MOLINE, Ill. — Owen Freeman scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, finishing one-point shy of his career-high, and Iowa pulled away late to beat Washington State 76-66 on Friday night.
Payton Sandfort scored 18 points for the Hawkeyes (4-0). Iowa started 5-0 in the 2022-23 season, 7-0 the year before and 6-0 in 2020-21.
Nate Calmese scored 27 points for Washington State (3-1). LeJaun Watts had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Iowa's Drew Thelwell wrapped a pair of 3-pointers around one from the Cougars' Ethan Price to give the Hawkeyes a 63-62 lead and they pulled away from there. Payton Sandfort and Pryce Sandfort each made four free throws and Freeman made a pair all in the last 1:12 of play while Washington State missed its last seven shot attempts.
Washington State led 36-33 at halftime.
Both teams struggled from 3-point range with Iowa shooting 8 of 25 and Washington State 5 of 28.
It was only the second time the two teams have ever played with Iowa beating Washington State 74-66 on Dec. 30, 1963 in Pullman, Washington.
