The University of Iowa men’s basketball team wrapped up its preseason play on Tuesday night with an 88-64 victory over Illinois Springfield inside Xtreme Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
Playing in front of local fans, the Hawkeyes shook off a tight start that saw the two squads trade early baskets. Iowa eventually broke a 7-7 tie with a decisive surge, relying on active defense and early contributions from Cooper Koch and Kael Combs to force multiple turnovers and build a comfortable double-digit advantage.
How Iowa Pulled Away at Xtreme Arena
As the first half progressed, the Hawkeyes continued to widen the gap. A 3-pointer from Tate Sage and a fast-break dunk by Cam Manyawu pushed the lead further out of reach for Illinois Springfield. Koch added back-to-back triples before the break, helping Iowa secure a solid 42-28 halftime cushion.
Preseason hoops! 🆚: Illinois Springfield ⌚️: 6:30 PM (CT) 📍: Xtream Arena 📻: https://t.co/3AFiiBvLT9📺: B1G+ pic.twitter.com/FXMBmYDM1L
The offensive momentum carried right over into the second half. Koch scored cleanly inside, and Combs knocked down another perimeter shot to stretch the margin to 19 points. Additional deep-range scoring from Sage and Peyton McCollum kept the Hawkeyes firmly in control through the middle stanza of the exhibition contest.
Down the stretch, Iowa turned to the bench, allowing late-game contributors and reserves to polish off the victory. The Hawkeyes eventually pushed their advantage to 28 points at 82-54 before settling on the final 88-64 scoreline.
Stat Line and Offensive Distribution
Combs paced the Iowa offense with 13 points, while Koch, McCollum, and Trevin Jirak each chipped in 10 points apiece. Andrew McKeever orchestrated the floor effectively, handing out a game-high seven assists.
As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 28-of-53 from the field for 52.8 percent. They connected on 10-of-26 attempts from beyond the arc, good for 38.5 percent, and went 22-of-34 at the free-throw line, finishing at 64.7 percent. Defensively and on the glass, Iowa forced 12 turnovers and won the rebounding battle against Springfield, 37-32.
With preseason preparations now officially in the books, the Hawkeyes turn their focus toward the regular-season schedule.
