MBB Notes - Big Ten Tournament - Game 1

 

OPPONENT	Oregon/Maryland vs. Iowa
DATE	Wednesay, March 11
LOCATION	Chicago, Ill. | United Center
KICKOFF	11 a.m. (CT)
TV	Peacock/NBCSN
RADIO	Hawkeye Radio Network

 

ON THE AIR
Radio: Games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Gary Dolphin (play-by-play) and Bobby Hansen (color) on the call.  The network includes1 more than 40 stations that blanket the state of Iowa and includes portions of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.  The Hawkeye Radio Network includes a 60-minute pregame show.
TV: Wednesday’s game will be televised by the NBC Sports Network/Peacock with Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (color) and Nicole Auerbach (sideline) on the call.

OPENING TIP
• The Hawkeyes head to the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 9 seed after finishing the regular season Big Ten slate with a 10-10 record.  Iowa is the nine seed for the third time in program history.
• Iowa has won at least one game in five of the last seven Big Ten Tournaments.
• The Hawkeyes notched their first 20-win season since 2021-22 in its 74-57 victory over Ohio State on Feb. 25 in Iowa City.  
• It is head coach Ben McCollum’s 15th straight 20-win season and he is now one of two Hawkeye head coaches (Dr. Tom Davis) to win at least 20 games in year one.
• Iowa posted a signature victory, downing No. 9 Nebraska, 57-52, on Feb. 17 in Iowa City. It was the program’s first top 10 home win since 2019.  
• Senior Bennett Stirtz has scored 30+ points three times and 20+ points in 11 of the last 14 games (18 times this season; tied for second-most in Big Ten). His 36 points against Northwestern are the most by a Hawkeye since Luka Garza in 2021 and are tied for the fourth-most in a game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena history.
• Stirtz finished third in the Big Ten in scoring in league-only games, averaging 22.2 points to go along with 3.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals with a .500/.373/.839 shooting clip. He had three 30-point and 13 20-point contests in league play.
• Over his last 13 games, Stirtz has played 40 minutes nine times and has been on the court for all but 5:05 of the possible 525 minutes of game action.
• Stirtz has been named to the Naismith Trophy College Player of the Year Late-Season Team, the Wooden Award Late Midseason Top 20 and the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 10 lists.
• Junior Alvaro Folgueiras scored a season-high 20 points, making 8-of-10 field goals, to go along with four rebounds and five assists in Iowa’s win over Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are 12-1 when Folgueiras lands in double figures.
• Iowa ranks 26th nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 49 percent.  The team also is 25th in effective field goal percentage (.563).
• The Hawkeyes are allowing 65.8 points per game -- the fewest in the Big Ten and 15th-fewest nationally. Iowa has held eight opponents at 60 points or less this season -- the most since 2014-15.
• Iowa has held all but three opponents below its team season scoring average on the year.

IOWA IN THE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
• Iowa has posted a 23-24 record in Big Ten Tournament games. The Hawkeyes earned tournament titles in 2001, 2006, and 2022 and lost in the title game in 2002. Only Michigan State (36), Ohio State (34), Illinois (35), Wisconsin (32) and Michigan (27) have more wins. Michigan State has won six tournament titles, Ohio State and Illinois have won four, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan have won three, while Purdue has two tournament titles. (Ohio State was forced to vacate its 2002 title.)
• The Hawkeyes won the 2001 Big Ten Tournament title at the United Center in Chicago.  
• Iowa has played 11 different teams in the event, having met each team except Nebraska, Maryland, USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington at least once. Iowa (2001 as a No. 6 seed; 2022 as a No. 5 seed) and Michigan (2017 as a No. 8 seed; 2018 as a No. 5 seed) are the only teams to claim the tournament title by winning four games in four days.
• Iowa has been eliminated by the tournament champion six times, including Michigan in the 1998 quarterfinals and 2018 first round, Michigan State in the 2000 quarterfinals and 2012 quarterfinals, Ohio State in the 2002 title game, and Illinois in the 2021 semifinals. 

