Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery couldn't hold back the emotion following the Hawkeyes' 84-73 win over Rutgers at Jersey Mike's Arena. It was the first true road triumph of the season for the Hawkeyes and it prompted Iowa's longtime coach to choke up.

On Wednesday evening the Iowa basketball team will face probably the two most talented players that they will see this season. Those two players are freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, who are expected to be top five draft picks this spring.

IOWA CITY — Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said Monday that star sophomore Owen Freeman would have been at risk of "permanent injury" if he had continued playing this season. Freeman will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season, the Hawkeyes announced earlier in the day. He was set to undergo finger surgery on his right hand Monday.

Iowa fans and media reacted to the win over Rutgers and Fran McCaffery's emotional response immediately after.

It has been tough sledding for Iowa in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes have been struggling on the road and dealing with multiple injuries. On Wednesday night, Iowa found itself down double-digits to Rutgers at Jersey Mike's Arena but the team did not quit.