Iowa basketball coach Ben McCollum came away from Tuesday night's 76-54 season-opening win over Lipscomb sounding genuinely excited about his team, and Hawkeye fans should probably pay attention.
According to Yahoo Sports, McCollum opened his postgame press conference with a simple declaration: “I like this team. They're a fun team.” Given McCollum's track record, that carries weight. He won four Division II national titles, led Drake to 31 wins in one season, and took Iowa to its first Elite Eight since 1987.
The Win Wasn't Pretty, But It Was Effective
The Hawkeyes didn't have it easy early. Iowa led by 12 before Lipscomb ripped off a 13-0 run to briefly take the lead. The Hawkeyes answered with 12 of the half's final 14 points and controlled the game from there.
The shooting numbers were rough. Iowa hit just 24% from three-point range and 50% from the free-throw line, numbers that would sink most teams. Instead, the Hawkeyes won by 22.
“They haven't understood that those are free,” McCollum joked after the game. “They're not guarded.”
The difference was defense. Iowa held Lipscomb to 36% shooting overall and 17% from deep, forced 17 turnovers, and turned those mistakes into 33 points. McCollum called Lipscomb “a horrible matchup for us” beforehand, which made the defensive performance even more impressive.
“I thought our shot-making struggled, which is a big difference,” McCollum said. “So you're looking at results versus process. Our process was good on the offensive end. On the defensive end, both were good, the result and the process.”
A Roster Built From Scratch
What stands out about this team is how new it is. The two leading scorers against Lipscomb, Jaidyn Coon and Ty'Reek Coleman, weren't even in the Iowa program a year ago.
Coon, an athletic wing, scored a team-high 12 points in his first college game. Coleman stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists in his debut, though he told reporters he didn't feel he played well after going 0-of-3 from deep.
The depth runs deep. Trevin Jirak, a 6-foot-11 big man who can pass and stretch the floor, added six points, seven rebounds, and four assists off the bench. Cooper Koch went 3-of-4 from three. Tate Sage scored nine points in his first career start. Veterans Cam Manyawu and Kael Combs each chipped in seven, and Peyton McCollum, the coach's son, hit a pair of threes in his college debut.
That's a lot of pieces that fit together in different ways, and McCollum knows it.
“Our group can instinctually play and they understand their role,” McCollum said. “Jaidyn's going to dunk. Some of those guys are going to shoot. You've just got a variety of people, and I think they all want for each other's success.”
Life After Bennett Stirtz
This season marks a real turning point for the program. As the Chicago Tribune reported, Iowa lost All-American guard Bennett Stirtz to the NBA, a player McCollum once called the “gravity” of his team. Alvaro Folgueiras, who hit big shots during the NCAA Tournament run, transferred to Louisville.
Rather than rebuild through one star, McCollum is betting on balance. The Lipscomb win showed why that approach could work. Nobody dominated, but nine Hawkeyes scored, and the team won comfortably on a night when the shots wouldn't fall.
McCollum's Honesty Is a Feature, Not a Bug
Iowa fans have learned quickly that McCollum doesn't sugarcoat things. After an exhibition win over Illinois Springfield, he flatly said, “We just didn't play very well.” As Dear Old Gold noted, that 24-point exhibition win still left the coach pushing his players for more.
So when McCollum says he loves this group after one game, it means something. He's not selling hope to a fanbase. He's evaluating what he sees in practice every day.
“Every day's a new adventure with this group,” McCollum said. “I thought we were going to struggle defensively tonight. I didn't think our offense would struggle.”
What's Next for the Hawkeyes
Iowa expects to get stronger soon. Seven-foot-three center Drew McKeever missed the opener with an injury, and McCollum said the staff is being “very cautious” with him. The hope is McKeever makes his Hawkeye debut Friday against Eastern Illinois.
There's a long season ahead, and McCollum isn't predicting a finished product by December.
“I don't know when it's going to come together, but it'll come together at some point,” McCollum said. “They're figuring out how to play together. I love this group. It's going to be fun. It's going to be ups and downs. It's going to be fun.”
After one game, that optimism looks earned. The Hawkeyes won by 22 while shooting poorly from the perimeter and the line. When the shots start falling at the rate this team shoots in practice, Iowa could be a serious problem in the Big Ten.
FAQ
Who did Iowa basketball beat in its 2026-27 season opener?
Iowa defeated Lipscomb 76-54 on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
Who were Iowa's leading scorers against Lipscomb?
Freshman Jaidyn Coon led Iowa with 12 points, and Ty'REek Coleman added 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
When will Drew McKeever make his Iowa debut?
McCollum said the 7-foot-3 center is being handled cautiously and could debut Friday against Eastern Illinois.