Iowa HC Discusses Bennett Stirtz' Profound Impact on Program

Even though he's coming off a night where he shot just 36.36% from the field, Bennett Stirtz once again led the way for the Iowa Hawkeyes with his 25 points.

Keep in mind, it was an off night for everyone. Stirtz' 25 points were a game high in a Top 10 win for Iowa that saw them allow just 52 points against No. 9 Nebraska.

Stirtz put up nearly half of Nebraska's points as an entire team. In fact, he scored more than their top two scorers combined. Iowa's defense was a huge story in this one as they held Pryce Sandfort to 13 points and Jamarques Lawrence to 11.

Time and time again, Stirtz has led this team to victory. No matter what situation presents itself, the senior guard always finds a way to make an impact. He just put up his eighth 25+ point game of the season as he continues to improve his points per game average (20.5).

Ben McCollum on Bennett Stirtz

Ben McCollum on Bennett Stirtz's impact on the present and future of the program: "It sends a message to other people that it's cool to be a Hawkeye. Here's a guy that'll be in the NBA in a year. He came here, and he's doing this. Why can't you?" pic.twitter.com/EVrTn9PrYB
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) February 18, 2026

"It sends a message to other people that it's cool to be a Hawkeye. Here's a guy that'll be in the NBA in a year. He came here, and he's doing this. Why can't you?" he asked.

McCollum continued, "It helps put us on the map, it helps us get to another level, it helps us battle a little bit and helps with recruiting."

Stirtz is a future NBA Draft pick and one that should get a ton of eyes on what McCollum has done in his first year with the Hawkeyes. This team is one game away from 20 wins, a feat they haven't accomplished since 2021-22 when they won the B1G Tournament.

Bennett Stirtz Has Meant Everything to Iowa

Iowa G Bennett Stirt — Iowa guard Tate Sage (24) and Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (14) wade throught the crowd of fans after the Hawkeyes’ 57-52 win over Nebraska triggered a court storming Feb. 17, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even though it seems like Stirtz constantly gets all the attention, that's for good reason. Iowa doesn't have the best supporting cast, but Stirtz has done his part in hiding that. Obviously he can't do everything, but sometimes it sure feels like he can.

Moving forward, Iowa knows they won't be able to land another player like him anytime soon. That's always the goal, but it would take a terrific four or five-star point guard recruit or an A+ transfer to replicate his success.

What Stirtz has done for Iowa this year simply isn't human, but it's also a testament to how well McCollum has coached him throughout the years. Those two have been inseparable, and after this year we'll find out if it was the genius that's Ben McCollum or the fact that Bennett Stirtz was carrying him the entire time.

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