SIOUX CITY — Iowa men’s basketball battled Virginia Tech through 13 ties and eight lead changes, but missed opportunities at the free-throw line proved costly as the Hawkeyes suffered their first defeat of the season, falling 93-88 in overtime Tuesday night, November 10, 2026, at the Tyson Events Center.
The Hawkeyes dropped to 2-1 despite a career-high 26 points from Cooper Koch, a 20-point performance from Ty’Reek Coleman and a dominant 40-26 advantage on the boards. Virginia Tech improved to 3-0 behind a game-high 32 points from Ben Hammond.
The contest was part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series and marked the first NCAA basketball game played in Sioux City. A crowd of 6,086 witnessed the historic matchup, which delivered plenty of drama before the Hokies pulled away in the extra period.
Iowa held Virginia Tech to 79 points through regulation, but the Hokies erupted for 14 points in overtime while limiting the Hawkeyes to nine.
The defeat was particularly frustrating for Iowa because the Hawkeyes controlled the rebounding battle, shot 50 percent from the field and generated numerous opportunities at the foul line.
Iowa attempted 47 free throws but converted only 31, leaving 16 potential points at the stripe in a game ultimately decided by five.
The Hawkeyes also struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just five of 17 attempts, while Virginia Tech shot 53.6 percent overall and made seven 3-pointers.
Koch delivers career-best performance
Koch led Iowa’s offensive attack with 26 points, reaching the 20-point mark for the first time in his college career.
The Hawkeye standout made five of 11 field-goal attempts, including one 3-pointer, but did much of his damage at the free-throw line.
Koch converted 15 of 17 attempts from the stripe, establishing career highs in both free throws made and attempted. His 15 successful free throws were the most by an Iowa player since Payton Sandfort made 18 of 19 in 2024.
Koch also pulled down seven rebounds and played all 45 minutes of the overtime contest.
Coleman provided another strong offensive performance, scoring 20 points on seven-of-ten shooting. It was his first 20-point game as a Hawkeye and the third of his collegiate career.
Coleman has now reached double figures in all three games to begin the 2026-27 season.
Isaia Howard dominates the glass
Isaia Howard recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
Howard made three 3-pointers and grabbed 12 defensive rebounds while adding three offensive boards.
His 15 rebounds marked the highest total by a Hawkeye since Kris Murray collected 20 during the 2022-23 season.
Kael Combs added 10 points on perfect four-of-four shooting from the field, giving Iowa four players in double figures.
Fourth-year Hawkeye Andrew McKeever made his season debut, contributing five points and five rebounds in approximately 10 minutes of action.
Hawkeyes overcome early deficit before halftime heartbreak
Virginia Tech established an early advantage, building an eight-point lead midway through the opening half.
The Hokies led 32-26 with 5:24 remaining before Iowa began mounting a comeback.
The Hawkeyes responded with a 12-2 scoring surge, with Howard connecting on a 3-pointer at the 2:33 mark to give Iowa its first lead of the game, 35-34.
Iowa eventually moved ahead 38-34, but Virginia Tech rallied in the final minute.
Hammond tied the contest at 38 before Koch scored at the buzzer to put Iowa ahead 40-38.
Hammond immediately answered with a dramatic 3-pointer at the horn, sending Virginia Tech into halftime with a narrow 41-40 advantage.
The back-and-forth battle continued throughout the second half.
Iowa eventually built a five-point lead with eight minutes remaining, but neither team could establish lasting control.
The teams finished regulation tied at 79, forcing an additional five minutes to determine the winner.
Virginia Tech outscored Iowa 14-9 in overtime to secure the 93-88 victory.
Hammond, Curry power Virginia Tech
Hammond was the difference-maker for the Hokies, finishing with 32 points on nine-of-16 shooting.
He connected on three of five 3-point attempts and was perfect on all 11 of his free throws. Hammond also contributed five rebounds and four assists.
Jaylen Curry added 25 points, shooting nine of 18 from the floor, while Amani Hansberry finished with 16 points.
Isaiah Elohim contributed another 12 points and six rebounds for Virginia Tech.
The Hokies shot 30-of-56 from the field and converted 26 of 33 free throws.
Rebounding advantage not enough for Iowa
Iowa’s performance on the glass was one of the game’s most impressive statistics.
The Hawkeyes outrebounded Virginia Tech 40-26, including an 18-9 advantage in offensive rebounds.
Those second-chance opportunities produced 18 points for Iowa, but the Hawkeyes could not fully capitalize on their extra possessions.
Iowa finished 26-of-52 from the field, shooting exactly 50 percent for the second consecutive contest.
However, the combination of inconsistent free-throw shooting and limited production from 3-point range prevented the Hawkeyes from securing their third consecutive victory.
The loss also marked the first setback of the season for head coach Ben McCollum’s Hawkeyes.
Iowa basketball heads to Des Moines to face Creighton
Iowa will look to bounce back Sunday, November 15, when the Hawkeyes face Creighton in another neutral-site matchup.
The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.
The Hawkeyes enter the contest with a 2-1 record, hoping to improve their free-throw shooting and build on the offensive production of Koch, Coleman and Howard.
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, leaves Sioux City unbeaten at 3-0 after surviving a spirited challenge from the Hawkeyes in the city’s first NCAA basketball contest.