Iowa vs. Northwestern men’s basketball glance: Time, TV, livestream, game info (March 2, 2024)

What: Iowa (17-12 overall, 9-9 Big Ten) at Northwestern (20-8, 11-6), 4:31 p.m., men’s basketball

When/where: Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Ill.

TV: BTN (Connor Onion, Brian Butch)

Livestream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network affiliates, KRUI-FM

Series: Iowa leads, 124-61

Line: Northwestern by 3.5

NCAA NET rankings: Northwestern 48th, Iowa 60th

What to know: This is the only meeting between the two teams this season. Iowa lost 80-60 in Evanston last Feb. 19 to end its 9-game winning streak over the Wildcats.

The Hawkeyes are trying to get above .500 in the Big Ten for the first time this season and pick up a Quad 1 win in the bargain. What Iowa needs to get an NCAA tournament berth is unclear, of course, but winning this road game would certainly help get it pointed in the right direction.

Iowa sophomore guard Dasonte Bowen is out for the rest of the season. He will be having knee surgery in March.

The Hawkeyes beat Penn State 90-81 Tuesday night behind Payton Sandfort’s 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Josh Dix had his second-consecutive 20-point game, and the Hawkeyes broke out of a 3-point shooting slump by going 8 of 16.

Sandfort became the third different Hawkeye with 10 assists in a game this season. Iowa is the only team in the nation to claim that. Hawkeyes Coach Fran McCaffery said that happens “if you move and share the ball and you cut and you screen and you understand motion offense concepts and you’re a willing passer.”

Northwestern, on a 3-game winning streak, is coming off a 68-61 victory at Maryland Wednesday. Sophomore forward Pete Martinelli scored a career-high 27 points.

Wildcats senior guard Boo Buie is headed for his second-straight first-team All-Big Ten honor. Buie is fourth in the Big Ten in both points (18.6) and assists (5.2) per game. The fifth-year senior is Northwestern’s all-time leading scorer with 2,062 points.

“Arguably the best point guard in the country,” McCaffery said.

“He’s a tough-minded guy, but he’s got great feel for what’s necessary at any point in time. Whether it be off penetration, shooting the 3-ball — and his 3-point numbers are off the charts (45-of-98 for 45.9 percent in league play) — it makes it really hard to guard. He’s probably as good as it gets in utilizing ball-screens and finding his teammates.

“He also defends, and he really competes and maintains his composure at all times. ... And that skill set translates to winning.”

Guard Ty Berry, who started 23 games this season and averaged 11.6 points, is out for the rest of the season with a torn meniscus. Northwestern beat Maryland without starting guard Ryan Langborg (ankle), who had scored 46 points over his last two games.

Sophomore walk-on Blake Smith got his first career start Wednesday, and played 27 minutes in his fifth game of the season. He had two points and two rebounds this season before getting six and five, respectively, at Maryland.

“We still have a good team,” Northwestern Coach Chris Collins said. “We still have enough to win.”

The Wildcats are alone in third place in the Big Ten. They tied for second place last season, their highest Big Ten finish since 1959.

Northwestern is 14-1 at home, with wins over current Top 25 teams Purdue, Illinois and Dayton. The lone loss was to Chicago State, which is 12-18. Chicago State had been 0-15 against Northwestern and 0-64 against Big Ten members, and has had one winning season in the past 37 years.

Comments: mike.hlas@thegazette.com