There have been a lot of positive steps for the Iowa basketball program this season but Thursday night was not one of them. The Hawkeyes squandered an 11 point first half lead and lost at home to Nebraska 79-73.

The Hawkeyes had no answer for the Huskers Brandon Richardson who finished with 25 points, including six of seven from three point range.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says Richardson not only got 25 points he had five assists and six rebounds and dominated the game.who says the Hawkeyes could not get stops when they needed them.

“Our defense was horrendous, that’s where my disappointment is, we had a number of opportunities very similar to the Purdue game where we just needed a stop and couldn’t get one,” McCaffrey says.

Iowa is now 3-5 in the Big Ten and visits Indiana on Sunday. He says the Hoosiers are a great team with experience that present a lot of problems.

Zach McCabe led Iowa with 20 points.