Stirtz Named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa senior Bennett Stirtz has been named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, it was announced Monday by the league office. It is his first career Big Ten honor. 

Stirtz, who was named to the Bob Cousy Midseason Top 10 earlier today, shares the accolade with Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears, Jr.

The Liberty, Missouri, native earned the distinction after averaging 26 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 rebounds in leading the Hawkeyes to a 2-0 week, extending the team’s winning streak to four games – the longest in Big Ten play since the 2022-23 season.  He shot 66.7 percent from the floor, 60 percent from 3-point range and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

Stirtz finished with a career-high 32 points, seven assists and two steals without committing a turnover in Iowa's 84-66 rout at Oregon on Feb. 1. He was 12-of-15 from the floor, 4-of-6 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line with the 12 field goals being a career high.

He is the first Iowa player to have 30+ points, 5+ assists and zero turnovers since Jordan Bohannon in 2022 and the first player in the StatHead era to have 30+ points, 6+ assists and zero turnovers. In the second half of the win, Stirtz eclipsed the 2,000-point mark for his collegiate career, becoming the eighth active player with 2,000+ points.

Stirtz opened the week with a 20-point, three-steal, three-rebound, and two-assist game in the win over USC on Jan. 18.  He went 6-of-6 from the free throw line, including making two free throws with 4.6 seconds left to give Iowa the one-point lead (and win).

Stirtz, who is the first Hawkeye to earn Big Ten weekly honors this season, has scored 20+ points in four straight games for the third time in his career and he's the first Iowa player to accomplish the feat since the 2023-24 season.

Iowa (16-5, 6-4) returns to action Wednesday, facing Washington at 10 p.m. (CT) in Seattle.  The game will be televised on BTN.