Iowa Purdue’s defeat reveals a well-known weakness as the Hawkeyes allow the upset to escape at Mackey Arena Another disappointing chapter in a season full of near-misses and lingering “what ifs” was the Iowa Purdue defeat. The Hawkeyes demonstrated they could compete with one of the top teams in the country on the road against No. 5 Purdue, but once again, they were unable to complete the task when it mattered most.
Iowa traveled to West Lafayette for a primetime matchup at Mackey Arena, which has a reputation for completely engulfing visiting teams. The Hawkeyes had one of their best starts of the season rather than giving up early. They controlled the tempo, played with assurance, and had an unexpected lead at the half. For a while, it seemed like Iowa might finally make a breakthrough on this particular night.
Growth and the Same Old Issue Are Highlighted by Iowa Purdue’s Loss In contrast to a few defeats earlier in the season, Iowa had a lot of success in this game. The Hawkeyes got off to a quick start, which has been a major problem all season. They built momentum early, played energetic defense, and executed offensively. The Mackey Arena crowd was silenced and Purdue was under intense pressure as Iowa not only led at the half but at one point extended its lead to eight points in the second half.
As the game got closer, poor shot selection and expensive turnovers started to appear. Rushed possessions replaced the crisp ball movement. Tougher shots were preferred over attractive ones. Like top teams, Purdue exploited every error. The Boilermakers remained calm. In the end, Iowa did.
A quick start was made, but the finish is still missing. Slow starts have been one of Iowa’s main issues this season. The Hawkeyes have repeatedly put themselves in early holes and then spent the remainder of the night trying to recover. Although they have demonstrated heart and tenacity, their comebacks frequently fall short. Iowa finally turned that around against Purdue.
They appeared hostile. assured. All set. Nevertheless, even after checking that box, the incapacity to finish games reappeared—another well-known weakness. It wasn’t the first time. Earlier in the season, Iowa also had a lead at the half against Iowa State, but they lost that chance. Strong starts, competitive performances, and empty hands have now been the outcomes of two attempts at signature victories.
Why Is Iowa Unable to Close? The patterns are difficult to ignore, but the reasons aren’t totally clear. Is it nervousness on the road in dangerous situations? Closing out a top-five team at Mackey Arena is no easy feat because the arena is harsh. Or is it exhaustion from playing basketball at a high level all the time to maintain equilibrium? Sometimes there’s not enough energy left for the last push when a team is fighting so hard.
Iowa’s late-game performance is still a serious concern, regardless of the reason. Turnovers accumulate. Shot selection deteriorates. The worst times are when defensive lapses occur. These problems turned a possible upset against Purdue into yet another painful lesson.
No Time to Worry as the Road Trip Continues Iowa doesn’t have much time to reorganize. The Hawkeyes will travel to Bloomington for another difficult game against Indiana. The message is straightforward but intimidating after yet another close defeat: Iowa needs to figure out how to put together a full 40 minutes.
They have demonstrated their ability to get going quickly. They have demonstrated their ability to compete with top teams. Learning how to finish is the next, and most difficult, step. Games like the Iowa Purdue defeat will continue to hurt until that time. It’s not that Iowa didn’t belong on the floor; rather, it’s that they did and were still unable to close the deal.
