Kevin Knox Erupts For 39 Points as Santa Cruz Secures a 136-130 Victory Over The Iowa Wolves

DES MOINES, IA - Kevin Knox II and Quinten Post combined for 68 points to help the Santa Cruz Warriors (4-0) remain undefeated in the regular season as they take down the Iowa Wolves (1-3), 136-130, at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday night.

Forward Kevin Knox II led Santa Cruz with a career-high 39 points on 6-of-7 three-point shooting and added six rebounds and two assists. Two-way center Quinten Post earned his fourth consecutive double-double, recording a career-high 29 points and 15 rebounds. Guard Yuri Collins recorded a career-high 16 assists and scored 17 points for his second double-double in two nights. Forwards Javan Johnson and Blake Hinson contributed a combined 27 points in the contest, scoring 15 points and 12 points, respectively.

 For the Wolves, two-way guard Jaylen Clark led the way with a team-high 32 points, seven rebounds, and five steals. Starting guards El Ellis and Trevor Keels tallied 23 points and 22 points, respectively, and contributed seven assists each. Center Jesse Edwards added 18 points and six rebounds, while forward Nojel Eastern finished the game with 13 points, four rebounds, and three steals.

The Warriors connected on four of their first six three-point attempts to open the contest with an early 16-11 lead. However, six Santa Cruz turnovers in the first frame allowed the Wolves to take control of the game, and Iowa mounted an 11-0 run to claim a 28-21 advantage with 4:19 left to play in the period. Both teams jockeyed for position throughout the remainder of the quarter, but Iowa came out on top to take a slim 38-33 edge into the second quarter. Nineteen points from Blake Hinson and Knox in the first five minutes of the second quarter tied the game at 54 points apiece. The Warriors and Wolves traded baskets for the rest of the first half, tying the game at 65-65 with 2:35 left before the Sea Dubs surged to close the quarter with a 72-67 advantage. The first half proved to be a strong showing for the Warriors as they shot 60.5% from the floor and connected on 12-of-22 three-pointers in a high-octane offensive effort.

The Warriors claimed the first double-digit advantage of the game early in the third quarter, but a quick 8-0 run from the Wolves reduced the Santa Cruz lead to two points. Iowa shot 6-of-11 from range in the third quarter to take a 89-87 advantage — their first lead in the second half — with just under five minutes left in the frame. The remainder of the quarter saw five lead changes before both teams headed into the fourth quarter tied at 104 points. Santa Cruz seized control in the fourth quarter, opening the frame with a 16-6 run to claim a 120-110 lead with 7:29 remaining. Knox, Collins, and Post handled all fourth-quarter scoring for the Sea Dubs, scoring 32 points collectively to build their largest lead of the game, 129-113, with 4:10 left to play. Despite committing several turnovers that allowed Iowa to narrow the gap to as little as six points, the Warriors managed to stave off the Wolves and secure a 136-130 victory.

The Santa Cruz Warriors will remain in Iowa to face the Wolves again on Tuesday, January 7. Following Tuesday’s game, the Sea Dubs will travel to Arizona for a back-to-back series against the Valley Suns on Sunday, January 12, and Monday, January 13. The Warriors will then return to Santa Cruz for their regular-season home opener against the Mexico City Capitanes on Friday, January 17 at 7:00 PM at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Stay up to date with the latest Santa Cruz Warriors news, scores, and exclusive content by downloading the official Santa Cruz Warriors app for iOS and Android. Fans interested in securing the best seats at the lowest price are encouraged to call (831) 713-4400, email scwtickets@warriors.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.