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Two basketball players in white and yellow uniforms shake hands on a court, with teammates and a crowd in the background.Two basketball players in white and yellow uniforms shake hands on a court, with teammates and a crowd in the background.
Men's Basketball

Iowa Downs Lipscomb in Season Opener

The University of Iowa men’s basketball team defeated Lipscomb, 76-54, in its regular season opener Tuesday night on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Opens in a new window Box Score (PDF)
Box Score
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team defeated Lipscomb, 76-54, in its regular season opener Tuesday night on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa opened the game trading baskets with the Bisons before breaking a 27-27 tie with an 11-2 run to take control. Cooper Koch and Kael Combs helped fuel the surge as Iowa's defense forced multiple turnovers, allowing the Hawkeyes to build a 38-29 halftime lead.

Coming out of halftime, Iowa quickly extended its margin as Jaidyn Coon and Combs scored inside to stretch the advantage to 16. Coon and Tate Sage added key baskets as the Hawkeyes maintained control through the middle stanza.

In the final stretch, Iowa’s reserves helped seal the victory as the Hawkeyes pushed their lead to 27 points.

Coon led the Hawkeyes with 12 points, while Ty'Reek Coleman added 10. Koch and Sage scored nine points apiece, and Combs dished out a game-high five assists.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
"I like this team. They're a fun team. We didn't shoot it particularly well, and we struggled to make the free throws.  I thought we have some like check-the-wind 3s that we just didn't make, that we've been making. We shot 24 percent from 3 and about 50 percent from the free-throw line, and we're still 1.1 points per possession.

"Defensively it was exactly what we needed. We were able to keep guys fresh. Lineups aren't going to always totally be like that; we're still finding ourselves. That's a really hard team to guard. They're a good basketball team. They were up at Duke at halftime last season. Kevin is a really good coach, and honestly, it's a horrible matchup for us because they play a bunch of guards. We couldn't play like a big group ever because they played so many guards.  It was a bad matchup for us, but it will be good for us in the long run."

GAME NOTES

  • The Hawkeyes won their 15th consecutive season opener, downing Lipscomb, 76-54, on Tuesday night on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
  • Iowa had two players land in double figures: Jaidyn Coon 12, Ty’Reek Coleman 10
  • Ten different Hawkeyes scored.
  • Coon finished with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and played lock-down defense on Takai Simpkins. The first-year guard/forward started the second half.
  • Second-year Trevin Jirak finished with six points and a career-high seven rebounds and four assists.
  • The Hawkeyes held Lipscomb to 54 points – the fewest in an opener since allowing 39 points to UNC Wilmington in 2013-14.
    • The Bisons had a 36.2 field goal percentage and went just 3-of-18 from 3-point range.
  • Iowa committed just eight turnovers in the game.
  • Iowa held Lipscomb to seven field goals and forced 10 turnovers in the second half.
  • The Hawkeyes won the rebounding battle, 41-33. 
  • Iowa attempted 28 free throws, but went just 14-of-28 from the charity stripe.
  • Iowa had a 33-5 advantage in points off turnovers. 
  • Iowa led 26-14 at the 7:55 mark before Lipscomb used a 13-0 run to grab a 27-26 lead with 4:43 left in the first half.  The Hawkeyes closed out the first half on a 12-2 run to take a 38-29 lead into the break. 
  • Fourth-year center Andrew McKeever did not play because of injury.
UP NEXT
Iowa returns to action Friday, hosting Eastern Illinois at 7:30 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.