Iowa Basketball Faces Roster-Building Challenge After Elite Eight Run

New head coach Ben McCollum looks to build on team's NCAA Tournament success.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 12:22pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a college basketball game, with the action broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in Iowa's black and gold colors alongside the rival team's orange and blue.Iowa's Elite Eight run exposed roster needs that new head coach Ben McCollum must address through recruiting and roster management.Houston Today

Iowa basketball's first season under new head coach Ben McCollum ended just short of the Final Four, as the Hawkeyes fell to Illinois 71-59 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Despite the disappointing end, McCollum helped guide Iowa on a thrilling March Madness run in his debut campaign.

Why it matters

With the season over, McCollum now faces the critical task of rebuilding Iowa's roster through recruiting and roster management. The Hawkeyes will need to replace key contributors from this year's tournament team in order to build on their success and compete for a Big Ten title and deeper NCAA Tournament run next season.

The details

In his first year as Iowa's head coach, Ben McCollum led the Hawkeyes to a 26-9 record and the program's first Elite Eight appearance since 2019. Along the way, Iowa scored impressive wins over top-25 opponents and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Hawkeyes' season came to an end with a 71-59 loss to in-state rival Illinois in the regional finals.

  • Iowa's season ended on March 26, 2026 with the loss to Illinois.
  • Ben McCollum was hired as Iowa's new head coach in April 2025.

The players

Ben McCollum

The first-year head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team.

Illinois

The University of Illinois men's basketball team, which defeated Iowa in the 2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, need some size,”

— Ben McCollum, Head Coach

What’s next

McCollum and his staff will now focus on recruiting and roster management in the offseason, looking to add size and depth to the Hawkeyes' lineup ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

The takeaway

Ben McCollum's first season as Iowa's head coach was a success, leading the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. However, the team's loss to Illinois exposed some roster needs that McCollum must address through the offseason in order to build on this year's momentum and compete for a Big Ten title and deeper tournament run next season.