Takeaways from heartbreaking Iowa basketball loss vs. No. 5 Purdue

Wednesday night felt like deja vu for the Iowa basketball team—and not the good kind.

They led for most of the game on the road against a top-five team for the second time this season. And just like last month’s loss to Iowa State in Ames, the Hawkeyes didn’t execute enough down the stretch in West Lafayette to take down fifth-ranked Purdue on Wednesday.

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Iowa gave the Boilermakers a great game, but they didn’t have enough firepower to pull the upset, ultimately falling 79-72. It’s the third loss in a row for Ben McCollum’s team, which is now 2-4 in Big Ten play and looking for answers. There were several things to like about Wednesday’s game, despite the loss, and there are several areas that need improvement. Here are the biggest takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ tight road loss to Purdue.

Kael Combs shone again

Jan 14, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kael Combs (11) defends against Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) during the second half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Kael Combs has been a bright development recently, despite the three-game skid. After only scoring in double figures once in Iowa’s first 11 games, Combs has now reached that mark in three of the last six games. He poured in a career-high 16 points against the Boilermakers on 6-9 shooting from the field. The junior guard also added five rebounds and two assists as well.

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Combs has firmly established himself as the other starting guard on this roster, alongside Bennett Stirtz. He’s made some clutch shots, plays solid defense, and usually makes the right play with the ball. He’s quickly turning into one of McCollum’s most trusted players on the roster and should only see more minutes from here on out.

Crucial turnovers kill momentum

Jan 14, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum reacts to a call during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn…

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Publish date : 2026-01-15 11:45:00

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