Iowa

Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State basketball’s 71-52 win over Iowa

Published

3 months ago

December 3, 2025

Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State basketball’s 71-52 win over Iowa

1. MSU showed its style can match up with any style and any pace

EAST LANSING — That was a really good win for Michigan State’s basketball team, believe it or not. That Iowa team is going to wind up being trouble a lot of nights in the Big Ten. And this could have been a thorny night for the Spartans, if they’d let it.

Things didn’t start easy. They were playing against a different style and more deliberate pace than anything they’d faced yet this season. They didn’t have their best freshman, Cam Ward, who missed the game with a sprained wrist. He would have been useful in this matchup. They had to figure out how to control the game without a fast break.

But they did, turning a prickly first 10 minutes into an emphatic home win, 71-52, imposing their will on team a that didn’t have the big men to match up in the paint and on the glass. Their energy was only matched by Pat Fitzgerald’s energy, as MSU’s new football coach introduced himself to the Breslin Center crowd Tuesday night during a first-half timeout. He told the fans they were the difference in MSU’s run just before that break. They might have been.

But one thing we’ve learned about this MSU team is that to have a chance to beat it, you’ve got to match its toughness and be able to handle its physicality. The Hawkeyes could do neither. Iowa would have to shoot the daylights out of the ball from beyond the arc — which the Hawkeyes are capable of doing — to have any chance.

This game looked dangerous on the calendar because the Hawkeyes are better than MSU made them look and because human nature says this was a little bit of a look-ahead spot, if a Big Ten opener can ever be that. Getting Duke at Breslin Center this coming Saturday is an event. Something to look forward to. This MSU team, though, hasn’t looked distracted all season. We should begin to trust they won’t be. Especially not to open conference play, at home, the beginning of a title defense, and for a core group that looks out to prove something.

The rebounding numbers and points in the paint told the story of the difference between the teams. The Spartans out-rebounded the Hawkeyes, 37-18, including 24-12 on the offensive end (MSU rebounded 52% of its missed shots), outscored them in the paint, 34-18, and hit 22 of 25 free throws.

“That takes care of a lot of things,” Izzo said of MSU’s work on the glass especially.

MSU created a lot of contact in the first half, getting to the line to loosen up its offense and spur an 11-0 run in a game that was 9-9 at the midway point of the first half.

Neither team shot well from the perimeter. The problem for the Hawkeyes is that they live by the 3 much more and took many more.

Now MSU can focus on the fourth and final of its marquee non-conference matchups, likely the biggest test of its ceiling and also of its improvement since the exhibition at Connecticut. At 8-0, and with how they’ve played, the Spartans have earned the hype this game will come with.

2. An impressive night for Coen Carr

There were several impressive performances by MSU on Tuesday night. Jaxon Kohler’s dominance early on the glass set a tone in the paint (He finished with 12 points and 11 rebonds). Jeremy Fears Jr. got to the line repeatedly and didn’t miss there (going 10-for-10), and made Iowa star Bennett Stirtz’s life difficult.

But Coen Carr, perhaps, deserves as much credit as anyone. This wasn’t a matchup built for him. Because Iowa doesn’t play a game that allows for transition offense. Carr had to work his way into this and figure out how to impact the game. And he did, with 15 points and five rebounds, almost all of his production coming in the final couple minutes of the first half and in the second half.

That was a good sign for Carr. He didn’t force things, but he also didn’t accept that this wasn’t going to be his night. He got on the glass and started attacking the lane on the drive. Iowa didn’t have an answer for him.

3. Freshman thoughts — the Iowa edition

Jesse McCulloch played a season-high 17 minutes, in part because Cam Ward missed the game with a sprained wrist. MSU will and has faced teams with better front lines, but McCulloch made the most of his opportunity, with nine points and two rebounds. The redshirt freshman big man sometimes has been overmatched this season. But he played well in a short spurt against North Carolina and then in a longer stint Tuesday.

He’s got a skilled offensive game and we saw it against Iowa, especially with a couple buckets late. The more he holds his own on the glass and defensively, the more we’ll see him.

