#14 Bennett Stirtz Season 2025-26

2025-26 Honors -- Associated Press honorable mention All-America... USBWA honorable mention All-America... NABC first-team All-Central Region selection... first-team All-Big Ten (coaches)... second-team All-Big Ten (media)... Associated Press second-team All-Big Ten... NCAA South Regional All-Region Team... Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (2/2, 2/9)... USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week (2/10)... Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Late-Season List... Wooden Award Midseason Top 25... Cousy Point Guard of the Year Midseason Top 10... Acrisure Classic Most Valuable Player after averaging 21 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and making seven 3-pointers in wins over Ole Miss (11/25) and Grand Canyon (11/26).

2025-26 -- Started all 37 games, averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals... first Iowa player in 26 years to lead the team in scoring, assists and steals; first player since 2012-13 to pace team in scoring and assists... finished with .477/.358/.848 shooting clips... first Hawkeye to finish with 700+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals in a single season... only player in the nation to have 730+ points, 160+ assists, 95+ rebounds, 90+ 3-pointers and 50+ steals... his 734 points are the fourth-most in a single season in program history... played a program record 1,396 minutes during the course of the season... finished third in the single season record books in field goal attempts (526) and 3-point attempts (257), fifth in 3-pointers (92) and field goals (251), 13th in assists (163), 19th in free throws (140) and 21st in steals (51)... ranked in the top eight in the Big Ten in scoring (fifth), steals (fifth) and assists (sixth), while also being third in field goals, sixth in 3-point field goals, 10th in free throws, 11th in field goal percentage and free throw percentage... was the game's high scorer 18 times and Iowa's high scorer 27 times... scored 20+ points in a half in three games -- at Minnesota (21), at Oregon (21) and vs. Northwestern (20)... became 11th player in college basketball history to have 2,000+ points, 550+ assists, 450+ rebounds and 225+ steals... had three 30-point and 20 20-point contests... scored in double figures in 35 of the team's 37 games... had 6+ assists in 11 games and didn't commit a turnover in 12 contests... played 40 or more minutes in 17 games... finished 17-5 in win or go home games in his collegiate career... averaged 22.2 points in Big Ten play -- the second-most by a Hawkeye in the last 20 years... had three 30-point and 13 20-point contests in league play... averaged 18.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in leading Iowa to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987... played all but 28 seconds during the four NCAA Tournament contests... scored 24 points (15 in the first half) in the Elite Eight against Illinois (3/28) and 20 points vs. Nebraska in the Sweet 16 (3/26)... hit the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the shot clock with two minutes to play to give the Hawkeyes their first lead... finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists in the victory over Clemson (3/20) in the NCAA First Round... had 17 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals in the Big Ten Tournament win over Maryland (3/11), becoming the fifth player all-time with 17-6-8-2 in a BTT game... scored 21 points vs. No. 3 Michigan (3/5)... scored 19+ points in 12 straight games from Jan. 14-Feb. 25... over last 30 years only Luka Garza and four other Big Ten players had a longer streaks... scored 122 points during a four-game stretch from Feb. 1-11 -- the most by a Hawkeye since Luka Garza's 126 in Nov. 2020 and the most by an Iowa player in Big Ten games since downtown Freddy Brown in 1971 (122)... scored 20+ points in seven straight games from Jan. 17-Feb. 11 -- the longest streak by a Hawkeye since Keegan Murray in 2021-22... finished with a career-high 36 points, making 12-of-20 field goals, 4-of-6 3-pointers and all eight free throws in a win over Northwestern (2/8)... the 36 points were the most by a Hawkeye since 2021 and were tied for the fourth-most in Carver-Hawkeye Arena history... finished with 32 points on 13-of-21 shooting with four 3-pointers and six assists, four rebounds and zero turnovers at Maryland (2/11)... scored 32 points on 12-of-15 shooting with four 3s, seven assists, two steals and zero turnovers at Oregon (2/1)... eclipsed the 2,000 career point mark in the victory... scored 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting in the win over USC (1/28) and went 6-of-6 from the free throw line, making two with 4.6 seconds left to give Iowa its third straight win... made was the first player int he Stathead era to have 30+ points, 6+ assists and zero turnovers... scored 27 points on 7-of-13 shooting and went 10-of-11 from free throw line to go along with five assists in road win at Indiana (1/17)... scored 27 points, had five assists and four rebounds against UCLA (1/3)... had 22 points and eight assists, making 7-of-13 field goals against UMass Lowell (12/29)... tallied his 500th career assists in the victory... finished with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting (4-of-8 3PT) in first Big Ten win against Maryland (12/6)... netted 29 points on 9-of-20 shooting and went 6-of-8 from 3-point range against Ole Miss (11/25) in Palm Springs... finished with 15 points and a season-high nine assists against SEMO (11/18) finished with 24 points and had seven assists against Western Illinois (11/7) and 21 points and eight boards vs. Xavier (11/14)... had 19 points and six assists in Iowa debut against Robert Morris (11/4) -- the most by a Hawkeye in his debut since Aaron White.

2025-26 Preseason Honors -- Wooden Award Preseason Player of the Year Watch List... Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watch List... Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Watch List... NABC Preseason National Player of the Year Watch List... named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List... second-team preseason All-American by CBS Sports, Field of 68 and Jon Rothstein... fourth-team preseason All-American by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook... honorable mention All-America by Jay Bilas... one of five players named to the preseason Blue Ribbon Yearbook All-Big Ten team... USA Today Network Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten... voted preseason All-Big Ten by league office... named the third-best point guard in the nation leading into the 2025-26 season by SI.com... rated as the 15th-best player in the country by ESPN.com.

