Hawkeyes Roll Past SEMO, 99-70

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team defeated Southeast Missouri State, 99-70, on Tuesday night on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes improve to 4-0 on the season.

Iowa got off to an early lead, leading the Redhawks, 15-5, six minutes into the half. The Hawkeyes would continue building on their lead, using a 14-2 run, while making 8-of-9 field goals, to push the lead to 20 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half.

The Hawkeyes used free throws and turnovers to take control of the first 20 minutes. In the first half, Iowa converted on 17-of-26 (65.4) from the charity stripe, while shooting 14-of-23 (60.9) from the field. Defensively, Iowa created 10 turnovers, turning them into 16 points, to take a 49-25 lead.

As the second half got underway, it was all Iowa. Junior Alvaro Folgueiras led the Hawkeyes the first 10 minutes of the second half with 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field. Iowa’s lead grew to 29 at the midway point of the final 20 minutes.

Foulgueiras led the way offensively with 16 points, while grabbing four rebounds. Senior guard Bennett Stirtz added 15 points, while dishing out nine assists.

Manyawu added 12 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the field. Freshman Trevin Jirak rounded out Hawkeyes in double digits with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

As a team Iowa shot 30-of-49 (61.2) from the field and 10-of-23 (43.5) from beyond the arc. The Hawkeyes knocked down 29-of-39 (74.4) from the free-throw line and Iowa’s bench poured in 50 points, a season high.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
“We came out OK. We executed, we didn't play with elite energy, probably need to make sure we play with better energy. We got to the free throw line a lot which was good, from an offensive perspective.

"We have to make sure that we compete with an elite amount of energy throughout the entire game, even the start and maybe the second half. We are still a work in progress to do that, it’s just going to take some time. We are still learning how to get there consistently.”

GAME NOTES

• Iowa moved to 4-0 with an 99-70 victory over SEMO on Tuesday night inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

• Head coach Ben McCollum is the sixth Iowa coach to win the first four games of his Hawkeye career, joining Ed Role, Walter Stewart, Bucky O’Connor, Dr. Tom Davis and Todd Lickliter.

• Iowa had four players finish in double figures: Alvaro Folgueiras (16), Bennett Stirtz (15), Cam Manyawu (12), Trevin Jirak (10)

• Folgueiras finished with a season-high 16 points, making 4-of-6 field goals, including three 3-pointers. He also tied for the team-high with five rebounds.

  • He has been in double digits in three of the team’s four games.

• Stirtz finished with 15 points, making 4-of-8 field goals, 2-of-4 3-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws. He also had a season-high nine assists – his third game with 6+ assists.

  • He is the only Hawkeye to reach double digits in every game.

• Manyawu scored a season-high 12 points, making all four of his field goals and 4-of-6 free throws.

• Jirk scored 10 points, reaching double figures for the first time in his career. He made 4-of-6 field goals and one 3-pointer.

• Iowa tied a season-high with 10 3-point field goals, making 10-of-23 attempts.  Five different players made at least one 3.

• The Hawkeyes shot 61.2 percent from the floor – the team’s second game shooting 60+ percent.

  • Iowa has shot better than 50 percent in every half this season and 60 percent or better five times.

• Iowa went 29-of-39 from the free throw line. 

  • The team has shot 25+ free throws in three of the team’s four games and made at least 20 in three contests.

• Iowa’s bench finished with a season-high 50 points.

• The Hawkeyes opened the game making nine of their first 11 shots and the team shot 60.9 percent in the first half.

• Iowa had more free throw attempts (26) than field goal attempts (23) in the first half.

• SEMO attempted just 10 shots in the game’s first 11 minutes. Iowa limited the Redhawks to 25 first-half points.

UP NEXT
Iowa has a quick turnaround, returning to action Thursday against Chicago State inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game begins at 6 p.m. (CT).