IU basketball game day essentials: Indiana back home to face Iowa

Game Day Essentials:

Indiana (12-5, 3-3) vs. Iowa (12-5, 2-4)

• Tip Time: 2:00 p.m. Eastern, Saturday
• Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222), Bloomington, Ind.
• Television: FOX (Jason Benetti, Steve Smith)
• Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
• Stream: Fox Sports
• Point Spread:  Indiana is around a 1.5-point favorite
• KenPom Projected Score:  Indiana 73  Iowa 72
• History: Indiana leads, 107-83
• Last Meeting: IOWA 85, IU 60 on Jan. 11, 2025, in Iowa City
• Tickets (via our StubHub affiliate link)

Iowa’s Ben McCollum

Once a decorated Division II head coach, Ben McCollum is now in his second season as a Division I head coach, and his first with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was named their head coach on March 24, 2025.

McCollum began his head coaching career with Northwest Missouri State and enjoyed a prolific 15-season stint at that level. In those seasons, he led his team to 12 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and won four national titles with the Bearcats. His success led him to multiple national and conference coach of the year awards, as well as an induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Last season, McCollum took the head coaching job at Drake, left behind by Darian DeVries. What was expected to be an adjustment period for McCollum turned into dominance in the MVC. McCollum led the Bulldogs to a 31-4 overall record with a 17-3 clip in conference. Drake won both the regular season and MVC tournament titles and went on to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

Iowa’s results and roster

Iowa Game Notes (via Iowa Athletics)

NOTABLES

• This is the first time a Ben McCollum coached team has lost three straight games since the 2012-13 season.
• Freshman guard Peyton McCollum suffered a foot injury in practice on Jan. 8 that will require him to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
• The Hawkeyes climbed as high as No. 19 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ Polls on Jan. 5. It was Iowa’s highest ranking since being 16th in the final poll during the 2021-22 season.
• Iowa made its debut in the AP poll in Week 8. It was the program’s first time in the AP poll since Nov. 21, 2022 (No. 25 ranking).
• The Hawkeyes have been in the Coaches’ Poll in each of the last seven weeks.
• In Big Ten play, Hawkeye opponents have attempted 52 more free throw attempts (84 to 136) and made 42 more free throws (61 to 103). Iowa has been whistled for 21 more fouls than its opponents.
•  Iowa used its third starting lineup of the season, inserting Alvaro Folgueiras into the lineup in place of Tavion Banks on Jan. 11 against Illinois. It was Folgueiras’ first start as a Hawkeye.
• Senior Bennett Stirtz won his 100th career game on Dec. 14 in the victory over Western Michigan. During his collegiate career, Stirtz has posted a 103-17 record (.858 winning percentage).
• During the month of December, Iowa was the second-most efficient team in the country based on efficiency data by Torvik (trailing only Michigan).

IOWA’S BENNETT STIRTZ IS…

• One of three players nationally with 300+ points, 85+ assists, 35+ 3-pointers, 40+ rebounds and 25+ steals.
• The only Big Ten player with 300+ points and 85+ steals (one of nine nationally).
• One of five players with 300+ points, 85+ assists, 25+ steals and 40+ rebounds

IOWA IS…

• 11-1 when scoring 70+ points this season. The lone loss was at No. 5 Purdue.
• 11-1 when allowing fewer than 69 points this season.
• 10-0 when shooting more free throws than its opponents.
• 10-1 when having a higher field goal percentage.
• 10-2 when out-rebounding its opponent.
• 11-2 when leading at halftime.
• 8-0 when junior Alvaro Folgueiras scores in double figures

No. 21 Iowa’s KenPom notable numbers:

(out of 365 teams)

Tempo – No. 335 (Offense No. 334 / Defense No. 287)

Offensive Efficiency – No. 35

• Iowa holds an effective field goal percentage of 58.8 percent on the year (No. 10). The Hawkeyes are shooting 37.3 percent from three (No. 32) and 60.8 percent on 2s (No. 8).
• Iowa assists on a high percentage of their made field goals at 60.3 percent (No. 30)
• The Hawkeyes’ point distribution is spread out pretty evenly, with twos being the highest compared to Division 1 at 49.3 percent (No. 154).
• Offensive rebounds have been fairly average at a 32 percent clip (No. 155).

Defensive Efficiency – No. 21

• Opponents hold a 49.4 percent effective field goal percentage against the Hawkeyes (No. 105). Teams are shooting 30.8 percent from three (No. 60) and 51.3 percent on 2s (No. 173).
• Iowa has given up the most points from the inside. Teams are finding 51.4 percent of their points on twos (No. 86).
• Iowa is one of the better teams at forcing turnovers at a 22.4 percent rate (No. 7).
• Teams have been able to find assists against the Hawkeyes at a 50.4 percent rate (No. 121)

OG’s Pick

Overall: 13-3

In my mind, a lot of this matchup comes down to whether Indiana can limit Bennett Stirtz. Stirtz has proven to be one of the best players in the Big Ten and can beat you in a variety of different ways. I do like the matchup potential with Enright matching up against him, but he, and all of the other Hoosiers have to stay out of foul trouble.

Iowa’s defense also poses a challenge, and IU will have to get other players besides Lamar Wilkerson involved. I think this one is another one that comes down to final possessions, but give me Indiana to come away with it.

Pick: Indiana 75 – Iowa 71

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