Potential First-Round Picks Square Off as Iowa Defeats Washington

With March less than a month away, the NCAA Tournament is rapidly approaching.

Teams around the country are fighting for spots and seeding in March Madness as conference play continues. One team that has made a push to earn a spot in the big dance is the Iowa Hawkeyes, who haven't reached the tournament since 2023, but could return this year under new leadership.

In his first season at the helm, Ben McCollum's team has had a solid campaign. On Wednesday night, Iowa defeating Washington, improving to 17-5 on the year and 7-4 in Big Ten play.

The main catalyst on the court for the Hawkeyes' success has been transfer guard Bennett Stirtz, who has played for three schools and been coached by McCollum at all three stops. Stirtz began his career at Northwest Missouri State, a Division II program, but transfered to Drake when McCollum was hired away from NWMSU by the Bulldogs.

After one year at Drake, Stirtz and McCollum both left for Iowa, where Stirtz has had another strong season. Against Washington, the veteran point guard notched a game-high 22 points while shooting 8-of-13 from the field, 4-of-8 from 3-point range and 2-of-4 at the free throw line.

Stirtz added 5 asists, a rebound, a steal and just one turnover, leading Iowa to an 84-74 victory.

The senior is averaging 19.2 points, 5 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals this season while shooting 50% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc on six attempts per game. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Stirtz has likely cemented his status as a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

With solid perimeter shooting touch and great feel for the game, Stirtz could be a valuable piece at the next level for a team that needs another ball handler.

Stirtz wasn't the only potential first-round pick on the court for Iowa and Washington's conference showdown, though. Huskies' big man Hannes Steinbach also had a solid performance.

The freshman scored a team-high 20 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, 0-of-2 from deep and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Steinbach added 12 rebounds, 2 blocks and just one turnover against Iowa.

Steinbach was a four-star recruit entering his career at Washington, but turned heads over the summer after a strong performance in international play.

The 6-foot-11 center from Germany tallied 17.4 points, 13.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, leading his home country to a runner-up finish.

Playing for the Huskies, Steinbach has continued to bolster his draft stock, averaging 17.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 blocks and a steal per game while shooting 53.7% from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc on low volume.

Steinbach's rebounding skill and touch around the basket has made the freshman a likely lottery pick in the upcoming class.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.