If you’ve watched Iowa basketball this season, you already know what Ben McCollum is trying to build. It’s methodical.
It’s deliberate. And it’s working.
The Hawkeyes aren’t trying to outpace anyone-they’re trying to outthink them. McCollum’s offense is all about control and execution, and at the heart of that system is a point guard who knows it inside and out: Bennett Stirtz.
Stirtz isn’t just running the show-he’s elevating it. After following McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake, where he earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors in 2025, Stirtz has made the leap to the Big Ten without missing a beat. And now, he’s earning national recognition, landing inside ESPN’s top 50 college basketball players for the season so far.
No. 23: Bennett Stirtz | Iowa Hawkeyes | Senior Guard
Let’s be honest-there were questions heading into the year. Could Stirtz’s game translate from the mid-major level to the physical grind of Big Ten basketball?
Could McCollum’s system hold up against elite defenses and deeper rotations? So far, those questions are being answered with a resounding yes.
Stirtz is averaging 18.3 points and 5.0 assists per game-numbers that aren’t far off from what he posted last season, which is impressive considering the jump in competition. But it’s not just the box score that tells the story. It’s how he’s doing it.
Take his performance against UCLA, for example. Lined up against Donovan Dent, one of the more dynamic defenders in the Pac-12, Stirtz went off for 27 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
That’s not just efficient-that’s surgical. He picked his spots, read the floor, and controlled the tempo like a veteran quarterback running a two-minute drill.
What really stands out, though, is the balance in his game. He’s not just a scorer.
He’s a facilitator who takes care of the ball-averaging more than five assists per game while keeping turnovers to just two per contest. That kind of efficiency is gold in McCollum’s system, where every possession matters and mistakes are magnified.
Shooting-wise, Stirtz is checking all the boxes. He’s hitting 47.5% from the field, nearly 37% from beyond the arc, and 82.6% from the free-throw line. That’s the kind of all-around shooting profile that keeps defenses honest and opens up the floor for Iowa’s offense to hum.
He’s not flashy. He’s not going to dominate highlight reels.
But Bennett Stirtz is the kind of player coaches dream about-steady, smart, and relentlessly efficient. And in a conference where every possession can feel like a battle, that kind of reliability is invaluable.
As Iowa continues to find its footing in the Big Ten, Stirtz is proving he belongs-not just in the lineup, but in the conversation among the nation’s best guards.