thursday evening at Carver-Hawkeye Enviornment.
Sandfort made a 4-point play with 20 seconds left within the second half to tie the sport, and added seven factors in time beyond regulation that included a heads-up 3-point play. Iowa, which trailed for many of the sport, took the lead 20 seconds into time beyond regulation and pulled away for a 93-84 victory.
Sandfort had two factors at halftime. He completed with a career-high 26.
“There’s nobody that I’m extra comfortable for than Payton,” stated Iowa’s Kris Murray, who had 27 factors of his personal. “He deserved each little bit of it.”
“He says that, however he’s our canine,” Sandfort stated.
Properly, the sophomore from Waukee had numerous bark of his personal. Not way back, Sandfort was in a dreadful capturing stoop and the Hawkeyes had a 3-game shedding streak. Now Iowa (3-3 Large Ten, 11-6 total) has gained three straight.
Iowa led simply as soon as within the second half, and for less than 18 seconds. Then freshman guard Jett Howard made the sixth of his seven 3-pointers for a 55-53 Wolverines lead with 14:24 left, and the Hawkeyes performed from behind the remainder of the half. Till …
Till Sandfort sank a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left and was fouled by Kobe Bufkin. Sandfort’s subsequent free throw was good, it was 79-79.
“I type of felt (Bufkin) on my hip,” Sandfort stated. “I knew we needed to get one up fast, after which I obtained taken out.”
Dug McDaniel’s last-second runner was blocked by Iowa freshman guard Josh Dix, and off to time beyond regulation they went.
Sandfort hit a jumper to start out Iowa’s 8-0 run at first of the additional interval. He bumped the result in 85-79 when he caught the deflection of a 3-pointer Murray had blocked by Terrance Williams. Sandfort put the ball within the hoop, was knocked on his duff by Bufkin, pounded the court docket twice in happiness, then made the free throw.
“I compelled that one up after which Payton was proper place, proper time,” Murray stated. “That simply reveals the attention that he has on the court docket.”
“He made two extremely enormous performs,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery stated.
Murray is ice. Sandfort is fireplace. When he heats up, his teammates get fired up.
“He’s simply such an amazing teammate, so constructive,” McCaffery stated. “In order that they’re all rooting for him. So when he’s cooking it undoubtedly improves the power stage of all people else.
“I play with pleasure,” Sandfort stated.
This was a participant who had been 0-for-19 from the sector over his first three Large Ten video games this season. He made 4 of 5 three-pointers and scored 22 factors within the Hawkeyes’ 76-65 win at Rutgers Sunday, then took over this sport with numerous assist from his buddies.
Murray was Murray, with 8 rebounds and three blocks to go along with his 27 factors. However large assist additionally got here from less-used sources.
Dix had career-highs of 10 factors and 5 assists, and that last-second block. He hadn’t performed greater than 18 minutes in a sport. He performed 31, and the second wasn’t too large for him. He performed level guard down the stretch.
“I simply type of play my function, simply with every part they want me to do,” Dix stated.
“Didn’t even look like he was a freshman,” stated Murray.
“He actually managed the ball,” Sandfort stated.
“Nothing rattles him,” stated McCaffery.
It’s laborious to consider Dix broke the tibia and fibula of his proper leg in a Council Bluffs Lincoln sport a yr in the past this month.
“When it occurred,” Dix stated, “I didn’t know what the long run would maintain or what would occur this yr, if I must redshirt or if I’d be again in time or how a lot of a assist I’d even be.
“I simply stayed the course. I had lots of people round me that helped me get again up to now.”
Dix needed to go to the coaching room simply earlier than halftime as a result of was poked within the face by Howard on the Wolverine’s drive to the ring.
“I obtained a bloody nostril and he scratched my eye a bit bit,” Dix stated. He performed all however two minutes of the remainder of the sport. Break your leg in a sport, and a bloody nostril is a day on the seaside.
Then there was heart Riley Mulvey, who had performed one minute of Large Ten ball this season earlier than Thursday. He performed 13, and Iowa scored 4 extra factors than Michigan when he was on the ground.
Iowa beginning heart Filip Rebraca labored his method out of foul bother and had 12 factors and 13 rebounds. He drew seven fouls.
Michigan’s 7-foot-1 Hunter Dickinson obtained the higher of Rebraca within the first half, however Dickinson was negated offensively after that and completed with 12 factors.
Michigan shot 53 % from the sector within the first half, which ended with the Wolverines up 43-40. Howard, the son of Michigan head coach/former star Juwan Howard had 5 of his seven 3-pointers in that half, and 21 of his career-high 34 factors. Simply three of the 34, although, got here within the sport’s final 16:34.
The Wolverines’ largest lead was 65-55, with 10:56 to go. That they had the ball and a 77-70 benefit with two minutes left, however Rebraca scored and Sandfort hit a 3. Bufkin obtained a basket to make it 79-75 with: 29 left, then Sandfort tied it.
The Hawkeyes had simply six turnovers within the 45 minutes to Michigan’s 13. Their very own protection was poor sufficient for an agitated McCaffery to name two timeouts within the first eight minutes of the second half, but it surely positive tightened up after that.
