After getting banged up multiple times in the first half and sitting out the majority of the game against UCLA on Friday, senior forward Payton Sandford appears to be available for Iowa basketball (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) tonight as they play host to Minnesota (9-9, 1-6 Big Ten) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 8 p.m. CT.
Sandfort wasn’t listed on Iowa’s Big Ten-mandated availability report ahead of the Hawkeyes‘ showdown versus the Gophers, signaling that he is cleared to play tonight in a pivotal contest.
Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said Monday that Sandfort is dealing with shoulder and leg issues, which appear to be subdued enough to be cleared to play tonight against the Golden Gophers.
Before suffering the injury, Sandfort was starting to hit his stride offensively as he was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week for his stellar performances in wins over Nebraska and Indiana. In the three games before being hurt, Sandfort averaged 24.3 points per game.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
After a disastrous trip to Los Angeles, Iowa hopes that the return of Sandfort tonight against a struggling Minnesota squad will see the Hawkeyes return to the win column and reignite the team’s swagger.
While Minnesota has their own set of troubles, the Golden Gophers are coming off their first conference victory via a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against No. 20 Michigan by a score of 84-81 in overtime.
Tonight’s game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network as well as on the Hawkeyes Radio Network.
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