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USA Today
05-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'I can feel a big difference': Why this offseason has been different Indiana's Tucker DeVries
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball forward Tucker DeVries is enjoying lifting weights like never before. DeVries dealt with a series of shoulder injuries in recent years that sidelined him during pivotal summer workouts at Drake and West Virginia, but he's been a full participant for the Hoosiers since the new-look roster arrived in Bloomington at the start of June. 'It definitely feels good to actually be in shape in the summer time and be able to lift a weight or two,' DeVries said after a recent IU practice. 'I've missed the last two offseasons and been thrown into the fire.' Indiana basketball news: Freshman Trent Sisley happy to be a Hoosier: 'Best decision I could have made' Bob Knight: On the Record DeVries played through a shoulder injury while leading Drake to the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24 and underwent surgery after the season. The two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year followed his father, Darian, to West Virginia — his right arm was in a sling at his father's introductory press conference — but was sidelined eight games into the year with another shoulder injury that also required surgery. 'When you do this for so long, you want to be out there,' Tucker DeVries said. 'You put the work in, you want to be out on the court. It can get frustrating. After the first one I thought, 'There's my major surgery.' When it happens again, it can be defeating.' Tucker was granted a medical redshirt that gave him an extra year of eligibility that allowed him to close out his collegiate career at Indiana with his father. He's one of most experienced (112 career games with 105 starts) and productive players on the roster. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists during his career while shooting 36.7% from 3-point range. Indiana basketball: Two players sidelined with injuries ahead of Puerto Rico trip "I hope I'm past it, I really do,' DeVries said. 'Having that strength is a big piece, being able to take care of my body, lift and stay in shape. I can feel a big difference, a couple of coaches that have been with me the last three years, they tell me all the time how much of a difference there is." The next test for DeVries will be IU's upcoming trip to Puerto Rico. The Hoosiers will play three exhibition games on the foreign tour, starting with a matchup against the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón on Wednesday night that will give DeVries a chance to test the shoulder against live competition. 'It will be my third one (foreign tour) in a row, actually,' DeVries said. 'Every year you come back for the fall, you can see the difference from before and after the trip with team camaraderie.' Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here. Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter.
USA Today
28-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball transfer Bennett Stirtz among early ESPN 2026 NBA draft mock
With the 2025 NBA Draft in the rearview mirror, it's never too early to look ahead to the 2026 draft and the potential that an Iowa Hawkeye is drafted. With new head coach Ben McCollum and a slew of new players, it looks like Hawkeye fans will be treated to an electric year at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. And according to ESPN NBA draft insiders Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, Iowa fans may get to see a future NBA first-round pick this season. Givony and Woo released their early 2026 NBA mock draft on Friday and a new Hawk made his way onto the list: Bennett Stirtz. If drafted, he would become only the eighth Hawkeye since 2000 to hear his name called during the NBA Draft. Stirtz had begun trending upward in a real way with NBA scouts in March, where he played well in the NCAA tournament and drew first-round buzz. Considering the momentum he built, it was a surprise to see him completely forgo the predraft process this spring. Instead, Stirtz will follow Ben McCollum, his coach at Drake and Division II Northwest Missouri State before that, to Iowa, where he will have the keys to the offense and a platform to further prove himself in the Big Ten. He's a terrific playmaker who figures to be among the top guards in the country. - Woo, ESPN Stirtz's story has become very well known over the past few months, as he's followed McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake and now to Iowa. Last season at Drake, Stirtz averaged 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game on his way to winning the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. He helped lead the Bulldogs to 31 wins and their first NCAA Tournament win since 1971. He joins an Iowa basketball roster that's a complete overhaul from the one that missed the NCAA Tournament last season, with only Cooper Koch and Jacob Koch returning. In a highly competitive Big Ten, Stirtz will look to help lead the Hawkeyes back to the NCAA Tournament and past the first weekend for the first time in over 25 years. And in doing so, he could establish himself as an NBA first-round talent. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN tabs Iowa basketball star as 2026 NBA draft 1st-round prospect
ESPN tabs Iowa basketball star as 2026 NBA draft 1st-round prospect Iowa basketball has been busy in the transfer portal, adding six transfers to the program this offseason. The Hawkeyes made waves early during the transfer portal cycle, bringing in arguably the top player in former Drake point guard Bennett Stirtz. The 6-foot-4 guard chose to follow first-year head coach Ben McCollum to Iowa. Stirtz's arrival brought immediate star power to the black and gold. The Liberty, Missouri, native was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year last season after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 49.8% field goal shooting, 39.5% 3-point accuracy and 79.4% from the free throw line. Stirtz was named a first-team All-American by The Field of 68. ESPN thinks Iowa is welcoming a superstar. ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony chose Stirtz as his prospect that could be a 2026 NBA draft first-rounder after opting to return to college. Bennett Stirtz, a 6-foot-4 point guard who played for Drake last season, was one of the breakout stars of the NCAA tournament, posting 42 points and 12 assists in two strong performances against Missouri and Texas, showing his game more than translates against elite-level competition after a dominant season in the Horizon League. Stirtz was ranked No. 35 in the ESPN Top 100 when he announced he would enter the transfer portal and follow his coach, Ben McCollum, from Drake to Iowa, not even bothering to test the NBA draft waters along the way. NBA scouts won't complain about having a full season to evaluate Stirtz in the Big Ten, where they'll get a better feel for how his impressive ballhandling, ability to change speeds, touch and creativity finishing around the basket translate for a full season. Stirtz is a dynamic perimeter shooter who is one of the best passers and decision-makers in college basketball but getting a better gauge for his defense and how he handles coaches planning against him on a nightly basis will surely shed light on how high he should be selected next June. - Jonathan Givony, ESPN. If Stirtz replicates what he accomplished at Drake in the Big Ten, then he very well could see his name rocketing up 2026 NBA draft boards. For the Hawkeyes, Stirtz's familiarity with coach McCollum's system and his proven star power will pay dividends for a program transitioning into a new era. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iowa basketball inside initial 2025-26 ESPN bracketology projection
Iowa isn't done building its finalized roster for the 2025-26 men's college basketball season. But, ESPN has seen enough from first-year head coach Ben McCollum and the Hawkeyes' current additions to the roster to place Iowa within its initial bracketology. Iowa returns forward Cooper Koch and added Drake transfers Bennett Stirtz, Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Tavion Banks and Cam Manyawu, Kansas State transfer Brendan Hausen and Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras. Advertisement Stirtz was honored as the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 49.8% field goal shooting and 39.5% 3-point shooting. Folgueiras was the Horizon League Player of the Year after posting averages of 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 54.8% field goal shooting and 41.3% from beyond the arc. Here's a look at ESPN's initial bracketology projection for the Hawkeyes. Iowa basketball initial ESPN bracketology projection Mar 9, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Drake Bulldogs head coach Ben McCollum hugs guard Bennett Stirtz (14) after defeating the Bradley Braves to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Seed: No. 9 in the West Opponent: No. 8 Vanderbilt Iowa earns the No. 9 seed in the West Region and is slated to face No. 8 seed Vanderbilt. First- and second-round games would be played in Oklahoma City from inside the Paycom Center with the regional semifinals and regional final taking place in San Jose. Full West region Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) walks off the court after losing to the Florida Gators in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Southeast Missouri State Advertisement No. 8 Vanderbilt vs. No. 9 Iowa No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Yale No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 13 Charleston No. 6 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 VCU No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 McNeese No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Miami No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Youngstown State No. 1 seeds St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino during the team introductions Thursday at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, NCAA Tournament. 3/20/25 No. 1 seeds: Purdue, St. John's, Houston, Duke Conference bids breakdown The Big Ten logo dominates a lightly trafficked Monument Square in downtown Indianapolis on Thursday after the conference announced it was pulling the plug on the men's basketball tournament over coronavirus concerns. Bigten Jpg SEC: 13 Big Ten: 12 Big 12: 8 ACC: 5 Big East: 4 Big Ten teams in the field of 68 Iowa's new head men's basketball coach Ben McCollum walks into his introductory press conference with his family, President Barbara Wilson and Athletic Director Beth Goetz Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. No. 1 Purdue (top overall seed) No. 2 Michigan No. 4 UCLA No. 4 USC No. 4 Michigan State No. 5 Ohio State No. 6 Wisconsin No. 7 Illinois No. 8 Oregon No. 9 Iowa No. 10 Maryland No. 10 Indiana Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa basketball inside initial 2025-26 ESPN bracketology projection
USA Today
11-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball inside initial 2025-26 ESPN bracketology projection
Iowa basketball inside initial 2025-26 ESPN bracketology projection Iowa isn't done building its finalized roster for the 2025-26 men's college basketball season. But, ESPN has seen enough from first-year head coach Ben McCollum and the Hawkeyes' current additions to the roster to place Iowa within its initial bracketology. Iowa returns forward Cooper Koch and added Drake transfers Bennett Stirtz, Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Tavion Banks and Cam Manyawu, Kansas State transfer Brendan Hausen and Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras. Stirtz was honored as the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 49.8% field goal shooting and 39.5% 3-point shooting. Folgueiras was the Horizon League Player of the Year after posting averages of 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 54.8% field goal shooting and 41.3% from beyond the arc. Here's a look at ESPN's initial bracketology projection for the Hawkeyes. Iowa basketball initial ESPN bracketology projection Seed: No. 9 in the West Opponent: No. 8 Vanderbilt Iowa earns the No. 9 seed in the West Region and is slated to face No. 8 seed Vanderbilt. First- and second-round games would be played in Oklahoma City from inside the Paycom Center with the regional semifinals and regional final taking place in San Jose. Full West region No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Southeast Missouri State No. 8 Vanderbilt vs. No. 9 Iowa No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Yale No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 13 Charleston No. 6 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 VCU No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 McNeese No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Miami No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Youngstown State No. 1 seeds No. 1 seeds: Purdue, St. John's, Houston, Duke Conference bids breakdown SEC: 13 Big Ten: 12 Big 12: 8 ACC: 5 Big East: 4 Big Ten teams in the field of 68 No. 1 Purdue (top overall seed) No. 2 Michigan No. 4 UCLA No. 4 USC No. 4 Michigan State No. 5 Ohio State No. 6 Wisconsin No. 7 Illinois No. 8 Oregon No. 9 Iowa No. 10 Maryland No. 10 Indiana Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
