Iowa Men's Basketball Defeats Illinois Springfield in Preseason Win

The University of Iowa men’s basketball team wrapped up its preseason preparations on Tuesday night with an 88-64 victory over Illinois Springfield inside Xtreme Arena. The exhibition game offered a final look at the Hawkeyes before the regular season begins, featuring a strong shooting night and early defensive pressure that broke open a tight contest.

Establishing Control at Xtreme Arena

Things started out knotted. Iowa and Illinois Springfield traded baskets in the opening minutes until a 7-7 tie gave way to a decisive Hawkeye surge. Cooper Koch and Kael Combs pushed the early pace, while an active defense forced multiple turnovers to build a double-digit margin.

Men's Basketball | Iowa vs Illinois Springfield (Exhibition)

Midway through the first half, Tate Sage hit a 3-pointer, followed immediately by a fast-break dunk from Cam Manyawu to stretch the lead further. Koch added back-to-back triples before the break, sending Iowa into halftime with a 42-28 advantage.

The second half brought more separation. Koch scored inside and Combs knocked down an early 3-pointer to push the lead to 19 points. Additional deep shots from Sage and Peyton McCollum kept the Hawkeyes firmly in control through the middle stanza. Down the stretch, late-game contributors and reserves extended the margin to 28 points at 82-54 before finishing off the 88-64 final score.

Combs Leads Iowa Scoring in Victory

Combs led all Iowa scorers with 13 points. Koch, McCollum, and Trevin Jirak each chipped in 10 points apiece, while Andrew McKeever ran the offense to the tune of a game-high seven assists.

As a team, the Hawkeyes finished 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 for 64.7 percent. Iowa also won the battle on the boards 37-32 and forced 12 Springfield turnovers over the course of the night.