Iowa Basketball: Can McCollum Meet Expectations in Year 2 at Iowa?

As the Hawkeyes turn to year two of Ben McCollum's tenure, the bar for success has been raised.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 9:08pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting an Iowa basketball game, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the team's colors of black, gold, and white.The Iowa Hawkeyes' roster overhaul in the transfer portal will test coach Ben McCollum's ability to rebuild a Sweet Sixteen-caliber team.Iowa City Today

The college basketball season has finally come to an end as Michigan defeated UConn to win the National Championship on Monday night, becoming the first Big Ten team to do so in 26 years. For Ben McCollum and the Iowa Hawkeyes, that pivot to next year started a bit sooner after Iowa's Elite Eight loss to Illinois. Year one under BMC was a resounding success, anchored around Iowa's historic run in the NCAA Tournament. While the regular season ended right around where most fans expected, the tournament push leaves any memories of frustrating losses to Maryland or Penn State buried deep in a dark corner only to be scrounged up when some jerk mentions them in a story about next season.

Why it matters

The experience of watching this team knock off Florida and Nebraska clearly gave fans the appetite for more March basketball without setting unreasonable expectations for a roster in transition. A step back in the regular season wouldn't be surprising; how McCollum navigates this portal season will tell us a lot about the program's trajectory.

The details

Kael Combs steps into the lead guard role after quietly running the show alongside Stirtz all season — 2.4 assists to 1.4 turnovers — and he was pivotal in the NCAA Tournament opener against Clemson with 15 points. Two portal names to watch at point guard: Kyan Evans from North Carolina (originally Colorado State, where he shot 45% from deep) and Finley Bizjack from Butler (17.1 PPG, more of a Stirtz-sized scorer at 6-foot-4). The wing position is quietly loaded. Tate Sage could be primed for a breakout, and Iowa has real depth on the wing for the first time in a while. Cooper Koch returns after starting all 37 games and continues to be the Swiss Army knife of this roster. The big question mark is center, and McCollum was blunt about it after the Illinois game: 'We need some size. We just don't have a true five.'

  • The transfer portal officially opened within a half hour of Michigan's National Championship win on Monday night.
  • Iowa's Elite Eight loss to Illinois was the end of year one under Ben McCollum.

The players

Ben McCollum

The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team, who just completed a successful first season that included an Elite Eight appearance.

Kael Combs

The Iowa point guard who is expected to take over the lead guard role after playing alongside Bennett Stirtz last season.

Kyan Evans

A point guard from North Carolina (originally Colorado State) who is a potential transfer target for Iowa, having shot 45% from deep in his college career.

Finley Bizjack

A point guard from Butler who is also a potential transfer target for Iowa, having averaged 17.1 PPG last season.

Tate Sage

An Iowa wing player who could be primed for a breakout season after playing his best basketball in March.

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What they’re saying

“We need some size. We just don't have a true five.”

— Ben McCollum, Head Coach

What’s next

The spring transfer portal window kicked off on Tuesday, April 7, and over 1,000 Division I men's basketball players entered their names before the sun set on Day 1. The portal drew around 2,100 players in 2024 and nearly 2,700 last year, and most coaches expect this year's number to blow past 3,000 before the window closes on April 21. Ben McCollum and the Iowa coaching staff will be busy navigating the portal in the coming weeks to address the team's needs, particularly at the center position.

The takeaway

This is a program on the rise, but Year 2 likely brings more roster turnover and legitimate questions about replacing key departures. The Sweet 16 as the expectation bar feels like the sweet spot - it acknowledges the momentum McCollum has built while recognizing that getting back there with a retooled roster would be another significant achievement.