CAREER BESTS
Points: 36 vs. Northwestern, 2/8/26
Rebounds: 10 at UNI, 2/23/25
FGM: 13 at Maryland, 2/11/26
FGA: 23 vs. Michigan, 3/5/26
3-pt FG: 6, 2X, last vs. Ole Miss, 11/25/25
3-pt FGA: 14 vs. Michigan, 3/5/26
FTM: 13 at Lincoln (Mo.), 1/27/24
FTA: 13 at Lincoln (Mo.), 1/27/24
Assists: 12 at UIC, 1/1/25
Steals: 5 vs. Murray State, 1/5/25
Blocks: 3 vs. Pittsburg State, 3/10/24
Minutes: 45, 6X, last at Nebraska, 3/8/26

2024-25 Honors at Drake -- Field of 68 first-team All-America... Andy Katz third-team All-America... Associated Press honorable mention All-America... USBWA honorable mention All-America... NABC All-Central District first team... finalist for Lou Henson Award for top mid-major player... finalist for Riley Wallace Award as most impactful transfer... MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year... MVC Newcomer of the Year... MVC Tournament Doug Elgin Outstanding Player... first-team All-MVC selection... All-MVC Newcomer team... MVP Charleston Classic.... MVC Player of the Week (Nov. 25, Jan. 27, Feb. 24)... MVC Newcomer of the Week (Feb. 3, Feb. 10).... preseason All-MVC third team.  2024-25 -- Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird Player Of the Year & MVC Newcomer of Year after leading league in scoring (19.2 avg.), steals (2.21 avg.) and assist/turnover ration (2.86), while ranking second in assists (5.7 avg.)… led NCAA in minutes played per game (39:22)… became first player in MVC history ever to achieve 600 points (673), 200 assists (200) and 70 steals (712) in a season — also was only player in NCAA in 2024-25 to record that feat… tied Drake NCAA Tournament record for most career 20-plus scoring games after netting 21 against Missouri and Texas Tech... named outstanding player in MVC Tournament after averaging 21 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 steals in three games, including back-to-back 24-point contests in semifinal and championship games, matching season-high with five treys in title game… had MVC league-high 20 20+ scoring games… recorded 11 double-doubles… scored in double figures in 33 of 35 games, totaling 20-plus points in 12 of his last 15 games... joined legendary Oscar Robertson as only players in MVC history to collect 30 points and 12-plus assists in a game when he went for 30 points and had 12 assists at UIC… also one of two players in NCAA to achieve that feat this season… first player in Drake history to collect 600-plus points and 200 assists in same season… ranked No. 2 on Drake's single-season assist list (200) and No. 4 on school's single-season scoring list at 673... honored as MVC Player of Week after averaging 18 points, 7.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds to be named tournament MVP of Charleston Classic… had 22 points vs. Kansas State, including eight of team’s 10 points in overtime, making game-winning shot with 3.5 seconds left… had 30 points, five assists, four rebounds at Southern Illinois… collected 26 points and 10 rebounds in overtime win at UNI, making season-high five 3-point field goals.

At Northwest Missouri State (2021-22; 2022-23) -- Two-time second-team all-league selection… named 2022-23 MIAA Freshman of the Year, while averaging 12.6 points, while recording most steals by any NCAA Division II freshman (65)... had 27 starts while leading league in field goal percentage (.601) and assist-to-turnover radio (2.28)… ranked No. 16 in nation in steals (65)… named to MIAA All-Tournament team after leading Bearcats to title… as a sophomore in 2023-24 started all 34 games, ranking second on team in scoring (15.2) while being named to Central Region All-Tournament team… had 11 20-point scoring games…scored a career-high 29 points vs. Southwest Minnesota State… played 40 or more minutes on eight occasions… had 25 points and a season-high eight assists in MIAA Tournament title game vs. Pittsburg State.

High School -- Two-time Missouri Class 6 all-state selection at Liberty High School… averaged 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, four assists and 2.5 steals as senior, leading team to 25-3 record... named Suburban Gold Conference Player of Year… led Liberty to a second-place finish in 2021 Missouri Class 6 state championship… high school coach was his father, Roger.

Personal -- Born Oct. 3, 2003... son of Roger and Renee Stirtz... has three siblings, Mason, Caden and Cooper... father played collegiately at Emporia State, mother ran track at Kansas State... majoring in interdepartmental studies.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT STIRTZ

“You know what I think of Bennett Stirtz. I’ll take Bennett Stirtz, whatever team he is on because I don’t think there are guys like him. I think he is one of one as a point guard this season. His size, his ability to shoot it, his ability to make people better, his DNA. The fact he is about the absolute right things in college basketball.

“If people haven’t seen this kid. He is a consummate point guard that makes the right decision and can do a little bit of everything. He knows how to play at the highest level of basketball IQ.”

Jeff Goodman, Field of 68 basketball analyst 

"Bennett Stirz is more valuable to his team than any other player in America."

Jon Rothstein, College Basketball Insider/CBS Sports

"I saw him play last year on tv and in clips. Being able to see him live today (vs. Ole Miss), I was impressed with his floor command.  Nothing phased him, nothing bothered him. He played at his own pace. Point guards that play at their own pace, they are different. He has that differentness about him that you don’t see too often at the college level."

Dan Dickau, CBS Sports college basketball analyst 

"Bennett Stirtz, he's a good player, he's real.  That shows everybody that the rankings and all that stuff... this guy went to a Division II school out of high school... that's amazing.  This guy is going to be a first round pick in the NBA.  If you're good, you're good."

Matt Painter, Purdue head coach