Ben McCollum Making Iowa’s Dreams Come True in Year One

The college basketball season isn’t over yet, but it’s safe to say that Ben McCollum’s first season in Iowa City is a resounding success.

McCollum, who is just in his second season coaching in Division I — he led Drake to the NCAA tournament last year before taking the job with Iowa — is a proven winner. Everywhere he’s been, whether that be down in Division II or in the Big Ten with the Hawkeyes, he’s shown that he’s capable of collecting victories at a high level.

As such, it shouldn’t be surprising that it didn’t take long for the Iowa men’s basketball program to reach heights it hasn’t reached in 27 years under his watch.

Even then, McCollum had his doubters, even as late as just a couple of weeks ago. The Hawkeyes weren’t playing their best basketball down the stretch, leading some to believe that this team had hit its ceiling. Flash back to the waning weeks of the regular season, and it’s easy to see why.

The team had just seen itself fall to the likes of Penn State, a bottom-dweller in the conference, as well as other top squads like Michigan and Nebraska. A quick exit in the Big Ten Tournament didn’t help matters, either. How could Iowa possibly go on a run in the Big Dance with how it entered it?

Well, McCollum had an answer for that, too.

The Hawkeyes Are Still Dancing

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) makes a go-ahead three-point basket against the Florida Gators in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

With 8.9 seconds to go and the Hawkeyes down 72-70 to the Florida Gators in the second round of the NCAA tournament, McCollum drew up the perfect play to deliver his team the win.

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa’s star player and premier scorer, collected the inbounds pass on the run and sprinted up the court, evading Florida’s press in the process. It would be understandable if Stirtz was the player that McCollum wanted shooting the potential go-ahead shot. Florida probably expected as much.

Instead, Stirtz found a wide-open Alvaro Folgueiras in the corner, who drained the 3-pointer of his life to send Iowa to the Sweet 16.

McCollum’s brilliance in that moment can’t be understated. It was the definition of a “have-to-have-it” moment, and he was able to draw up a play that bamboozled the reigning national champions. In the end, it resulted in the team advancing further in the NCAA tournament than it has in nearly three decades — an accomplishment that McCollum’s predecessor, Fran McCaffrey, failed to deliver to the Iowa faithful throughout his 15-year tenure as head coach.

Now it’s on to the Sweet 16 for a battle with rival Nebraska. Should the Hawkeyes shock the world again and move on to the Elite Eight, then McCollum’s praises will continue to ring out throughout Iowa for the foreseeable future. Even if they don’t, his coaching job this season will still be remembered as one of the best in recent Iowa basketball history.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!