Ben McCollum Predicted Iowa's Devastating Loss to Minnesota

The No. 19 Iowa Hawkeyes, previously 12-2, have made an early case this season as steely conference competitors and a threat to just about anyone on the national level, assuming senior guard Bennett Stirtz is consistently leading the way. Following their latest win over the UCLA Bruins at home and ahead of their most recent matchup with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the team appeared fully prepared for B1G play.

Yet, prior to the Minnesota game, Iowa had played three games in-conference. Regardless of having won two of them, they'd yet to face the full breadth of what may be the country's most competitive league. To boot, the team's current 0-2 record against Quad 1 opponents doesn't bode well for the upper echelon, ranked slate that the B1G will continue to propose.

And while the Hawkeyes' encounter with the Golden Gophers qualified as a Quad 2 duel, it didn't go any smoother than their previous two road trips. Falling 70-67 to Minnesota, Iowa trailed for the entirety of what was a confusing, expectedly sound failure.

For first-year head coach Ben McCollum, though, the win was far from assured prior to tipoff.

Far From Assured

“We still haven’t won a road game. They’re still undefeated at home," warned McCollum, spelling out the facts in a situation that ultimately spelled disaster for an Iowa squad that had been at the absolute height of their relevance this season thus far.

Ben McCollum on a potential Iowa letdown at Minnesota (+5.5): “We still haven’t won a road game. They’re still undefeated at home. There’s still quite a bit there. And Minnesota’s good. … I would assume our guys are going to be ready to go, but we’ll find out (tonight).”
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) January 6, 2026

"There’s still quite a bit there. And Minnesota’s good. … I would assume our guys are going to be ready to go, but we’ll find out (tonight).”

McCollum having been right about his team's shortcomings lends a look into his pessimistic process; one that, while painful when correct, may better mold the Hawkeyes in the long run.

A Pessimistic Process

McCollum has never been a particularly chipper coach, but the brooding sideline personality has managed to woo the Hawkeyes faithful with his aforementioned penchant for winning basketball games.

Iowa, favored by 5.5 points in their matchup with the Gophers, were anticipated to win by most conceivable metrics; ranked vs. unranked, of course, being the primary point of emphasis. But just as the SEC saw numerous upsets in that vein last season, the now arguably superior B1G offered the same harrowing potential that saw Iowa go down so swiftly.

If the Hawkeyes want to work their way into a high seed come March, they'll have to beat ranked opponents. Before beating ranked opponents, though, they'll need to win difficult B1G road games, too.

The loss to Minnesota, while not completely crippling, suggests that the team simply isn't where they need to be just yet.

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