The Iowa Hawkeyes and head coach Ben McCollum were one of the best stories of the NCAA Tournament this season.
Despite entering March Madness as a No. 9 seed, Iowa was able to make a run to the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, on Saturday evening, the Hawkeyes were eliminated from the tournament by the No. 3 seeded Illinois Fighting Illini.
At some points during the Elite Eight matchup against Illinois, Iowa looked poised to take control of the game. Late in the game, however, the Fighting Illini simply outlasted the Hawkeyes with too much size and toughness.
While the loss undoubtedly hurts, Iowa basketball is back on the map. McCollum leading the way should give fans hope for the future and taking another step next season.
Keeping that in mind, the head coach spoke out after his team’s loss to Illinois.
Ben McCollum Sends Strong Iowa Basketball Message After Loss
As shared by Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register, McCollum made it clear that the foundation has been set for Hawkeyes basketball to grow.
“McCollum says this hurts, they wanted to win but the foundation is set,” Leistikow wrote on X.
McCollum is 100 percent right. This was the kind of run that can make players around the country want to play for Iowa. Whether those players be high school recruits or transfer portal targets, the Hawkeyes are going to be a team to watch.
Along their journey in the NCAA Tournament, Iowa was able to knock off No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida, and No. 4 Nebraska. Very few predicted the Hawkeyes to have that kind of run.
Ben McCollum Is Emerging as a Top Head Coach in the Nation
This was just McCollum’s first year at Iowa. He has already built the program into a legitimate National Championship contender moving forward.
Prior to coaching the Hawkeyes, McCollum was the lead man at Northwest Missouri State from the 2009-10 season through 2023-24. He compiled an impressive 395-91 record there and won four Division II National Championships.
That led to an opportunity at Drake during the 2024-25 season. He led the Bulldogs to an NCAA Tournament birth and went 31-4 that year.
In his first season with the Hawkeyes, McCollum went 24-12 in the regular season and went to the Elite Eight. The program simply could not have asked for more from him.
Heading into the future, it will be interesting to see what McCollum is able to do at Iowa. At least for now, his name is becoming one of the most respected and popular in college basketball.
Iowa HC Ben McCollum Sends Strong Message After Elimination