Iowa Coach Ben McCollum Delivers Blunt Take on Officiating Frustrations

McCollum's no-nonsense response after Elite Eight loss shows his approach to building a winning program.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 2:55am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After Iowa's 71-59 loss to Illinois in the Elite Eight, Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum delivered a blunt, honest assessment of his players' visible frustrations with the officiating down the stretch. McCollum's straightforward response - "Again, what are you going to do?...You're still home" - highlighted his no-nonsense approach to managing the noise and distractions of March Madness.

Why it matters

McCollum's quote won't make headlines like an emotional Final Four speech, but it demonstrates the kind of disciplined, accountable leadership that is building Iowa into a consistent winner. Referee frustrations are inevitable in the NCAA Tournament, and how coaches frame that adversity can make or break a team's tournament run.

The details

Iowa came into the Elite Eight matchup as a 9-seed darling, having knocked off higher seeds to reach this point. But Illinois proved to be a wall the Hawkeyes couldn't scale, with the Illini's length and depth wearing down Iowa's rotation over 40 minutes. In the final seven minutes, Illinois outscored Iowa 21-8 to pull away, leading to the visible frustrations from the Hawkeyes' players over the officiating.

  • Iowa's season ended on March 29, 2026 with the loss to Illinois in the Elite Eight.

The players

Ben McCollum

The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, known for his no-nonsense approach and previous success winning NAIA national championships at Northwest Missouri State before taking the Iowa job.

Illinois

The No. 3 seed that defeated Iowa in the Elite Eight, proving to be too much for the Hawkeyes with their length and depth wearing down Iowa's rotation.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Again, what are you going to do?...You're still home.”

— Ben McCollum, Head Coach, Iowa Hawkeyes

The takeaway

McCollum's blunt, no-nonsense response to his players' frustrations with the officiating shows the kind of disciplined, accountable leadership that is building Iowa into a consistent winner. Rather than make excuses or dwell on the calls, McCollum refocused his team on what they can control - their effort and execution. This approach to managing adversity is the mark of a coach who is building a program built to withstand the ups and downs of March Madness.