Fresh off winning the Acrisure Series last week, Iowa basketball hit the road for a tough Big Ten opener against Michigan State.
Playing the eighth-ranked Spartans in East Lansing was going to tell the world a lot about this iteration of the Hawkeyes in their first year under Ben McCollum. The Breslin Center is one of the most difficult road venues to play at in the conference, and Iowa jumped right into the belly of the beast on Tuesday.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe result was a blowout 71-52 loss to the Spartans. After a fast start, Iowa never got settled into the game, and they fell to 7-1 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Ten. Here are the biggest takeaways from this tough loss to Michigan State.
Offense never found a rhythm
Dec 2, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Isaia Howard (23) defended by Michigan State Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler (0) during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn ImagesThe Hawkeyes jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in this game, but that's where the offensive positives came to an end. Iowa shot 38% from the field in this game, struggling to counter every run the Spartans had in this game. Throw in 30% shooting from behind the arc and 11 turnovers, and you have the recipe for a tough offensive night.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was a rough night individually for a lot of Iowa's stars. Bennett Stirtz had an uncharacteristically poor shooting night, scoring just 14 points on 4-10 shooting. Alvaro Folgueiras struggled off the bench, scoring two points in 18 minutes. One bright spot was senior Brendan Hausen, who scored seven points in seven minutes. It might be time for the former Kansas State sharpshooter to see some more minutes.
Rebounding was an issue
Dec 2, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Kaleb Glenn (8) moves the ball against Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cooper Koch (8) during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn ImagesThe Hawkeyes are an undersized group, especially when compared to the size of Michigan State. That was evident in Tuesday's loss, as Iowa was outrebounded 37-18. The Spartans corralled 13 offensive rebounds, leading to numerous second-chance possessions and points. Rebounding helped the Spartans build their lead and eventually pull away in this game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile not every team in the Big Ten has the size of Michigan State, this will still be something that Ben McCollum needs to find a solution for this season. Whether it's messing with the rotations or the defensive system a bit, this game showed that some adjustments are necessary in that facet of the game. Fans should have faith in McCollum to make those adjustments.
No need to panic
Dec 2, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum watches play against the Michigan State Spartans at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn ImagesIt's easy to overreact to one game of basketball, but some nuance is necessary here. The Spartans are one of the best teams in the entire country and possess one of the best home-court advantages in the Big Ten. This was by far the best team Iowa's faced all season long, a steep step up in competition from most of the non-conference slate. And it's only the eighth game this new group of players have played together this season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI'm not trying to make excuses for the loss. Iowa didn't play well enough to win, not by a long shot. But this group is still learning how to play together in McCollum's system. It takes some time to mesh together, and there's going to be some ups and downs. If the Hawkeyes are playing like this in the middle of February, then it might be time for concern. But there's no need to panic or throw in the towel right now. Iowa will have a chance to bounce back on Saturday at home against Maryland. Let's see how they do.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways from Iowa basketball road loss vs. Michigan State
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