Sandfort leads Iowa with 24 points in 95-88 win over Utah

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Payton Sandfort scored 24 points, Owen Freeman scored 16 points and Iowa beat Utah 95-88 on Saturday.

Josh Dix scored 15 points shooting 7 of 10, Drew Thelwell 15 and Brock Harding 12 for Iowa (9-3) which has won two straight games after dropping back-to-back games.

Iowa (9-3) finished shooting 53.1% (34 of 64). Utah was right behind at 51.5% (35 of 68).

Tied at 75, Sandfort made consecutive layups followed by one from Dix and Iowa led 81-78 with 5:49 left and the Hawkeyes never trailed for the remainder. Harding sank two free throws, Dix added a jump shot and Harding made a 3 with 3:03 left for an 88-80 advantage. Utah never got closer than six points on a pair of layups by Lawson Lovering 21 seconds apart.

Lovering scored a career-high 25 points, shooting 11 of 14, and Mason Madsen scored 24 for the Utes (8-3).

It was Iowa's first win over Utah which entered having won the two previous matchups between the two teams.

Utah starts Big 12 Conference play traveling to Baylor on New Year's Eve. Iowa hosts New Hampshire on Dec. 30.