Iowa's Ben McCollum Continues To Make History

Not only did Ben McCollum bring home a piece of hardware in just his seventh game with the Iowa Hawkeyes, but his team set a record that goes back nine years. Iowa found a way to win in the Acrisure Classic Championship, 59-46, over a feisty Grand Canyon program.

McCollum's Hawkeyes improved to 7-0, a flawless start to his first year as head coach. Not only was this win important as it was an early season championship under his belt, but it showed just how efficient Iowa's defense can be. When they took down the Lopes, they allowed just 46 points, the lowest any team has scored against them since December 17, 2016.

Iowa's Defense Stands Tall

The Hawkeyes allowed a season-low 46 points – the fewest allowed by the team since Dec. 17, 2016, against UNI when the Hawkeyes defeated the Panthers, 69-46.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) November 27, 2025

It's been 3,267 days since Iowa's defense last allowed 46 points. On December 17, 2016, they took down UNI, 69-46. Now, on Thanksgiving Eve, they beat Grand Canyon in a way that proves they can get the job done even when they aren't dropping 90 points a game.

Come December 2, Iowa faces a three-game stretch that will test them like no other. No. 11 Michigan State and No. 15 Iowa State are on the horizon, but those are just two of the many difficult opponents coming their way. Ole Miss and Grand Canyon were a start, but it remains to be seen if the likes of Western Illinois, Southeast Missouri State, and Chicago State have properly prepared the Hawkeyes.

It's important to note that both of these teams played back-to-back games for the first time this season, so that's one of the main reasons for the low-scoring affair. Ultimately, there's no room for excuses as these teams will need to sort themselves out by tournament time, but Feast Week is no joke and that proved itself in this championship game.

Improbable 7-0 Start For McCollum

🏆 2025 Acrisure Classic Champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/jKDHFME0ev
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) November 27, 2025

Somehow, someway, McCollum has a perfect start to his Iowa journey. There were a few cupcakes in Iowa's schedule, but his wins over Xavier, Ole Miss, and now Grand Canyon prove that he's ready for the gauntlet that is coming his way in the B1G.

Prior to their game against the Hawkeyes, the Lopes had never scored fewer than 64 points. That came in their loss to Saint Louis, but they dropped 80+ in four of their seven games. Similar to Iowa, there were a few very easy teams they faced along the way, but at the end of the day they had to beat Utah to make it to the championship game. In the end, Iowa's defense was too much as McCollum continues to make history for the men's program at a historic rate.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!