NBA Draft: Bennett Stirtz Provides Second-Half Spark in Iowa's Win Over Maryland

The first half of Iowa's Big Ten Tournament matchup against Maryland was one Bennett Stirtz would like to forget. The senior star put up just four points on 2-for-8 shooting, as the Hawkeyes found themselves down against a Terrapins team that went 11-20 in the regular season.

But the second half was something special for Stirtz. He came alive in the final 20 minutes, recording 13 points on 4-for-10 shooting, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals in a 75-64 victory.

The stats won't scream anything spectacular, but it was the sheer ability of the 6-foot-4 guard to remain consistent in letting it fly. In the second half, he made defenders pay for going under screens and set himself up for the right shots. He even wowed fans with an incredible circus shot up two with 15 minutes to go.

Bennett Stirtz HOW?! 🤯🔥pic.twitter.com/ltrzQFdJ01
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 11, 2026

The prospect is projected to go 18th in Draft Digest's most recent mock draft. He provides a great blend of three-level scoring and facilitation. His frame may scream poor defender, but he's done this season at a decent level. Stirtz is averaging 20.2 points, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game on 50-38-84 shooting splits.

On Wednesday, Iowa's star was a major part of its 21-0 run to open up the game against Maryland. Stirtz and Cooper Koch combined for 18 points and six threes across less than six minutes of play. The two would finish with a total of 38 points and seven threes.

The Hawkeyes will move on to play Ohio State tomorrow at noon ET. The winner of that moves on to play top-seeded Michigan in the quarterfinals.

Bennett Stirtz goes back-to-back 🙂‍↔️

The Hawks are heating up in the second half 🔥#B1GMBBT pic.twitter.com/zCsrTEOwBw
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 11, 2026

Iowa has built a system around Stirtz this season. He has done nothing short of shoot the lights out and play smart basketball, which could interest numerous teams in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Drake transfer is 22 years old, which could be a turnoff for scouts, but at the same time, other seniors and graduate players such as Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) still pose first-round and even lottery stock. Stirtz's experience and maturity could benefit teams looking to draft immediate-impact prospects rather than waiting to develop young talent.

His stock has slipped a bit as the season has moved along, once projected to go 11th on Draft Digest's NBA Big Board, but Stirtz has remained one of the best players in the Big Ten and a name to watch in June. His stock could change quite a bit over the next month, so keep an eye on the Iowa guard.