IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa freshman Joe Wieskamp had something to prove after back-to-back bad showings. The Hawkeyes’ newest star was brilliant on Wednesday night, a display that showed why he earned the starting spot he’s had since the opener. Luka Garza scored 22 points, Wieskamp had a career-high 20 and 20th-ranked Iowa rolled Alabama State 105-78 on Wednesday night in its home debut as a ranked team.

Tyler Cook scored 16 points and Isaiah Moss added 15 for the Hawkeyes (5-0), who dismissed any notion of a letdown with 68 first-half points — their most under ninth-year coach Fran McCaffery. Iowa, which vaulted into the Top 25 on Monday after beating then-No. 13 Oregon and blowing out UConn in New York last week, scored the game’s first 12 points on its way to the rout.

Wieskamp, the reigning prep player of the year in Iowa, broke his previous career high of 15 points midway through the first half in helping the Hawkeyes stake out a 30-11 lead — after combining for just five points against the Ducks and Huskies. The Hawkeyes pulled Wieskamp and the rest of the starters with 14 minutes to go, content to cruise to their fifth straight win.

Reginald Gee had 16 points to lead Alabama State (2-3).

THE RANKINGS: This is the earliest Iowa has been ranked in a season since Nov. 14, 2005. That team, coached by Steve Alford, won the Big Ten tournament before being stunned by 14th-seeded Northwestern State in the opening round of the NCAAs. …The last time the Hawkeyes were ranked was in the final poll of 2016. They were 25th.
UP NEXT: Iowa hosts Pittsburgh in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 27.