IOWA

MICHST

No. 7 Michigan St beats Iowa 71-52 to open defense of Big Ten title

AP
Dec 02, 2025

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Coen Carr had nine of his 15 points in the second half after Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half, helping No. 7 Michigan State remain unbeaten with a 71-52 win over Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday night in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

The Spartans (8-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will play No. 4 Duke at home on Saturday.

Michigan State is off to its best start in a decade and has three wins against AP Top 25 teams: North Carolina, Kentucky and Arkansas.

The Hawkeyes (7-1, 0-1) were undefeated under first-year coach Ben McCollum until they ran into one of the hottest teams in college basketball.

Iowa's Bennett Stirtz, who entered averaging nearly 19 points per game, was held to four points in the first half and finished with 14 on 4 of 10 shooting. None of his teammates scored more than seven points and the Hawkeyes combined to shoot 38% from the field.

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler had his second straight double-double and his fourth this season, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Spartans scored 13 straight points midway through the first half, starting with Fears making two free throws and ending with his jumper that put them ahead 25-10.

Michigan State led 35-21 at halftime, holding the Hawkeyes to 33% shooting.

Iowa had more turnovers (nine) than shots made (seven) early in the second half, hurting its chances to compete against the defending Big Ten champions.

The Spartans made half their shots and were 22 of 25 on free throws, giving them an 11-point edge at the line.

Michigan State hosts the Blue Devils and Iowa hosts Maryland on Saturday.

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1st Half
IOWA
Hawkeyes
21
MIST
Spartans
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Cam Manyawu vs. Carson Cooper (Spartans gains possession)
19:47		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (bad pass)
19:27		Kur Teng personal foul
19:16	+3	Bennett Stirtz makes three point jump shot	3-0
18:49		Carson Cooper misses two point layup
18:47		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
18:20		Bennett Stirtz misses two point jump shot
18:18		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
18:06		Carson Cooper turnover (lost ball) (Cooper Koch steals)
18:01	+2	Tavion Banks makes two point layup (Bennett Stirtz assists)	5-0
17:45		Jaxon Kohler misses two point hook shot
17:43		Hawkeyes defensive rebound
17:22		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
17:20		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
17:13	+3	Kur Teng makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	5-3
16:52	+2	Cam Manyawu makes two point dunk (Kael Combs assists)	7-3
16:36		Jaxon Kohler misses two point hook shot
16:34		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
16:34		Cooper Koch shooting foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul)
16:34	+1	Jaxon Kohler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-4
16:34	+1	Jaxon Kohler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-5
16:20		Alvaro Folgueiras misses three point jump shot
16:18		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
16:18		Tavion Banks personal foul
15:57		Carson Cooper turnover (bad pass) (Alvaro Folgueiras steals)
15:40		Tavion Banks turnover (lost ball)
15:40		TV timeout
15:25		Trevin Jirak personal foul
15:12		Kael Combs shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
15:12	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-6
15:12	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-7
14:44		Jesse McCulloch personal foul (Alvaro Folgueiras draws the foul)
14:27		Isaia Howard misses two point layup
14:25		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
14:20		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
14:18		Cam Manyawu defensive rebound
13:58		Alvaro Folgueiras misses two point hook shot
13:56		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
13:51		Alvaro Folgueiras personal foul
13:29		Jesse McCulloch misses three point jump shot
13:27		Alvaro Folgueiras defensive rebound
13:27		Carson Cooper personal foul
13:17		Divine Ugochukwu personal foul
13:01		Kael Combs misses three point jump shot
12:59		Spartans defensive rebound
12:42	+2	Jesse McCulloch makes two point layup (Coen Carr assists)	7-9
12:17		Alvaro Folgueiras misses three point jump shot
12:15		Coen Carr defensive rebound
12:14		Isaia Howard personal foul
11:58		Coen Carr turnover (traveling)
11:58		TV timeout
11:38		Alvaro Folgueiras offensive foul
11:38		Alvaro Folgueiras turnover (offensive foul)
11:17		Jaxon Kohler misses two point hook shot
