#5 Purdue Next Welcomes Iowa To Mackey

First-year head coach Ben McCollum has the Hawkeyes headed in the right direction. After missing the NCAA tournament with a 17-16 record last season, Iowa recruited McCollum to lead the way back to respectability.

McCollum directed Drake to a 31-4 record and a berth in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, his only campaign there. Before that, he won four Division 2 championships at Northwest Missouri State.

Iowa appears as if they have shaken off its disappointing 2024-25 season, as the Hawkeyes are currently 12-4 over the first two months of this year’s schedule.

Wednesday’s game will mark the fourth time Iowa faces a ranked opponent. In addition to their loss to Illinois, the Hawkeyes also fell to #7 Michigan State and their rival, #4 Iowa State, in December.

Purdue’s offense will face a stiff challenge going against Iowa’s defense, which is the Hawkeyes’ strength. The Boilermakers have averaged 86.4 points per game thus far, which ranks 35th in the country. Iowa has only given up 61.7 points per game, which is tied for fourth-best in all of Division 1 basketball.

On the other side of the court, Purdue averages 38.8 rebounds each game, but Iowa’s opponents are only able to secure 28.3 caroms per contest. If the Boilermakers’ forwards Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn can secure the glass close to their season’s rate, Purdue could be in business.

Without question, the team that can reach closer to its season averages in all facets of the game will undoubtedly have the upper hand in determining the outcome.

Three Transfers Lead The Way For Iowa

Three players who followed McCollum from Drake will be the focal point of Iowa’s offense.

Senior guard Bennett Stirtz has been the Hawkeyes’ main scoring threat, averaging 17.6 points per game. He was named the MVP of the Acrisure Classic in November, scoring 21 points and drilling seven three-pointers in wins over Mississippi and Grand Canyon.

Senior swingman Tavion Banks, last season’s Missouri Valley Conference sixth-man-of-the-year playing for Drake, adds 9.7 points and 4.6 points per contest. Junior forward Cam Manyawu leads Iowa in rebounding by grabbing 4.7 boards each game.

Stirtz has become a vital piece to Iowa’s puzzle, but following the Illinois game, McCollum voiced his frustration with his supporting cast. Stirtz, who has played all 40 minutes in five games this season, was saddled with foul trouble against the Illini. That is when, according to McCollum, the other four players on the floor need to step up.

“Sometimes when you have a player of his (Stirtz’s) caliber, you search for him a little bit too much, and it doesn’t naturally flow,” he said. “And I think we probably searched for him too much, and then when you search for him, then all five guys shrink.”

He went on to describe how Illinois’ teamwork is what his team is working towards.

“Those guys (from Illinois) benefit from each other, if that makes sense, and so we’re not benefiting from each other,” he said. “Leverage each other, not just leverage one person. And that’s partly me, too, I’ve got to do a better job of, ‘OK, why is that not working?’ We will. We’re getting there.”

End Of Purdue Rant: 6-0 In The Big 10 Is Within Reach

Over recent history, Purdue has had the better of Iowa. Including last season’s 90-81 victory over the Hawkeyes, the Boilers have won 10 out of the past 12 games in the series.

With All-Everything guard Braden Smith and fellow backcourt mate Fletcher Loyer clicking on both ends of the floor, Purdue has shown the mettle needed to make a championship run. Given that this game is at Mackey and in front of the Paint Crew, Iowa, which has not won on the road this season, will need to dial up some serious magic to pull the upset.