Hawks Fall Short Against Ohio State, 72-69

Isaia Howard's last-second shot misses as Iowa Hawkeyes lose in Big Ten Tournament

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:03am

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The Iowa Hawkeyes (21-12, 10-10) couldn't complete a second-half comeback against the Ohio State Buckeyes (21-11, 12-8) and lost 72-69 in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament. Isaia Howard's three-pointer at the buzzer missed the mark.

Why it matters

This loss ends Iowa's season in the Big Ten Tournament, though they are likely to receive an NCAA Tournament bid. The game highlighted the Hawkeyes' struggles on defense and scoring droughts that have plagued them all season.

The details

Bennett Stirtz led Iowa with 17 points, but was the only Hawkeye in double figures. Ohio State's Christoph Tilly had 12 first-half points, and Bruce Thornton scored 10 straight to stretch the Buckeyes' lead to 16 in the second half. Iowa made a late push, cutting the deficit to 1, but couldn't complete the comeback.

  • The game was played on March 13, 2026 in the Big Ten Tournament.

The players

Bennett Stirtz

Led the Hawkeyes with 17 points on 6/11 shooting.

Christoph Tilly

Ohio State player who had 12 first-half points and helped the Buckeyes build an early lead.

Bruce Thornton

Ohio State's all-time leading scorer, who scored 10 straight points in the second half to stretch the Buckeyes' lead.

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What they’re saying

“Ultimately, they will likely have to play a Michigan-caliber team next week if they hope to advance to the Sweet 16. Whether they're able to capture that lightning in a bottle remains to be seen but today is the type of effort they'll need to make it happen.”

— Ben McCollum, Head Coach

What’s next

The Hawkeyes will await their NCAA Tournament seeding and opponent, which will be announced on Selection Sunday.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the challenges Iowa has faced all season on defense and in maintaining consistent scoring. To make a deep NCAA Tournament run, the Hawkeyes will need to find a way to overcome these issues against top-tier competition.