MBB Notes: Creighton in Des Moines

ON THE AIR
TV: Tuesday’s game will be televised on FS1 with Cory Provus (play-by-play) and Nick Bahe (color) on the call.
Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Gary Dolphin (play-by-play) and Bobby Hansen (color) on the call.  The network includes more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and includes portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.  The Hawkeye Radio Network includes a 60-minute pregame show.

OPENING TIP
• The Hawkeyes will play their second straight neutral site game, squaring off against Creighton on Sunday afternoon at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines.
• Iowa has won eight of its last nine games at the Casey’s Center since 2013. The Hawkeyes walloped Bucknell, 94-39, last season.
• The Hawkeyes have had three different players lead the team in scoring in the first three games.
• Third-year Cooper Koch scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds vs. Virginia Tech.  He went 15-of-17 from the free throw line.  
• Second-year Ty’Reek Coleman is the only player to reach double figures in each of the first three games.  He scored a season-high 20 points against the Hokies.
• Third-year Isaia Howard notched his first career double-double, finishing with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds against Virginia Tech.   The 15 rebounds are tied for the most by a Big Ten player this season.
• The Hawkeyes have won the rebounding battle in each of the first three games and are +12.3 on the boards this season.  
• Iowa made 14 3-pointers -- by eight different players -- against EIU.  The Hawkeyes were 10-of-18 in the second half alone.  The 14 3s are tied for the most in a game during Ben McCollum’s Iowa tenure.
• Fourth-year center Andrew McKeever -- the tallest player in Iowa MBB history and the first 7-footer coached by McCollum, made his Hawkeye debut on Nov. 10 vs. VT.
• Iowa is one of 20 schools nationally (three in the Big Ten) to retain its entire coaching staff and support staff from the 2025-26 season.
• The Hawkeyes will play 15 of their first 17 games inside the Iowa state border.  Iowa will play three neutral site contests -- one in Sioux City and two in Des Moines.  The team’s only two road trips before mid-January are trips to Xavier and Purdue.

LAST GAME: VIRGINIA TECH 93, IOWA 88 (OT)
Iowa had four players land in double figures, but it wasn’t enough as the Hawkeyes suffered a 93-88 overtime loss to Virginia Tech on Tuesday in Sioux City, Iowa.  
• Iowa shot 50 percent from the floor, but made just five 3-pointers and went 31-of-47 from the free throw stripe.  
• Third-year Cooper Koch paced the team, netting a career-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds.  He made 15-of-17 free throws in the game.  
• Second-year Ty’Reek Coleman finished with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting for his first 20-point contest as a Hawkeye.

SCOUTING CREIGHTON
• The Bluejays suffered their first loss of the 2026-27 season, falling 89-82 at Kansas State on Tuesday in Manhattan.  The Wildcats led by as many as 15 points midway through the second half.
• Three CU players are averaging in double figures with Wes Enis leading the way at 19.7 points per game.  Enis has made a team-high 12 3-pointers in 38 attempts, but is shooting just 35.8 percent from the floor.
• Enis was a Division II All-American at Lincoln Memorial in 2025 before playing last season at South Florida.
• BJ Davis, who scored 25 points at K-State, averages 15.7 points with nine 3s, while Brody Robinson averages 10 points.
• Creighton is +6.3 on the boards despite not having any players average more than 4.7 rebounds.  The Blue Jays have five different players pulling in at least three rebounds per contest.
• Creighton is shooting 41.3 percent as a team and 32.7 percent from long range to average 80.3 points.  
• The Bluejays were picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST preseason coaches’ poll.  Jackson McAndrew and Oswin Erhunmwunse were both tabbed as third-team All-BIG EAST selections.

SERIES HISTORY
• Sunday’s game is the 27th meeting all-time between Iowa and Creighton.  The Hawkeyes lead the series, 14-12.
• The Bluejays have won two straight in the series, including a 92-84 victory in Omaha in 2023.  Iowa has faced Creighton just three times since 2000. 
• Iowa’s last win over Creighton came in 2001, winning 69-56 in Uniondale, New York, in the NCAA Tournament behind 19 points from Reggie Evans, 16 by Mike Henderson, 15 by Dean Oliver and 12 by Glen Worley.
• Current Creighton head coach Alan Huss played 15 minutes off the bench in the NCAA Tournament loss, finishing with nine points on 3-for-3 shooting.  It was Huss’ final collegiate game.
• Iowa is 45-37 all-time against current members of the Big East Conference.   The Hawkeyes defeated Xavier last season in Iowa City.

COLEMAN STARTS STRONG
Second-year Ty’Reek Coleman is the only Hawkeye to score in double figures in each of the first three games.  He scored a season-high 20 points -- his third career 20-point contest -- vs. Virginia Tech on Nov. 10.  He went 7-of-10 from the floor in the game.  
• The Hopkinsville, Kentucky native is leading the team in scoring, averaging 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in a reserve role.  He is shooting 62.5 percent from the floor, but just 57.1 percent from the foul stripe.
• Coleman was 5-for-5 from the floor en route to a 13-point outing against Eastern Illinois and he had a career-high six assists.

20-POINT KOCH
Third-year forward Cooper Koch notched his first career 20-point game on Nov. 10 against Virginia Tech, finishing with a career-best 26 points on 5-of-11 shooting (one 3-pointer), while going 15-of-17 from the free throw line.  He played all 45 minutes in the contest.
• Koch’s free throw makes/attempts are the most for the program since 2024.  The 15 makes are tied for the seventh-most nationally, while the 17 are sixth-most.
• Koch is averaging 13.7 points and five rebounds, while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from 3-point range.

HOWIE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Third-year guard Isaia Howard notched his first career double-double and the team’s first double-double of the season on Nov. 10 against Virginia Tech.  The Missouri native finished with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, while making three 3-pointers.
• His 15 rebounds were the most for the program since the 2022-23 season when Kris Murray pulled in 20 rebounds.  The 15 boards are tied for the most in a Big Ten game this season and 12th-most nationally.