IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — It wasn’t an overstatement, Fran McCaffery said.

Asked about junior center Luka Garza, McCaffery, Iowa’s basketball coach said, “He’s one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever been around. That’s no exaggeration. He never takes a possession off at either end.”

Garza showed that work ethic on Friday night, opening the season with a double-double and Iowa pulled away in the second half for an 87-60 win over SIU-Edwardsville.

Garza, Iowa’s leading returning scorer from a team that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, had 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Hawkeyes won their season opener.

It was the sixth double-double of Garza’s career.

“I think we just really followed the game plan,” said Garza, who had 14 points and seven rebounds in the first half. “We really wanted to get the ball inside. I was just able to be put into great positions by my teammates who tried to get me the ball. And when they put me into those positions, I’m going to try to find a way to score.”

Garza took over inside where forward Tyler Cook, Iowa’s leading scorer last season before leaving for a professional career, left off.

“I just worked a lot over the summer, tried to get stronger,” Garza said. “Now that I moved into TC’s position at the ‘5’, I’m more of a true center, for sure.”

Joe Wieskamp had 16 points for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa struggled early, with SIUE getting to within 26-22 late in the first half. But the Hawkeyes went on a 12-4 run, started by a 3-pointer from senior guard Jordan Bohannon, to close the half then opened the second half with a 17-8 run over the first six minutes.

Kenyon Duling and Cam Williams each had 10 points for SIUE (1-1).

UP NEXT

Iowa gets its first conference-challenge game of the season when the Hawkeyes host DePaul in the Gavitt Games (Big Ten vs. Big East) on Monday.

SIUE plays at home against Valparaiso on Tuesday.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa State went on the road to face ninth ranked Oklahoma, tonight (Saturday night). The Cyclones are 5-3 while the Sooners will be looking to bounce back after a loss at Kansas State.

That’s ISU coach Matt Campbell who says a loss to Oklahoma State showed the Cyclones need a complete effort to win.

Campbell says the Sooners have one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Jalen Hurts.

Kick-off from Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, is at 7-p.m. on Fox Sports.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa needs a victory at 16th ranked Wisconsin today (Saturday), to climb back into the Big Ten West race. Iowa needs more production out of a Nate Stanley led offense than two years ago when the Hawkeye offense failed to score in a 38-14 loss in Madison.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. The Badgers have steamrolled opponents at home and Ferentz says the Hawkeyes need to stay in the game early and limit mistakes.

Iowa’s offense has only scored a total of 32 points in the last four games in the series.

You can hear the game on this afternoon, on KJAN. Pre-game coverage begins at 1-p.m., with the kick-off from Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wis. at 3-p.m.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Luka Garza started the season with a double-double and Iowa pulled away in the second half for an 87-60 win over SIU-Edwardsville. Garza, Iowa’s leading returning scorer from a team that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, had 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Hawkeyes won their season opener.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — No. 18 Iowa is set to face No. 16 Wisconsin, which has won six seven meetings against the Hawkeyes since 2010. The Badgers have outscored Iowa by a combined margin of 83-40 during their current three-game winning streak in the series, but they’re reeling right now after back-to-back road losses at Illinois and Ohio State. Iowa, which is seeking its first win this season against a ranked opponent, has four shutouts in its last 11 Big Ten games.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma fully recognizes Iowa State’s transition from Big 12 doormat into a capable adversary. Perhaps the first sign that something was brewing came when the Cyclones upset the Sooners 38-31 in Norman in 2017. Iowa State heads to Oklahoma again, not nearly the underdog it was two years ago.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — For Kansas City coach Andy Reid, when Patrick Mahomes plays again is easy. It’s when the reigning NFL MVP is physically ready. Turns out that’s Sunday when the Chiefs visit Tennessee. Barring a setback, Mahomes will start despite dislocating his right kneecap Oct. 17 as the Chiefs target a fourth straight AFC West title. The Titans desperately need a win before their bye and insist they prepared for the Kansas City offense no matter the quarterback.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes will start for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. That comes just over two weeks after the quarterback’s season was jeopardized by a dislocated kneecap. Mahomes never missed a practice after hurting his knee on a Thursday night against Denver. Some thought the seriousness of the injury could sideline the league MVP for months.

UNDATED (AP) — In a conference best known for producing Heisman-winning quarterbacks and Biletnikoff Award-winning receivers, Big 12 freshmen are making their names running with the football. Four of the nation’s top nine freshman rushers from Power Five schools play in the Big 12: Iowa State’s Breece Hall, Texas Tech’s SaRodorick Thompson, Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders and Roschon Johnson of Texas.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devon Dotson had 22 points and six assists, Udoka Azubuike added 10 points and 10 rebounds and No. 3 Kansas beat UNC Greensboro 74-62. After leading by four points at the half, the Jayhawks (1-1) shot 41.7% from beyond the arc in the second half to pull away.