IOWA CITY — Iowa basketball got off to a hot start in Tuesday’s 110-77 win over USC Upstate and never gave up the lead from there on out.
The Hawkeyes put up 14 consecutive points, 10 of which came from Owen Freeman, before the Spartans finally got on the board.
Iowa outscored USC Upstate by 27 in the first half and rode that to a dominant victory.
After its lowest scoring output this season Friday in a loss to Utah State, Tuesday was a prolific offensive outing. The Hawkeyes had 12 players in the scoring column in a well-balanced attack. Brock Harding led the way with 20 points.
Iowa improved to 6-1 this season.
But the win is somewhat overshadowed by an injury suffered by Seydou Traore. Less than nine minutes into the first half, Traore went down with an apparent ankle injury and looked to be in serious pain. He was helped off the court and did not return.
Traore, a transfer from Manhattan, has been a key contributor off the bench for the Hawkeyes and helped spur some encouraging defensive performances. He missed the first two games of the season with an injury and now faces another obstacle.
USC Upstate entered Tuesday with a 2-6 overall record, though half of those losses came against ACC programs. But against the Hawkeyes, the Spartans were without standout Mister Dean, who is averaging 18 points and better than six rebounds this season.
Iowa was coming off its first loss of the season. The Hawkeyes fell to Utah State in Kansas City on Friday, turning a four-point halftime lead into an eight-point defeat.
Iowa had a bounceback shooting performance Tuesday after a dreadful showing against Utah State. The Hawkeyes shot just 19% from deep and 50% from the free throw line in the loss to the Aggies. But on Tuesday, Iowa shot 61% from the field, 46% from deep and 80% from the free throw line.
Iowa didn’t let USC Upstate get a lot of traction offensively, particularly in the first half. The Spartans finished the game shooting just 44% from the field and committed 19 turnovers.
After being one of the few bright spots against Utah State, Brock Harding played very well again Tuesday. He had a double-double of 20 points and 10 assists.
Harding was one of five Hawkeyes in double-figures scoring.
In the second game back from a wrist injury he suffered against Washington State, Josh Dix looked more like himself. He posted 14 points on 5-of-7 from the field and added seven rebounds.
Freeman had a strong performance, as well, with 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Drew Thelwell delivered a spark off the bench yet again with 15 points.
As it has been for much of this season, Iowa was shorthanded again. The Hawkeyes were without Even Brauns and Cooper Koch against USC Upstate.
Because of Brauns’ absence, Riley Mulvey got more minutes off the bench and performed well, scoring 11 points and grabbing three rebounds. With Koch out, Carter Kinsbury also got meaningful playing time and scored five points.
Iowa gets some rest from game-action before ramping back up for December. Four of Iowa’s first five contests next month are against power-conference programs. That starts with the Big Ten opener against Northwestern on Dec. 3 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