11:15		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
11:10		Carson Cooper misses two point jump shot
11:08		Cam Manyawu defensive rebound
10:54		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
10:52		Cam Manyawu offensive rebound
10:45	+2	Cam Manyawu makes two point jump shot	9-9
10:31		Carson Cooper offensive foul
10:31		Carson Cooper turnover (offensive foul)
10:03		Jaxon Kohler blocks Cam Manyawu's two point jump shot
10:01		Hawkeyes offensive rebound
10:01		Cooper Koch misses two point jump shot
9:59		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
9:52		Tavion Banks shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
9:52	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	9-10
9:52	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	9-11
9:30		Cooper Koch misses three point jump shot
9:28		Jordan Scott defensive rebound
9:25		Tate Sage personal foul (Jordan Scott draws the foul)
9:25	+1	Jordan Scott makes regular free throw 1 of 2	9-12
9:25		Jordan Scott misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:25		Tate Sage defensive rebound
9:03		Jesse McCulloch shooting foul (Tate Sage draws the foul)
9:03		Tate Sage misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:03	+1	Tate Sage makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-12
8:50		Cam Manyawu personal foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
8:50	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-13
8:50	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-14
8:34		Bennett Stirtz turnover (lost ball) (Jeremy Fears Jr. steals)
8:24		Coen Carr misses three point jump shot
8:22		Kur Teng offensive rebound
8:21		Kur Teng misses two point layup
8:20		Jordan Scott offensive rebound
8:17	+2	Jordan Scott makes two point layup	10-16
7:58		Bennett Stirtz offensive foul
7:58		Bennett Stirtz turnover (offensive foul)
7:58		TV timeout
7:47	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup (Kur Teng assists)	10-18
7:23		Denham Wojcik shooting foul (Bennett Stirtz draws the foul)
7:23		Bennett Stirtz misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:23		Bennett Stirtz misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:23		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
7:01		Coen Carr misses two point hook shot
6:59		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
6:51	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup	10-20
6:47		Bennett Stirtz turnover (carrying)
6:47		Hawkeyes 30 second timeout
6:32	+3	Jordan Scott makes three point jump shot (Jaxon Kohler assists)	10-23
6:03		Kael Combs turnover (out of bounds)
5:40	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point jump shot	10-25
5:21		Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (Bennett Stirtz draws the foul)
5:21		Bennett Stirtz misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:21	+1	Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-25
5:06		Kael Combs personal foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
5:06	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-26
5:06	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-27
4:47	+3	Cooper Koch makes three point jump shot (Bennett Stirtz assists)	14-27
4:45		Hawkeyes 30 second timeout
4:20	+2	Coen Carr makes two point layup (Divine Ugochukwu assists)	14-29
4:08		Bennett Stirtz turnover (bad pass) (Divine Ugochukwu steals)
3:55		Jesse McCulloch offensive foul
3:55		Jesse McCulloch turnover (illegal screen)
3:55		TV timeout
3:43	+2	Brendan Hausen makes two point jump shot	16-29
3:19		Jaxon Kohler misses two point jump shot
3:17		Cam Manyawu defensive rebound
3:11		Trey Fort personal foul (Brendan Hausen draws the foul)
3:11	+1	Brendan Hausen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-29
3:11	+1	Brendan Hausen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-29
2:46	+2	Coen Carr makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	18-31
2:33	+3	Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (Bennett Stirtz assists)	21-31
2:13		Jaxon Kohler misses three point jump shot
2:11		Coen Carr offensive rebound
2:05	+2	Coen Carr makes two point dunk	21-33
1:41		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
1:39		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
1:17	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup	21-35
0:57		Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot
0:55		Coen Carr defensive rebound
0:47		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:38		Jaxon Kohler offensive foul
0:38		Jaxon Kohler turnover (offensive foul)
0:23		Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot
0:21		Jordan Scott defensive rebound
0:02		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:01		Tate Sage defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
IOWA
Hawkeyes
31
MIST
Spartans
36

