Iowa Basketball Triumphs in Season Opener Under New Coach McCollum

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team kicked off their season with a decisive 101-69 victory over Robert Morris on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This win marked head coach Ben McCollum‘s first victory as the leader of the Hawkeyes.

Iowa started strong, opening the game with a 17-2 run by forcing four turnovers in Robert Morris’ initial eight possessions. Senior Bennett Stirtz played a key role, scoring 10 of the Hawkeyes’ first 22 points with a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the field. Iowa maintained control, expanding their lead to 41-19 late in the first half.

Freshman Cam Manyawu scored his first collegiate points as Iowa reached its largest lead of the first half at 49-24 before heading to the locker room with a 49-26 advantage. Stirtz led all scorers in the first 20 minutes with 15 points, contributing three assists, two steals, and one block. Iowa’s defense kept Robert Morris to 37.9% shooting and forced 13 turnovers.

In the second half, Stirtz continued to shine with back-to-back baskets initiating an 8-0 run that pushed Iowa’s lead to 69-40. Another 8-0 stretch later in the game helped extend the advantage to 84-46. Stirtz finished the game with a total of 19 points, six assists, and four steals, hitting 6-of-10 shots.

Senior Tavion Banks added 17 points on an impressive 6-of-7 shooting, along with four rebounds and two steals. As a team, Iowa shot 61.7% from the field and made 36 out of 44 free throws, equating to an 81.8% success rate.

Head coach Ben McCollum expressed his gratitude to the fans, especially the students, for creating an exciting atmosphere. “It makes the environment so much more fun,” he said. “Even if you’re playing well or not, having cheering fans snowballs into a great experience.”

All 11 Iowa players who saw action contributed to the scoring. The Hawkeyes forced a total of 23 turnovers from Robert Morris while showcasing their depth and skill.

Iowa’s next challenge comes on Friday when they host Western Illinois at 6 p.m. CT in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are available at the Iowa Athletics Ticket Office.