The other MSU freshman that played, Jordan Scott, had another Jordan Scott-like game. They ought to just name the plus-minus stat after him. At halftime, he had six points and was plus-18 in 10 minutes. Nobody else was better than plus-10. He finished with those six points and five rebounds. He’s a gritty player who makes MSU better when he’s on the court. He also hit one of MSU’s three 3s. If he starts making more, he’ll be a 20-minute per game player every night. You could argue he already should be.

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and BlueSky @GrahamCouch.

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Iowa

Iowa Lottery Pick 3 Midday, Pick 3 Evening results for March 1, 2026

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.

Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Sunday, March 1, 2026, winning numbers for each game:

Winning Pick-3 numbers from March 1 drawing

Midday: 6-9-4

Evening: 4-2-5

Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick-4 numbers from March 1 drawing

Midday: 1-7-4-8

Evening: 7-6-9-1

Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Iowa

Nebraska Men’s Basketball’s Week Ahead: Crucial Games at UCLA and Home vs. Iowa

Published

21 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Men’s Basketball’s Week Ahead: Crucial Games at UCLA and Home vs. Iowa

Nebraska men’s basketball faces a critical week that will determine its Big Ten Conference and NCAA Tournament seeding.

The Huskers play at UCLA on Tuesday night and finish the regular season next Sunday at home vs. Iowa.

The Huskers are currently tied for second place in the Big Ten with Michigan State. Both teams have four conference losses. They are one game in the loss column ahead of Illinois and Purdue, with five losses. Wisconsin has six losses.

The top four teams earn the coveted triple bye for the Big Ten Tournament. Regular-season champion Michigan has one spot locked up.

Here are the remaining schedules of the contenders for the triple bye, with conference record in parentheses:

Nebraska (14-4)
* Tuesday: at UCLA
* Sunday: vs. Iowa

Michigan State (13-4)
* Sunday: at Indiana
* Thursday: vs. Rutgers
* Sunday, March 8: at Michigan

Illinois (13-5)
* Tuesday: vs. Oregon
* Sunday, March 8: at Maryland

Purdue (12-5)
* Sunday: at Ohio State
* Wednesday: at Northwestern
* Saturday: vs. Wisconsin

Wisconsin (12-6)
* Wednesday: vs. Maryland
* Saturday: at Purdue

Maintaining an NCAA seed no worse than 3 should benefit the Huskers, who wouldn’t have to play, theoretically, the No. 1 seed until the Elite Eight game.

It’s a ton to play for in the final week of a historic regular season for Nebraska. But that’s what March is all about.

Nebraska at UCLA

When: Tuesday, 10 p.m. CT
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles
Records: Nebraska, 25-4, 14-4 in Big Ten; UCLA, 19-10, 11-7 in Big Ten
TV: FS1

Rankings updated based on games through Saturday.

UCLA rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: Not ranked
* NCAA Net Ratings: 40
* USA Today Coaches Poll: Not ranked
* Kenpom.com: 41
* ESPN Power Index: 34
* Top 25 and 1: Not ranked
* Team Rankings.com: 41

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, UCLA is a 9-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament. The next Bracketology will be released Tuesday.

Nebraska rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: 12
* NCAA Net Ratings: 12
* USA Today Coaches Poll: 10
* Kenpom.com: 11
* ESPN Power Index: 15
* Top 25 and 1: 8
* Team Rankings.com: 11

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Nebraska is a 3-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska-UCLA analysis

The Bruins are coming off a strange week. They crushed visiting rival USC, 81-62, on Tuesday, then lost at Minnesota, 78-73, on Saturday.

UCLA is 16-1 at home, its only loss to Indiana, 98-97, in double overtime on Jan. 31.

The game will be a homecoming for Huskers forward Berke Buyuktuncel, who played at UCLA in 2023-24, his freshman season. Buyuktuncel has started 27 games and averages 6.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season for the Huskers and frequently earns praise from coach Fred Hoiberg.

Nebraska thoroughly dispatched USC on Saturday, 82-67, an impressive performance on the road against a Trojans team desperate for a statement win to help — or save — their NCAA hopes.