SERIES HISTORY
• Iowa will face Maryland or Oregon for the first time in Big Ten Tournament play on Wednesday.
• The Terps lead the all-time series over Iowa, 11-9.  The two teams split this season with both squads winning on their home courts.
• The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series over Oregon, 7-3, including a 84-66 win in Eugene on Feb. 1.  Iowa played the Ducks in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, falling 95-80 in Indianapolis.

LAST GAME: NO. 9 NEBRASKA 84, IOWA 75 (OT)
The Hawkeyes rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit and a 10-point deficit with five minutes to play to force overtime before ultimately losing 84-75 at No. 9 Nebraska in the regular season finale on March 8 in Lincoln.
• Iowa trailed 64-54 with 5:13 to play before using a 16-6 run to tie the game at 70.  Junior Kael Combs scored the final eight points of regulation, including a 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left to tie the game.
• Combs finished with a career-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while redshirt freshman Cooper Koch tied a career-best with 18 points, making a career-high six 3s.  Tavion Banks (12 points, seven rebounds) and Bennett Stirtz (11 points) were also in double figures.

IOWA'S BENNETT STIRTZ IS...
• seventh among active players (all levels) with 2,245 career points.  He eclipsed the 2,000-point mark on Feb. 1 at Oregon.
• the only player in the nation with 625+ points, 135+ assists, 75 3-pointers, 75+ rebounds and 45+ steals.
• one of three players in the nation with 625+ points, 135+ assists,  75+ rebounds and 45+ steals.
• the only player in the Big Ten (one of two power conference players) with 625+ points and 135+ assists.  
• is the second Iowa player all-time with 600+ points and 100 assists+ in a single season, joining Andre Woolridge.
• is the sixth Hawkeye all-time to have 500 points and 100 assists in a single season, joining B.J. Armstrong, Roy Devyn Marble, Ronnie Lester, Dean Oliver and Andre Woolridge.
• averaged 22.2 points in Big Ten play this season.  In the last 20 years, only Luka Garza (26.2 ppg.) in 2019-20 averaged more points than Stirtz in Big Ten contests.
• the first Hawkeye since Keegan Murray (2021-22) to record 500+ points, 60+ 3-pointers and 35+ steals.  He is the first Iowa guard to do it since Matt Gatens (2011-12).
• looking to become the first Hawkeye in 26 years to lead the team in scoring, assists and steals.  Dean Oliver led the team in all three categories during the 1999-00 season. (The last player to lead the team in points and assists was Devyn Marble during the 2012-13 season).

CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE 
• Head coach Ben McCollum has coached teams to 10 straight conference tournament titles -- nine MIAA and one Missouri Valley.  McCollum’s teams have won 30 straight conference tournament games, dating back to 2016.
• Bennett Stirtz, Cam Manyawu, Isaia Howard, Kael Combs and Tavion Banks won the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament while at Drake.  The Bulldogs won three games in three days over No. 8 seed Southern Illinois, No. 4 seed Belmont and No. 2 seed Bradley to claim the title.
• Stirtz also won MIAA Tournament titles as a freshman and sophomore at Northwest Missouri State.  He is 9-0 all-time in conference tournament games.
• Junior Alvaro Folgueiras helped Robert Morris win the 2025 Horizon League Tournament as the Colonials posted wins over eighth-seeded Wright State, sixth-seeded Oakland and fourth-seeded Youngstown State to win the title.
• Senior Brendan Hausen has six games of postseason experience, playing in four Big East Tournament games at Villanova and two Big 12 Tournament games at Kansas State.  He has a 3-3 postseason record.

STIRTZ JOINS AN EXCLUSIVE LIST
Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz became the 11th college basketball player to record 2,000+ points, 550+ assists, 450+ rebounds and 225+ steals during his career in Iowa’s game against Michigan on March 5.  He is the first to accomplish the feat since 2022.

MOST WINS BY A FIRST-YEAR HAWKEYE
Ben McCollum is one of two Hawkeye head coaches to win 20 games in their first season with the program. 

Dr. Tom Davis (1986-87) - 30
Ben McCollum (2025-26) - 20