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USA Today
a day ago
- 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
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fourth former Drake Bulldog commits to Iowa basketball
Isaia Howard announced his commitment to Iowa basketball on Thursday, becoming the fourth former Drake Bulldog to follow head coach Ben McCollum to Iowa City as a new member of the Hawkeyes. Howard arrives with three seasons of eligibility and dons the black and gold after a freshman season at Drake in which he averaged 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. The 6-foot-5, 200 pound guard shot 43.5% from the field, including 31.1% from 3-point range. Advertisement Howard played in 30 games and scored in double figures on three occasions, including his career-high 21-point outing against Southern Illinois on March 7 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinal. A native of Plattsburg, Mo., Howard was ranked as a three-star signee to Drake in the 2024 class per 247Sports. 247Sports ranked Howard as the nation's No. 67 shooting guard and as the No. 10 player from Missouri. Howard joins a Hawkeye roster that features a trio of his former Drake teammates in guards Bennett Stirtz and Kael Combs and in forward Cam Manyawu. Iowa also brings back sophomore forward Cooper Koch, who decided upon a return to Iowa after briefly entering the transfer portal. Koch appeared in 10 games, averaging 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range. Advertisement Stirtz was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year last season after posting averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range. Manyawu averaged 7.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 57.8% shooting from the field while starting all 35 games for the Bulldogs last season. Lastly, Combs played in 31 games last season at Drake, averaging 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1% from the field and 80.0% from the free throw line. 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: Fourth former Drake Bulldog commits to Iowa basketball
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Fourth former Drake Bulldog commits to Iowa basketball
Fourth former Drake Bulldog commits to Iowa basketball Isaia Howard announced his commitment to Iowa basketball on Thursday, becoming the fourth former Drake Bulldog to follow head coach Ben McCollum to Iowa City as a new member of the Hawkeyes. Howard arrives with three seasons of eligibility and dons the black and gold after a freshman season at Drake in which he averaged 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. The 6-foot-5, 200 pound guard shot 43.5% from the field, including 31.1% from 3-point range. Howard played in 30 games and scored in double figures on three occasions, including his career-high 21-point outing against Southern Illinois on March 7 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinal. A native of Plattsburg, Mo., Howard was ranked as a three-star signee to Drake in the 2024 class per 247Sports. 247Sports ranked Howard as the nation's No. 67 shooting guard and as the No. 10 player from Missouri. Howard joins a Hawkeye roster that features a trio of his former Drake teammates in guards Bennett Stirtz and Kael Combs and in forward Cam Manyawu. Iowa also brings back sophomore forward Cooper Koch, who decided upon a return to Iowa after briefly entering the transfer portal. Koch appeared in 10 games, averaging 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range. Stirtz was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year last season after posting averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range. Manyawu averaged 7.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 57.8% shooting from the field while starting all 35 games for the Bulldogs last season. Lastly, Combs played in 31 games last season at Drake, averaging 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1% from the field and 80.0% from the free throw line. 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
