Jaidyn Coon dropped 12 points and Ty’Reek Coleman added 10, leading Iowa to a dominant 76-54 win over Lipscomb Tuesday night to kick off their season. It was a statement win, showing exactly what this Hawkeyes squad is capable of early on, especially on the defensive end.
The First Half Rollercoaster: Gut Check Time for Iowa
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first half, looking like they were going to cruise. But Lipscomb wasn’t having it. Takai Simpkins, who was cooking for the Bisons all night with 18 points, spearheaded an absolute 11-0 run that actually gave Lipscomb a 27-26 lead with just over four minutes left in the half. Talk about a gut check, right? But Iowa showed exactly what they’re made of. They immediately fired back, closing out the half on a ridiculous 12-2 run. Coleman hit some clutch free throws to reclaim the lead, and Cooper Koch drained a huge three-pointer to cap it off, sending Iowa into the locker room up 38-29. That kind of response is what championship teams are made of, even this early in the season.
Defensive Lockdown and Balanced Attack Seals the Deal
After the break, it was all Iowa. They just kept extending that lead, pushing it to 49-31 with a little over 14 minutes left on the clock. Koch and Tate Sage each chipped in nine points on the night, showing that balanced scoring is going to be a real weapon for this squad. Trevin Jirak finished with six points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Coleman also racked up six rebounds and four assists to go along with his scoring punch. And let’s talk about that defense for a minute, because it was absolutely suffocating. Iowa forced a mind-blowing 17 turnovers and swiped 11 steals. They held Lipscomb to a dismal 36% from the field, and a brick-laying 3-for-18 from beyond the arc. That’s how you win games, folks! Devyn Martin added 11 points and seven rebounds for Lipscomb, but even that wasn’t enough to overcome Iowa’s relentless D.
Lipscomb, meanwhile, will try to rebound against SIU Edwardsville at home this Saturday. But for Iowa, the focus is already on Friday when they host Eastern Illinois. If they can bring that kind of defensive intensity and balanced attack, it’s going to be a fun season to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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