Pryce Sandfort scored 32 points — one short of his career high — as the Huskers won their 14th conference game, a school record. Nebraska is 7-2 on the road in conference games.

This should be a great matchup — UCLA a strong team playing at home vs. a Nebraska team playing well and full of confidence. This feels like a one-possession game.

Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg goes to the basket as Iowa forward Cooper Koch defends during the first meeting in Iowa City. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Iowa at Nebraska

When: Sunday, March 8, 4 p.m. CT
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena
Records: Nebraska, 25-4, 14-4 in Big Ten; Iowa, 20-9, 10-8 in Big Ten
TV: Fox

Rankings updated based on games through Saturday.

Iowa rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: 33
* NCAA Net Ratings: 28
* USA Today Coaches Poll: 30
* Kenpom.com: 24
* ESPN Power Index: 35
* Top 25 and 1: Not ranked
* Team Rankings.com: 31

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Iowa is an 8-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: 12
* NCAA Net Ratings: 12
* USA Today Coaches Poll: 10
* Kenpom.com: 11
* ESPN Power Index: 15
* Top 25 and 1: 8
* Team Rankings.com: 11

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Nebraska is a 3-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska forward Braden Frager defends a fast-break layup attempt by Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz in the teams’ first meeting on Feb. 17. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nebraska-Iowa analysis

The Hawkeyes are coming off a puzzling, 71-69 loss at Penn State on Saturday. Iowa led 67-62 with 3:49 to play, and then scored only one more basket. Iowa plays host to Michigan on Thursday.

Nebraska will get a final curtain call at Pinnacle Bank Arena, where the Huskers are 15-2.

Nebraska should have revenge on its mind after losing at Iowa, 57-52, on Feb. 17, in Sandfort’s return to Iowa City, where he played for two seasons.

Whatever Nebraska nerves were a factor at Iowa shouldn’t be in play at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska shot only 21 percent from distance in Iowa City. Sandfort scored 13 points, his lowest total since Jan. 10, when he scored 12 at Indiana.

Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz scored 25 points. That won’t happen in this game. Neither will Nebraska’s ice-cold shooting from distance, especially if the game could determine the triple bye for the Huskers.

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

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Iowa

Iowa Boys High School State Basketball Tournament Sets Two Classes

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Iowa Boys High School State Basketball Tournament Sets Two Classes

The Class 1A and Class 2A Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets are now official following substate action.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys State Tournament begins Monday, March 9 from the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

St. Edmond, the top-seed in 1A, gets Woodbine in a rematch of a quarterfinal from a year ago. Woodbine ended the run of defending state champion Madrid in a substate final on the same court that St. Edmond qualified on when they defeated Riverside.

Burlington Notre Dame plays Bellevue, MMCRU meets Boyden-Hull and Bishop Garrigan battles Bellevue Marquette Catholic in the other elite eight games.

The other substate finals saw Burlington Notre Dame defeat Calamus-Wheatland, MMCRU eliminated North Union, Bishop Garrigan downed South Winneshiek, Bellevue bested East Marshall and Bellevue Marquette Catholic topped Montezuma.

In 2A, Kuemper Catholic is the No. 1 seed and will face Union Community in the opening game on Wednesday, March 11. The other quarterfinals see Treynor vs. Grundy Center, Unity Christian vs. defending state champion Western Christian and Iowa City Regina vs. Aplington-Parkersburg.

Kuemper Catholic survived vs. Roland-Story, Union knocked off Pella Christian in a nail-biter, Treynor bested Underwood, Grundy Center downed Beckman Catholic, Unity Christian handled Southeast Valley, Western Christian ran past Tri-Center, Iowa City Regina downed Northeast and Aplington-Parkersburg defeated Cascade.

Here are the Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys State Basketball Tournament pairings for Class 1A and Class 2A.

Quarterfinals

Tuesday, March 10

Semifinals

Thursday, March 12

Championship

Friday, March 13

Wednesday, March 11

Semifinals

Thursday, March 12

Championship

Friday, March 13