Iowa City witnessed an intense showdown as Iowa men's basketball took on the highly ranked No. 3 Iowa State on Thursday. The Hawkeyes led for a significant portion of the game but ultimately fell short when it mattered most. In the electrifying atmosphere of Carver-Hawkeye Arena, these two rivals put on a thrilling display in the Cy-Hawk rivalry.

First Half: Inspiring Performance but Missed Opportunities

The Hawkeyes started the game on fire against Iowa State's usually tough defense. They shot an astonishing 59% from the field and 54% from deep in the first half, taking a commanding lead. Iowa led by as many as 13 points and entered the break with a seven-point advantage. However, their offensive cold spell in the second half proved costly. They went roughly six minutes without making a field goal, allowing Iowa State to make a comeback.

Second Half: Cyclones Take Control

Iowa State grabbed momentum in the second half and erased the deficit completely. They tied the game multiple times and finally took the lead with about three minutes remaining. The Cyclones made more plays in crunch time, shooting 53% from deep during that span and outrebounding the Hawkeyes 29-18. Meanwhile, Iowa's field goal percentage plummeted to just 32% from the field and 27% from deep.

Player Performances

The Hawkeyes had a well-balanced scoring attack, with six players in double-figures. Owen Freeman led with 16 points, followed by Josh Dix with 14. Guard Drew Thelwell had an impressive first start as a Hawkeye, finishing with 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Ladji Dembele was also magnificent off the bench, scoring 11 points and grabbing four rebounds. Seydou Traore made his return after missing the last two games due to a sprained ankle and provided a spark with six points and three rebounds.

Challenging Opponent and Lineup Changes

Thursday's matchup was a tough task for Iowa as they faced a team that had fought through tough competition and entered the game with only one loss to No. 2 Auburn. To start the game, Iowa shook up its starting five by going with a smaller lineup, inserting Drew Thelwell for Ladji Dembele. Thelwell, who transferred to Iowa after last season and started 69 games in his Morehead State career, came off the bench for the first nine games of his Hawkeye career but was impressive in his first start.Iowa has now lost two in a row in the Cy-Hawk series. Follow Tyler Tachman on X@Tyler_T15 or contact via email atttachman@gannett.com.