Iowa Basketball Searching for Growth After Tough Loss to Purdue
The road to building something new in college basketball is rarely smooth, and Iowa's 78-57 home loss to No. 12 Purdue was a clear reminder of that. On a night when the Hawkeyes struggled to find their rhythm, head coach Ben McCollum didn’t sugarcoat things-but he also didn’t lose sight of the bigger picture.
“I’m not proud of the way I coached,” McCollum admitted after the game. “But I’m still proud of them and what they’re doing.”
That balance-accountability without discouragement-has been a recurring theme for McCollum in his first year at the helm. And it’s not hard to see why. This is a program in transition, featuring 13 new players and a coaching staff trying to reset the culture in the heart of the Big Ten, all while navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the NIL era.
Against Purdue, the difference in physicality was evident from the opening tip. The Boilermakers imposed their will early, disrupting Iowa’s offensive flow and never really letting them settle in.
It wasn’t just a loss-it was a measuring stick. And right now, Purdue’s on another level.
Still, McCollum sees value in the struggle.
“They earned the right to play in front of a crowd, which was awesome,” he said, referencing the sold-out atmosphere at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “They didn’t play their best, but sometimes you have to go through those things to get what you want-which is ultimately the crown.”
That “crown” isn’t just a metaphor for postseason success. It’s about building a sustainable program, one that can consistently compete at the top of the Big Ten.
And while the loss to Purdue was a step backward, McCollum isn’t panicking. He knows the process.
“I knew it was going to be tough when I came here, so I’m not surprised,” he said. “I would like it to be exactly like it was at Drake last year, and it was trending in that direction.
Then we got our butts kicked, so it’s not that direction right now. We just need to recalibrate and continue to fight, continue to grow, and get better.”
That recalibration will need to happen quickly. Iowa currently sits in eighth place in the Big Ten standings with six regular-season games left.
The top nine teams earn a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, so there’s still plenty on the line. But the margin for error is shrinking.
Next up? A visit from No.
7 Nebraska, a team that’s been rolling and will bring plenty of firepower into Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It’s another test, another opportunity-and another chance for this Iowa team to show what it’s made of.
For now, the Hawkeyes are still in the thick of the fight. And while the growing pains are real, so is the belief that this group can keep climbing.