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.

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