Wisconsin Overpowers Iowa in 84-71 Victory

Badgers' Nick Boyd leads the way with 27 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds

Feb. 22, 2026 at 11:07pm

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The Iowa Hawkeyes came out aggressive early, but Wisconsin's dynamic scoring guard Nick Boyd and the Badgers' hot shooting proved too much for Iowa to overcome in an 84-71 loss. Boyd finished with 27 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds, while Wisconsin's Austin Rapp and Nolan Winter combined for 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting. Iowa star Bennett Stirtz had 23 points, but the Hawkeyes struggled to match Wisconsin's firepower, especially in the second half.

Why it matters

This loss drops Iowa to 17-10 on the season and raises questions about their ability to compete with the top teams in the Big Ten. Wisconsin, on the other hand, solidifies its position as one of the conference's elite programs with the impressive road win.

The details

Iowa came out aggressive early, forcing three Wisconsin turnovers in the first four minutes and jumping out to an 11-7 lead. But Wisconsin's Nick Boyd quickly sparked a Badgers response, scoring 9 points on 3-of-3 shooting to help Wisconsin take a 40-41 halftime lead. In the second half, Boyd's quickness and playmaking continued to cause problems for Iowa, as he finished with 27 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. Wisconsin's Austin Rapp and Nolan Winter also combined for 32 points, helping the Badgers pull away late.

  • The first Wisconsin foul of the second half was whistled at the 7:20 mark.

The players

Nick Boyd

A dynamic scoring guard for Wisconsin who led the Badgers with 27 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds.

Bennett Stirtz

The star point guard for Iowa, who finished with 23 points but struggled early as the only Hawkeye without a field goal in the first four minutes.

Austin Rapp

A Wisconsin forward who combined with Nolan Winter to score 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting.

Nolan Winter

A Wisconsin forward who combined with Austin Rapp to score 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting.

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What’s next

The Hawkeyes will look to bounce back when they host Ohio State on February 26th at 8 PM on the Big Ten Network.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the gap between Iowa and the top teams in the Big Ten, as Wisconsin's offensive firepower and Boyd's dynamic play proved too much for the Hawkeyes to overcome. Iowa will need to find ways to compete with the conference's elite if they hope to make a deep postseason run.