Iowa basketball has started a season at 7-0 for the first time in four years, and the record seems even more significant in light of the significant transformation this program recently underwent. Almost the whole roster has a different appearance. The coaching staff is brand-new. However, everything appears to be working. Ben McCollum, a first-year head coach, has given a team that had obviously stagnated vitality, urgency, and a novel style of play. This week’s Hawkeyes sweep of the Acrisure Series provided the best glimpse yet of their progress and potential.
Iowa defeated Grand Canyon 59–46 in the championship game on Wednesday after winning a hard-fought 74–69 victory over Ole Miss on Tuesday. This group is resilient, flexible, and far from a finished product, as both matchups demonstrated. However, the current setup is encouraging enough to inspire sincere hope prior to Big Ten action.
Bennett Stirtz was the star of the week, and perhaps the entire early season. After witnessing his development at Drake, Iowa supporters knew he was capable of playing, but it was reasonable to wonder how his style of play would translate to the Big Ten. In Las Vegas, Stirtz responded to all of them. He completely dominated the game against Ole Miss, scoring 29 points and making six three-pointers. Stirtz performed with the assurance and poise of an experienced closer in a close game where Iowa sorely needed someone to take control.
But the completely different role he adopted the following evening was what really elevated his performance. Stirtz remained unfazed when his shot failed him against Grand Canyon, finishing 5-for-15 from the field and 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. Rather, he had an effect on the game everywhere else. He played the entire 40 minutes, provided five assists, jumped passing lanes for three steals, and played purposeful defense. And he continued to deliver when Iowa needed a few late, timely buckets. Even when their scoring struggles, elite players still have a significant impact on the game.
It’s becoming more and more obvious that Stirtz is the kind of focal point Iowa hasn’t had since Keegan Murray departed for the NBA. He is both selfless enough to help others and dynamic enough to take over offensively. He will undoubtedly be in the running for Big Ten Player of the Year if he continues.
Cooper Koch, one of the few survivors from the previous season and someone whose devotion to the program is already paying off, was another significant bright spot. Throughout the Acrisure Series, Koch was outstanding. In the victory over Ole Miss, he scored 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting. After that, he scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds against Grand Canyon, stabilizing Iowa’s offense during a poor first half. Koch is shooting an outstanding 61.8 percent and averaging 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds through seven games. He seems to gain McCollum’s trust with every outing, and he’s quickly becoming an integral part of Iowa’s identity on both ends.
Then there’s Isaia Howard, whose maturity is evident in the way he handled a role change early in the season. After playing in the first five games of the season, Howard was benched after just a few games, which could be upsetting for a young player who is still figuring things out. Rather, it appears to have ignited him. His breakthrough came against Grand Canyon, where he scored 19 points in 29 minutes off the bench after scoring a quiet six points against Ole Miss. After going into the game just 1-for-12 from beyond the arc this season, Howard made seven of his ten shots and, perhaps most significantly, three triples. He will be invaluable if that shooting surge continues.
Over the course of the week, McCollum’s rotation decisions also became more apparent. In the first few games of the season, he has generously distributed minutes, demonstrating his faith in his entire roster. However, that trust inevitably tightened against more formidable opponents. Only two of Iowa’s ten players saw more than eight minutes of action against Ole Miss. Stirtz, Koch, Kael Combs, Cam Manyawu, Tavion Banks, Howard, and Alvaro Folgueiras formed a seven-man core the following night, with Tate Sage making a fleeting four-minute appearance.
McCollum seems to be forming the group of players he most trusts when the stakes are high, and thus far, that group is performing well. Perhaps it was matchup-specific, or perhaps it’s a sneak peek at how Iowa will play in close games
