Iowa Could Earn First March Madness Win in Years

After missing the tournament these last two seasons, the Iowa Hawkeyes will do anything to make it to the dance.

First year head coach Ben McCollum is looking to write the wrongs that former head coach Fran McCaffery did those past two years.

Even though Iowa had a winning record, it wasn't by much. They currently sit at 15-5 and are fresh off a hard-fought win against USC.

While it's still quite a ways away, ESPN wanted to focus on which teams are legit and which are on fraud watch in the NCAA tournament. Come March Madness time, Iowa may be able to sneak away with a win.

Iowa Predicted To Win A Tournament Game

Iowa G Tavion Bank — Iowa’s Tavion Banks (6) drives to the basket against the USC Trojans Jan. 28, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Keep in mind, this list is only focusing on the NCAA Tournament, not the B1G tournament Iowa will have to endure. Either way, it's great to see their name in "Tier V", which includes teams that "can win a game."

Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf wrote, "This is a deep group, but all of these teams have shown flashes of being able to win a game in the NCAA tournament, even if some find themselves sweating on Selection Sunday."

After discussing the likes of Auburn, Wisconsin, UCLA, and Georgia, they added, "Others have elite players who are good enough to carry them to a win: Iowa has Bennett Stirtz, NC State has Darrion Williams. Ohio State has plenty of talent in its starting five, and Bruce Thornton is a bona fide star. Boopie Miller puts SMU in this group as well."

Is Bennett Stirtz Good Enough?

Iowa G Bennett Stirt — Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (14) high-fives a teammate during warm-ups before a basketball game against the USC Trojans Jan. 28, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This question can't be answered until the rest of the games are played. Iowa's first round matchup will undoubtedly determine what their chances are of making a dent in the tournament.

The Hawkeyes had a pair of first round exits in 2021-22 along with 2022-23. They haven't won a tournament game since the 2020-21 season. Prior to that, they last won a game in 2018-19.

Iowa hasn't made it to the third round of the tournament since 2014-15. Asking them to even win one game this year will be a challenge, but it lies on the shoulders of the man who clinched them a win against the Trojans.

Stirtz is an NBA prospect, but Iowa doesn't exactly have the best supporting cast around him. As long as Tavion Banks keeps doing his thing and no one gets injured, the Hawkeyes should be a lock to at least make the tournament, if not win a game like ESPN predicts.

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