Following back-to-back blowout losses, Northwestern (15-8, 3-7 Big Ten) was again outclassed, this time by an excellent Iowa (17-4, 8-1) team, and the Wildcats dropped their fifth straight contest in an 85-71 loss in Iowa City.
It was clear from tip that Iowa, like Indiana and Michigan State, would be able to find holes in Northwestern's matchup zone and get open threes in abundance. While the Hawkeyes' shots weren't falling early, they found their rhythm midway through the first half and blew the game open. The final score doesn't convey the lopsided nature of the game; make no mistake, this was Northwestern's third consecutive game where the outcome was certain by halftime.