Iowa Freshman Guard Excels Amidst Losing Streak

After starting their first season under head coach Ben McCollum on a nearly flawless non-conference run, the Iowa Hawkeyes have had fans in positive hysterics in recent weeks. Between the program cracking the AP Poll and trending continuously upward for a high seed come March, McCollum's inaugural roster had been making a case for a legitimate B1G dark horse.

That is, until B1G play actually descended upon the Hawkeyes in full force. Now 2-3 in the conference (and 12-4 overall), Iowa has been forced to grapple with the inevitable toughest stretch of their season. With the No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers next on the docket - on the road, to boot, wherein the Hawkeyes have thus far failed to get a win - things won't get easier anytime soon.

As the team fails to perform as a cooperative unit and senior guard Bennett Stirtz struggles consistently in big games, freshman guard Tate Sage has improved in spite of Iowa's losing tendencies. If nothing else right now, the Hawkeyes have a knockout freshman weapon.

A Bright Spot

"Tate Sage has been a bright spot" noted the Des Moines Register's Tyler Tachman in a post on X (Twitter) in the middle of Iowa's brutal, disappointing loss at the hands of the Illinois Fighting Illini. Following the game going final - a 75-69 defeat for Iowa - Illinois would jump from No. 16 to No. 13 in the AP Poll.

The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, fell out of the ranking completely after being ranked at No. 19. As the team continues to struggle in conference play, now having lost two games straight, the aforementioned Sage stands alone as one of the roster's few players trending positively.

Tate Sage has been a bright spot.
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) January 11, 2026

While Sage averages just 6.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists through 16 games, the guard tallied 13 points in Iowa's most recent loss to the No. 13 Illinois Fighting Illini the last time out. Shooting a blistering 66.7% in that contest, Sage's consistency suggests playing time beyond the 20-minute mark that he has, up to now, not been given on a regular basis.

Tate Sage drops it in 👏 @IowaHoops

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/3xxXdlMFHP
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 11, 2026

For a long while, even prior to the 2025-26 campaign, onlookers wondered how Iowa would replace Stirtz when he eventually leaves the collegiate level.

Now, in the wake of his and the team's worsening struggles, Sage's play serves as both a temporary bright spot and a searing reminder of Stirtz's inability to carry the bunch on his own.

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