Iowa’s subsequent sport is right here in opposition to Maryland (2-3, 11-5) Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
Feedback: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com
The Iowa Hawkeyes lost two players from their football team this week.
Both running back Leshon Williams and wide receiver Kaleb Brown have announced that they will redshirt for the rest of the season and enter the transfer portal at the end of the year.
Despite the two players opting to leave the program, it hasn’t phased head coach Kirk Ferentz. He isn’t worried about the decisions that they made at all.
When asked about Williams and Brown transferring, Ferentz offered a short and brutal quote.
“Not to be callous, but if a player isn’t playing, you don’t lose much.”
Williams had been dealing with an injury throughout the season thus far. Before the injury, he had shown flashes of being a player that could end up making an impact. Unfortunately, those flashes were never able to come to light on the field.
As for Brown, there were big plans for him coming into the season. But, he was suspended for the first game of the year and was never able to earn his role back.
Clearly, Ferentz is not worried about how his team will respond to the news. Basically, he doesn’t think the losses of them will impact the team at all.
Ferentz isn’t necessarily wrong with what he stated. Neither player had a role that will change how the team has been operating. However, it was the way he said it that was a bit out of line.
Regardless of the role that they players had, handling the situation with a bit more grace would have been a better look.
All of that being said, Iowa is not a program that needs to be graceful necessarily. The Hawkeyes want to win football games and neither Williams or Brown was contributing to that goal so far this year.
Looking ahead to the future, we wish the best to both Williams and Brown. Hopefully, they find success in their future endeavors.
The Iowa On3 Massey Ratings top 25 list as of Oct. 8 underwent some changes compared to last week’s rankings. These updates highlight the competitiveness of Iowa high school football, especially when you consider that only three of the top ten teams remain unscathed.
Meanwhile, two teams ranked 11 to 25 swapped spots. Here’s how the state’s top teams fared after the 2024 Iowa high school football season has reached its halfway point.
The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.
CLICK HERE to watch your high school’s games on NFHS Network now!
After losing to Dowling Catholic, the Tigers have secured victories against ranked teams. Their latest conquest was against 23rd-ranked Waukee Northwest, wherein Drake DeGroote completed three touchdown passes to Zay Robinson. Valley can extend their winning streak to five games against Waterloo West.
The Maroons survived the fierce opposition ushered in by fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial in a match that needed three overtime periods to be settled. Dowling Catholic showed resilience despite a 21-3 halftime deficit and scoring their first touchdown with six minutes left in the third quarter. Overcoming that test of character should give the Maroons confidence in their upcoming match against Urbandale.
The Dragons are flying again after clinching their third consecutive victory against ranked opponents. This time, they’ve shut out eighth-ranked Southeast Polk, thanks to their defense, ranked fourth in Iowa high school football. After limiting Ankeny, Waukee, and Southeast Polk to 14 points, Johnston should have no problems defeating Urbandale on the road.
The Bulldogs remain undefeated after five games and haven’t allowed 20 points to an opponent since their season opener against sixth-ranked Pleasant Valley. Bettendorf’s latest result was a 33-14 masterpiece over Kennedy, a game practically over by halftime when the Bulldogs established a 27-6 lead. Bettendorf can improve to 6-0 by defeating Davenport Central this week.
The Jaguars could not translate their fantastic start against Dowling Catholic into a victory. Failing to close out the Maroons after three overtimes handed them their second consecutive defeat. However, they remain in the top ten and could bounce back with easier matchups against Roosevelt and Waukee Northwest over the next two weeks.
In their last match, the Spartans surrendered 28 points to Cedar Falls. While that’s a concern, the second-best offense in Iowa high school football scored a season-high 52 points. Pleasant Valley is on a groove, scoring 101 points in their two previous games. In that case, they should have no problems maintaining the momentum against Muscatine.
After starting the season at 1-3, the Hawks have won two consecutive games, beating Iowa City West and Prairie by a combined score of 73-38. However, their schedule gets more challenging as they face 11th-ranked Liberty and top-ranked Valley in their following two assignments.
The Rams’ shutout loss to Johnston halted their winning streak. That result also brings their record against the top ten teams to 2-2. It’s also a total contrast to their 48-3 win over Sioux City East the week before. Southeast Polk should make a better effort in the next two weeks to defeat No. 13 Waukee and second-ranked Dowling Catholic. Those games are perfect for the Rams’ defense to prove why they are Iowa high school football’s top-ranked defense.
The Titans have scored over 50 points in back-to-back games, defeating Jefferson 56-6. The week before, they scored 55 on Glenwood. Lewis Central can keep their hopes for a perfect season intact by defeating Winterset, Norwalk, and Dallas Center-Grimes in their next three games.
The Comets flew to the top ten after a 29-8 victory over Ballard Community. North Polk’s defense has intensified, allowing only 33 points in its last three games. Before that run, they gave up 68 points to Bondurant-Farrar and Carlisle combined. On deck for the Comets are Indianola this week and Boone on the 18th.
11. Liberty
12. Pella
13. Waukee
14. Linn-Mar (+1)
15. West Lyon (-1)
16. Decorah
17. Xavier
18. Iowa City High
19. Cedar Falls
20. Humboldt
21. Grundy Center
22. Williamsburg
23. Waukee Northwest
24. ADM
25. Western Dubuque
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