The Iowa men’s basketball team bounced back in a big way on Sunday, crushing Western Michigan 91-51 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The win improved Iowa’s record to 9-2 under first-year head coach Ben McCollum.
After losing to Michigan State and Iowa State in their last two games, Iowa came out strong against a mid-major opponent. Junior forward Cam Manyawu said the team treated the game as a fresh start to focus on improving after recent losses.
Iowa quickly built a double-digit lead and never looked back. Senior point guard Bennett Stirtz, known for heavy minutes, played only 24 minutes, a season low, as Iowa led 52-16 at halftime and expanded the lead to 50 points in the second half. Coach McCollum said Stirtz’s rest was due to the lopsided score and net rankings considerations.
Five Hawkeyes scored in double figures. Stirtz, junior forward Alvaro Folgueiras, and senior guard Brendan Hausen each had 13 points, while Manyawu and freshman guard Tate Sage added 11 points apiece.
Iowa shot 65.6% from the field in the first half, including 6 of 14 from 3-point range, while assisting on 16 of 21 baskets. Western Michigan struggled, making just 6 of 29 shots in the first half.
McCollum used 10 players in the first half, with all but one scoring at least two points. The Hawkeyes now have five days off before facing Bucknell at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
