The Iowa basketball team jumped out to a 22-2 lead at the outset and cruised by Quincy University 100-54 in a Sunday exhibition game. The added depth of this season was on display as freshman Mike Gessell led four players in double figures with 18 points.
Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says that’s the exciting thing about the team is having guys who come off the bench and add to a team that’s already playing well. He says there are plenty of things to work on.
“Our offensive efficiency in the first half despite the fact that we pressed them as well as we did and turned them over, we didn’t shoot it that well,” McCaffrey says.
The Hawkeyes open the regular season at home on Friday night against Texas Pan-American. McCaffery says they are athletic with a terrific coach and his team will be challenged in a lot of different ways. The teams lone senior, Eric May, came off the bench to score 15 points.
May says while the Hawkeyes reached the century mark the best part of the game was their defense. “That’s been our focus this whole preseason is defense, and it will continue to be the focus,” May says.
Iowa State broke away from a four point lead early in the second half with a 23-0 run as they beat Minnesota State 90-57 in an exhibition game in Ames. The Cyclones started quickly before letting Minnesota State back in the game.
Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg who says the Cyclones played well for a good portion of the game offensively and defensively and then got a little stagnant. He says those 10 minutes where they did not play well were awful and they need to eliminate that.
Hoiberg says they need to work on playing an entire game as they prepare for Friday’s season opener against Southern University.
Tyus McGee led five Cyclones in double figures with 16 points. Korie Lecious added 15 and ISU finished 15 of 29 from three point range.