Time		Play	Score
19:43		Alvaro Folgueiras turnover (traveling)
19:20		Alvaro Folgueiras shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
19:20	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-36
19:20	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-37
19:07		Trevin Jirak turnover (traveling)
18:53		Kur Teng misses two point jump shot
18:51		Coen Carr offensive rebound
18:51		Kael Combs personal foul
18:42	+2	Kur Teng makes two point jump shot	21-39
18:33		Carson Cooper blocks Isaia Howard's two point layup
18:31		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
18:25		Carson Cooper turnover (lost ball) (Bennett Stirtz steals)
18:22		Kur Teng shooting foul (Kael Combs draws the foul)
18:22	+1	Kael Combs makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-39
18:22	+1	Kael Combs makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-39
18:11		Kur Teng turnover (bad pass)
18:00		Kael Combs misses two point jump shot
17:58		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
17:50		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
17:48		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
17:48		Tavion Banks personal foul
17:28	+2	Coen Carr makes two point hook shot	23-41
17:05		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
17:03		Spartans defensive rebound
16:44	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	23-43
16:25	+2	Bennett Stirtz makes two point layup	25-43
16:17		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (Cooper Koch steals)
16:12		Jeremy Fears Jr. shooting foul (Isaia Howard draws the foul)
16:12	+1	Isaia Howard makes regular free throw 1 of 2	26-43
16:12	+1	Isaia Howard makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-43
15:54	+2	Coen Carr makes two point dunk (Carson Cooper assists)	27-45
15:54		Cooper Koch shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
15:54		TV timeout
15:54	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-46
15:35	+3	Isaia Howard makes three point jump shot	30-46
15:02		Bennett Stirtz shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
15:02	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 2	30-47
15:02	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-48
14:50		Cam Manyawu misses two point layup
14:48		Cam Manyawu offensive rebound
14:45	+2	Cam Manyawu makes two point layup	32-48
14:33		Jordan Scott misses three point jump shot
14:31		Isaia Howard defensive rebound
14:31		Coen Carr personal foul
14:09	+3	Bennett Stirtz makes three point jump shot (Isaia Howard assists)	35-48
13:46		Jesse McCulloch misses two point jump shot
13:44		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
13:27		Isaia Howard misses two point layup
13:25		Jesse McCulloch defensive rebound
13:18	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	35-50
13:05		Tavion Banks turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Scott steals)
12:38		Jordan Scott turnover (Kael Combs steals)
12:32	+2	Alvaro Folgueiras makes two point dunk (Kael Combs assists)	37-50
12:04		Tavion Banks blocks Jaxon Kohler's two point layup
12:02		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
11:55	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point hook shot	37-52
11:43		Jordan Scott shooting foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
11:43		TV timeout
11:43		Tavion Banks misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:43	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-52
11:15	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point layup (Carson Cooper assists)	38-54
11:05		Jaxon Kohler personal foul
10:58		Jaxon Kohler blocks Kael Combs's two point layup
10:56		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
10:52		Tate Sage personal foul
10:42	+2	Kur Teng makes two point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	38-56
10:25		Tavion Banks misses three point jump shot
10:23		Cam Manyawu offensive rebound
10:07		Tate Sage misses three point jump shot
10:05		Hawkeyes offensive rebound
9:56		Cooper Koch misses three point jump shot
9:54		Kur Teng defensive rebound
9:49		Coen Carr offensive foul
9:49		Coen Carr turnover (offensive foul)
9:21		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
9:19		Kur Teng defensive rebound
9:09		Kur Teng misses three point jump shot
9:07		Jesse McCulloch offensive rebound
9:00	+2	Jesse McCulloch makes two point hook shot	38-58
8:39		Denham Wojcik personal foul
8:39	+1	Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-58
8:39	+1	Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-58
8:18		Tate Sage shooting foul (Denham Wojcik draws the foul)
8:18	+1	Denham Wojcik makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-59
8:18	+1	Denham Wojcik makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-60
8:01		Isaia Howard misses three point jump shot
7:59		Divine Ugochukwu defensive rebound
7:42		Divine Ugochukwu misses three point jump shot
7:40		Cooper Koch defensive rebound
7:24		Tate Sage misses two point jump shot
7:22		Spartans defensive rebound
7:22		TV timeout
6:57	+2	Jesse McCulloch makes two point jump shot (Jordan Scott assists)	40-62
6:32		Jump ball. Alvaro Folgueiras vs. Jordan Scott (Jordan Scott gains possession)
6:32		Alvaro Folgueiras turnover (lost ball) (Jordan Scott steals)
6:16		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Bennett Stirtz steals)
5:58	+3	Cooper Koch makes three point jump shot (Bennett Stirtz assists)	43-62
5:31		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:29		Jordan Scott offensive rebound
5:11	+3	Jesse McCulloch makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	43-65
4:38		Isaia Howard misses two point layup
4:36		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
4:29		Jaxon Kohler misses three point jump shot
4:27		Jordan Scott offensive rebound
4:12		Isaia Howard shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
4:12	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-66
4:12	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-67
3:45	+3	Bennett Stirtz makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Folgueiras assists)	46-67
3:19	+2	Divine Ugochukwu makes two point layup	46-69
3:02		Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul
3:02		TV timeout
3:02		Cooper Koch misses regular free throw 1 of 1
3:02		Tavion Banks offensive rebound
2:41		Cooper Koch misses three point jump shot
2:39		Coen Carr defensive rebound
2:12		Coen Carr misses two point alley-oop dunk
2:10		Spartans offensive rebound
1:51		Carson Cooper turnover (Kael Combs steals)
1:39	+2	Tate Sage makes two point dunk (Cooper Koch assists)	48-69
1:11		Cooper Koch shooting foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
1:11		Carson Cooper misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:11	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-70
0:42	+2	Joey Matteoni makes two point hook shot (Tavion Banks assists)	50-70
0:17		Cooper Koch shooting foul (Denham Wojcik draws the foul)
0:17	+1	Denham Wojcik makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-71
0:17		Denham Wojcik misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:17		Cooper Koch defensive rebound
0:10	+2	Kael Combs makes two point layup (Cooper Koch assists)	52-71
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Kael Combs makes two point layup (Cooper Koch assists)