AP FILE PHOTO BY NICK ROHLMAN/THE GAZETTE - Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) and Ohio State’s Puff Johnson fight for a loose ball during a college basketball game Feb. 25 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

CHICAGO — The Iowa men’s basketbal team nearly erased a late deficit but came up short, falling 72-69 to Ohio State in the third round of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday at the United Center.

Iowa trimmed a double-digit second-half deficit to one point in the final minute and had a last chance after a missed free throw, but a pair of Ohio State free throws with eight seconds remaining and a final scramble sealed the result.

Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 24 points as the Buckeyes (21-11) advanced to the quarterfinals.

Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz scored a team-high 17 points and added four assists for the Hawkeyes (21-12), who were playing their second game in as many days after defeating Maryland in the previous round.

Despite the loss, Iowa coach Ben McCollum said his team showed stretches of strong play but struggled to execute consistently enough against a hot-shooting Ohio State offense.

“First off, congrats to Ohio State. I thought they did a heck of a job today, particularly offensively,” McCollum said. “We had a good game plan. I didn’t think we executed it to that level.”

Ohio State shot 55.3 percent from the field and scored 36 points in the paint, repeatedly finishing around the rim during key stretches of the game.

The Buckeyes built a 34-30 halftime lead behind their interior scoring, with most of their first-half baskets coming on dunks or layups. McCollum said defensive breakdowns and aggressive gambles contributed to those opportunities.

“Our whole game plan was to keep it out of the paint,” McCollum said. “Three of those were gambles for steals. A couple were busted coverages. It was probably a lack of execution more than anything else.”

But Iowa continued to respond. The Hawkeyes received strong contributions from its bench, which outscored OSU’s reserves 23-3.

Cam Manyawu and Tavion Banks each scored nine points, while Alvaro Folgueiras added eight points and six rebounds. Iowa shot 50 percent overall and 10 of 21 from 3-point range.

Late in the second half, the Hawkeyes mounted a push.

Banks threw down a dunk with 1:22 remaining to cut the deficit to three. After a defensive stop, Stirtz made two free throws with 38 seconds left to pull Iowa within 70-69.

Ohio State then missed a driving layup, but the Buckeyes grabbed consecutive offensive rebounds before John Mobley Jr. converted two free throws with eight seconds left to make it 72-69.

Iowa still had a chance.

Following a timeout, Brendan Hausen missed a 3-point attempt with four seconds remaining, and a final hurried shot at the buzzer did not fall.

McCollum said the Hawkeyes generated enough offense to win but did not consistently finish opportunities near the basket.

“We were 6 for 13 at the rim, so that’s a problem,” McCollum said. “Need to be about 10 for 13.”

Even so, McCollum said he views the performance as part of the team’s ongoing development heading toward the NCAA Tournament.

“I don’t necessarily view it as a missed opportunity per se,” he said. “We’re still trying to improve and get better in the process.”

Ohio State’s size proved difficult for Iowa throughout the game, particularly with 7-foot center Christoph Tilly controlling the interior on both ends.

Stirtz described the matchup as a challenge for the Hawkeyes’ defense.

“He’s a game changer,” Stirtz said. “A 7-footer who can spread the floor, and every time he gets in the pocket, he makes a good read.”

Ohio State placed four players in double figures and extended its winning streak to four games with the victory.

For Iowa, the loss ended its run in the Big Ten tournament after consecutive appearances against Ohio State in the event. The Hawkeyes had defeated the Buckeyes in last year’s tournament meeting and swept both regular-season matchups this year before Thursday’s result.

McCollum said his team will shift its focus quickly to the next opportunity.

“We’ve got a good team,” he said. “Sometimes we accept good. I think that’s a scary deal. I think we need to try to find great.”

Ohio St. 72, Iowa 69

IOWA (21-12) — C.Koch 3-5 0-0 8, Manyawu 4-5 1-2 9, Combs 1-3 0-0 3, Stirtz 6-11 3-4 17, Banks 3-6 2-2 9, Folgueiras 2-4 2-3 8, Howard 2-4 0-0 5, Sage 1-4 5-6 8, Hausen 0-1 0-0 0, Jirak 0-1 2-2 2. TOTALS 22-44 15-19 69.

OHIO ST. (21-11) — Bynum 5-10 1-2 11, Royal 2-4 2-2 6, Tilly 5-6 6-9 16, Mobley 3-9 3-4 12, Thornton 10-14 2-2 24, Chatman 0-1 0-0 0, Njegovan 0-0 0-0 0, Cupps 1-2 0-0 3, White 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS 26-47 14-19 72.

Halftime–Ohio St. 34-30. 3-Point Goals–Iowa 10-21 (C.Koch 2-3, Folgueiras 2-4, Stirtz 2-5, Banks 1-1, Sage 1-1, Combs 1-2, Howard 1-3, Hausen 0-1, Jirak 0-1), Ohio St. 6-20 (Mobley 3-8, Thornton 2-4, Cupps 1-2, Chatman 0-1, Royal 0-1, White 0-1, Bynum 0-3). Rebounds–Iowa 22 (Folgueiras 6), Ohio St. 20 (Thornton 6). Assists–Iowa 16 (Stirtz 4), Ohio St. 17 (Bynum 4). Total Fouls–Iowa 16, Ohio St. 15.