Hawkeyes' Stunning Run: Stirtz & McCollum's Journey

0:00On March 27th, Iowa's Hawkeyes basketball team has made a stunning run to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament led by star guard Bennett Sturts and head coach Ben McCollum. The duo started together at Division 2 Powerhouse Northwest Missouri State and followed the same path to the Big 10 conference. Now, the ninth-seated Hawkeyes sit just one victory away from the Final Four. In their latest win over Nebraska, Sturts led with 20 points on solid shooting. Reserve player Ovaro Fulgera stayed scorching hot with 16 points on six of seven attempts, plus four steals. Tate Sage added 19 points, including four, three pointers from deep. Sturts praised his teammates and loyal fans after the game, calling the journey rewarding despite the ups and downs. He also credited McCollum, his only college coach, for helping him grow both on and off the court over the past four years. The Hawkeyes leaned on their gritty defense to clamp down Nebraska late, holding them to just 41% shooting.

1:02That effort echoes their game-winning stop against Florida, the previous weekend. Looking ahead, Iowa faces either Houston or Illinois on Saturday night. With Sturts trusting McCollum's game plan, the Hawkeyes aim to keep their offense clicking and punch their ticket to the Final Four.