Iowa basketball star Bennett Stirtz and head coach Ben McCollum have taken a one-of-a-kind path to the Elite Eight, and they have stayed together every step of the way. From Division II powerhouse Northwest Missouri State to the Big Ten, this celebrated duo and the entire Hawkeyes program are now just one win away from reaching the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. This story feels even too far-fetched for March Madness.
Stirtz is keeping perspective amid this magical journey. He knows where he started, and he knows that Thursday's 77-71 Sweet Sixteen victory over Nebraska is about much more than just him. The First-Team All-Big Ten selection and former Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year offered some profound words of wisdom, while also shining the light on his teammates and the Hawkeyes community.
“First off, God is good,” Stirtz told reporter Lauren Shehadi after scoring a team-high 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. “He's gonna test you — not everything's perfect in life — but He's good. This is so worth it for my teammates and they deserve every bit of it, and especially our fans.”
Stirtz also expressed gratitude for the only head coach he has known during his illustrious college hoops career. “That's my guy,” the 22-year-old guard said of McCollum. “It's been a long four years, but it's also been a short four years. I've grown not just as a basketball player, but as a man. Credit to him.”
"I've grown not just as a basketball player, but as a man. Credit to him."
Bennett Stirtz tells @LaurenShehadi what his head coach Ben McCollum means to him pic.twitter.com/8YfVacYEw8
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 27, 2026
March meteorite Alvaro Folgueiras stayed hot after his game-winner over Florida, posting 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting to go with four steals in 29 minutes off the bench versus Nebraska. Tate Sage was also excellent and knocked down four 3-pointers (19 points). Iowa basketball tapped into its strong defensive identity and shut down the Cornhuskers down the stretch (shot only 41 percent for the game).
The Hawkeyes can overcome a rough Bennett Stirtz shooting night, just as they did versus the Gators last weekend, but if they want to breathe rarefied air in Iowa City, No. 14 will probably have to remain offensively potent. Stirtz will do the same thing he has done since 2022: trust Ben McCollum to position him and the team for success. The No. 9 seed awaits a Saturday night date with either Houston or Illinois.
