Iowa Hawkeyes Upset No. 3 Michigan Wolverines on Senior Night

Hawkeyes cover 8.5-point spread in emotional home victory

Mar. 5, 2026 at 7:23pm

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The Iowa Hawkeyes pulled off a stunning upset over the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines, winning 72-65 in an emotional Senior Night matchup in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes, led by their top scorers Bennett Stirtz and Tavion Banks, covered the 8.5-point spread in the Big Ten battle.

Why it matters

This victory gives Iowa a major boost heading into the postseason, potentially improving their NCAA Tournament seeding. Meanwhile, the loss is a tricky spot for Michigan, sandwiched between a big road win over Illinois and their upcoming rivalry game against Michigan State.

The details

Iowa utilized its slow-paced tempo to keep the game close, frustrating the highly-ranked Wolverines. The Hawkeyes seniors, Stirtz and Banks, combined for 35 points in their final home game, fueling the upset in front of an emotional Iowa City crowd.

  • The game tipped off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
  • This was Iowa's final home game of the regular season.

The players

Bennett Stirtz

Iowa's top scorer, a senior playing in his final home game after transferring from Northwest Missouri State and Drake to join coach Ben McCollum.

Tavion Banks

Iowa's second-leading scorer, a senior JUCO transfer also playing in his final home game after following coach Ben McCollum from Drake.

Michigan Wolverines

The No. 3 ranked team in the country, a national title contender with only two losses on the season.

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What they’re saying

“This was such an emotional night for our seniors. They've been through so much to get here, and to see them go out with a win like this is incredible.”

— Ben McCollum, Iowa Head Coach

“We just couldn't get into a rhythm tonight. Iowa did a great job slowing the pace and making it tough on us. Credit to them for the upset win.”

— Juwan Howard, Michigan Head Coach

What’s next

Iowa will look to build on this momentum when they travel to face No. 9 Nebraska on Saturday. Michigan will try to regroup before their highly-anticipated rivalry game against No. 8 Michigan State next week.

The takeaway

Iowa's upset victory over the third-ranked Wolverines on Senior Night showcases the Hawkeyes' potential to make noise in the NCAA Tournament, while also highlighting Michigan's vulnerability in a tough scheduling spot as they pursue a top seed.