Hawkeyes have big challenge in No. 25 Maryland, so they’re glad to have Josh Dix

Josh Dix is a very good basketball player.

The Iowa junior guard has made that abundantly clear during his career, but it may never been more obvious than Wednesday during his 26-point effort in the Hawkeyes’ 84-73 win at Rutgers.

Dix played all but one minute, making 11 of 17 shots. In a game with two of the highest 2025 NBA draft picks-to-be in Rutgers freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, Dix was the standout. The ways he created space for himself to calmly sink midrange jumpers and cut to the basket for scores was a lesson for the freshmen.

“He did what he always does,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. “He's an amazingly consistent player. It’s the hardest thing to do, and that's what separates the good from the great.

“He doesn't ever take a bad shot. He doesn't turn it over. He plays more than one position. He plays defense. He rebounds his position. He makes shots, threes, pullups, drives. Never forces anything. He’s got an incredibly mature game. Always has.”

Dix has averaged 22 points in the three games since center Owen Freeman left the lineup because of surgery to a finger.

The Hawkeyes (14-10 overall, 5-8 Big Ten) could use a lot more of the same from Dix as they return East for their 4 p.m. (Iowa time) game at No. 25 Maryland Sunoday. What the Terrapins are is very good.

The Terps (19-6, 9-5) withstood second-half challenge after challenge at Nebraska Thursday and won, 83-75. It was their sixth win in the last seven games.

Maryland has a star freshman of its own in 6-foot-10 Derik Queen. While his name sounds like “Dairy Queen,” he is no treat for opponents with his averages of 15.9 points and 8.6 rebounds.

“He's got a complete skill set,” McCaffery said. “A really good ball-handler. You see a big, strong guy like that, you're not expecting him to go coast to coast, behind his back, and make plays off the bounce for other people. Very unselfish guy. And he also rebounds at a high level.”

When Queen was lauded by the BTN’s Robbie Hummel after the game for his 24-point, 11-rebound performance at Nebraska Thursday, Queen said “I did have three turnovers, though.”

Maryland’s six losses were by six points or less. It has outscored its opponents by 16 points per game. Iowa could use another 26 by Dix today, if not more.

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