Lakers Cruise to 148-126 Win Over Wolves

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The Iowa Wolves dropped the opening game of its five-game road trip on Saturday evening as the South Bay Lakers cruised to a 148-126 victory at the UCLA Health Training Center.

South Bay (15-7) had seven players finish in double figures led by Cole Swider who poured in a career-high 37 points helped by a career-best eight three-pointers. Scottie Pippen Jr. scored 27 points off the bench.

Emmanuel Mudiay paced Iowa (6-15) with 28 points while Craig Randall II and Wendell Moore Jr. had 19 and 18 points, respectively. DJ Carton contributed 16 points off the bench.

The Wolves raced to a 10-0 lead to start the game, but the Lakers bounced back to lead 39-37 after one quarter. South Bay stretched its advantage with a strong second quarter to lead 78-66 at halftime.

Iowa answered with a huge third quarter scoring burst with 42 points to trail by just five entering the final quarter. Mudiay and Carton scored nine and eight points, respectively, in the third. In the fourth, the teams traded baskets until Bryce Hamilton’s 10-straight points midway through the quarter helped South Bay pull away from Iowa. Hamilton scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Iowa visits Henderson, Nev. for a back-to-back against the G League Ignite on Feb. 27 and 28. Tipoff of both games will be 9 p.m. CT.