Iowa Hawkeyes forward Owen Freeman (32) hugs teammate Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) after Dix shot a three-pointer at the buzzer to win over Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) hugs Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) after Dix hit a buzzer beater to lead the Hawkeyes to defeat the Wildcats 80-79 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Pryce Sandfort (24) celebrates after the Hawkeyes defeated the Wildcats 80-79 with a buzzer beater from Josh Dix at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Riley Mulvey (44) celebrates after the Hawkeyes defeated the Wildcats 80-79 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) hugs Iowa Hawkeyes forward Owen Freeman (32) after defeating Northwestern 80-79 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Drew Thelwell (3) drives the ball towards the Wildcats basket with pressure from Northwestern Wildcats guard Blake Smith (43) in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) shoots a three-pointer in the second half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Brock Harding (2) shoots the ball in the second half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Owen Freeman (32) goes for a layup in the second half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Northwestern Wildcats guard Justin Mullins (20) reaches out to block Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) as he looks to pass the ball in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) goes for a layup and scores for the Hawkeyes in the first half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Brock Harding (2) reacts after the Hawkeyes score a three-pointer over Northwestern in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) shoots the ball with pressure from Northwestern Wildcats guard Jalen Leach (1) in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) drives towards the Wildcats basket in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) shoots the ball in the first half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) drives past Northwestern Wildcats guard Ty Berry (3) in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Northwestern Wildcats head coach Chris Collins reacts after his team fouls on Iowa in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Payton Sandfort (20) celebrates with Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) after scoring over Northwestern in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) shoots a three-pointer with pressure from Northwestern Wildcats guard Jalen Leach (1) in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Brock Harding (2) looks to pass the ball as he drives down the court in the first half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Owen Freeman (32) goes for a layup and scores for the Hawkeyes in the first half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Drew Thelwell (3) jumps up to block Northwestern Wildcats guard Ty Berry (3) as he goes for a layup in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Ladji Dembele (13) reacts as he maintains possession of the ball against several Northwestern players in the first half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

An Iowa fan reacts as Northwestern leads by one in the final minutes of the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Northwestern Wildcats guard Ty Berry (3) guards Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) as he looks to drive the ball towards the Wildcats basket in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Ladji Dembele (13) watches as Northwestern and Iowa battle it out for the win in the final minute of the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery reacts as his players put the pressure on Northwestern in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Owen Freeman (32) reaches out to get possession of the loose ball with pressure from Northwestern in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Ladji Dembele (13) shoots the ball with pressure from Northwestern Wildcats forward Luke Hunger (33) in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Northwestern Wildcats head coach Chris Collins reacts after a foul is called on Northwestern in the second half of the game against Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) pushes into Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) as he drives towards the Wildcats basket in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Drew Thelwell (3) reacts after a foul is called on him in the second half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Owen Freeman (32) shoots the ball with pressure from Northwestern Wildcats forward Luke Hunger (33) in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Pryce Sandfort (24) reacts as he rebounds the ball against several Northwestern players in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Brock Harding (2) goes for a layup and gets a basket for the Hawkeyes in the second half of the game against Northwestern at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Northwestern Wildcats forward Luke Hunger (33) reaches up to block Iowa Hawkeyes forward Even Brauns (0) as he shoots the ball in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Brock Harding (2) guards Northwestern Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli (2) as he looks to pass the ball in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) tries to block Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) as he drives towards the Hawkeye basket in the second half of the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)