Iowa Men's Basketball Tops Usc Upstate, Seydou Traore Suffers Injury
Iowa Men's Basketball Tops USC Upstate, Seydou Traore Suffers Injury
Iowa City, Iowa - The University of Iowa men's basketball team defeated South Carolina Upstate 93-76 in an exhibition game on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes were led by a strong performance from Patrick McCaffery, who scored 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists.
Background
The Hawkeyes entered the game as the heavy favorites, having been ranked No. 15 in the preseason AP Poll. USC Upstate, meanwhile, is coming off a 12-19 season in which they finished eighth in the Big South Conference.
Key Facts and Latest Updates
Iowa took control of the game early, jumping out to a 16-point lead at halftime. The Hawkeyes never looked back, shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. In addition to McCaffery, Filip Rebraca added 16 points and 8 rebounds for Iowa. Kris Murray also chipped in with 14 points.
However, the game was marred by an injury to senior forward Seydou Traore. Traore suffered a knee injury late in the first half and did not return. The extent of the injury is not yet known, but it is a major blow to the Hawkeyes.
Analysis or Impact
The win over USC Upstate was a good start for Iowa, but the injury to Traore is a major concern. Traore is one of the team's best defenders and rebounders, and his absence will be felt.
"Seydou is a big part of our team," said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. "He's a great defender and rebounder, and he brings a lot of energy to the team. We're going to have to find a way to replace him."
Conclusion
The Hawkeyes will be back in action on Friday night when they host Northern Iowa in their regular season opener. It will be a tough test for Iowa, but they will be looking to build on their strong performance against USC Upstate.