PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- — Bennett Stirtz scored a season-high 29 points and Cooper Koch added 14 for Iowa in a 74-69 win over Mississippi in the first round of the Acrisure Series on Tuesday night.

Koch also had 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

The game was tied at 31 going into halftime. Stirtz hit four 3-pointers and was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the second half to help the Hawkeyes (6-0) pull ahead. Overall, Stirtz was 9-of-20 shooting, making 6 of 8 from the arc and 5 of 6 free throws.

A 10-2 run put Iowa ahead 64-57 with 4:31 to play. Ole Miss (5-1) got within five with 44 seconds left, but four free throws helped hold off the Rebels.

AJ Storr shot 6 of 10 from the field and 8 of 10 from the line in leading the Rebels with 22 points. Kezza Giffa added 13 and Ilias Karmadine had 12.

Up next

Iowa will play the winner of the late Grand Canyon-Utah game for the Group Two championship. Ole Miss will play the loser for third place.

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