***Official 2026 NCAA Tournament Thread***

[bluestarcyclone]

In heaven there is beer

I mean, what kind of heaven wouldn't? Monks made beer. I find the very assertion by the hawks blasphemous.

 

[DoctorZ]

Thank goodness I won't have to watch Bennett Stirtz in a Hawkeye uniform any more. Whoever they get in the portal to run their offense next year, there's no way he'll approach Stirtz's effectiveness.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

It was a 3 game winning streak.10 days of staying hot.

Which is obviously impressive during this time of year. We would say so too if it was us

 

[APCguy13]

Iowa lost by 12 and ISU lost by 14. What a huge curb stomping differential. LOL

I get where you’re coming from, but everyone knows that game was a lot closer than the one last night.

 

[jbhtexas]

So I keep hearing about Stirtz not being back for Iowa. What exactly is ISU going to do without Lipsey and Jefferson?

Find somebody to replace them???

 

[CYaeger]

Iowa lasted 18 hours longer than ISU.. Hang the banner !!!!

 

[ChiClone17]

McCollum is a phenomenal coach, but Stirtz will not be easily replaced. He may never find another point guard this good unless he’s able to leverage his success into some huge recruits or transfers. Curious to see how they do without him because the rest of the team isn’t all that impressive.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

THANK YOU ILLINOIS!

 

[Nococy]

Thank goodness

 

[Cyinthenorth]

They played a much better team

I would say marginally better

 

[NWICY]

Looking forward to the moral victory comments from Iowa fans

I don't even care about that, just as long as they didn't make the final four.

 

[deadeyededric]

Thank goodness I won't have to watch Bennett Stirtz in a Hawkeye uniform any more. Whoever they get in the portal to run their offense next year, there's no way he'll approach Stirtz's effectiveness.

Same could be said with ISU and Jefferson and Lipsey. How the **** do you know they won't get a good mid major guard. I know all year how good you thought Stirtz was lol

 

[heitclone]

BM's biggest find will his next PG, he's only had two PG's the last 7 years between 3 schools. It'll be interesting to see what he does to replace Stirtz.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

McCollum is a phenomenal coach, but Stirtz will not be easily replaced. He may never find another point guard this good unless he’s able to leverage his success into some huge recruits or transfers. Curious to see how they do without him because the rest of the team isn’t all that impressive.

This is what I’ll be watching closely this portal season for Iowa. Wonder what Ben’s plan is.

 

[CyCrazy]

ILL


INI

 

[APCguy13]

So I keep hearing about Stirtz not being back for Iowa. What exactly is ISU going to do without Lipsey and Jefferson?

Stirtz literally didn’t sit the entire tournament. At least Iowa state was still highly functional when Jefferson and Lipsey were on the bench…

 

[Cyhig]

Does this mean the Squawk Trolls can move on and go somewhere else?

Where else do they have to go? No jobs, living in parents basement, surrounded by statues of Ferentz and Fry which they kneel and bow in front of each morning

Trolling is the only other thing they have

 

[isucyfan]

Great run by the Hawks. Hate it but respect it. I'd be absolutely pissed if I were a Hawk fan that they let the McCaffreys fester there like a gangrenous boil for so long. It was so obvious. I'm grateful they held on to him for so long.

 

[Zed_One]

Hell maybe they can pony up the money for Highpoints's entire roster to make another tourney?

 

[deadeyededric]

I would say marginally better

Tennessee was dog **** honestly. I'm concerned that ISU wasn't even competitive without Jefferson. Thank god Lipsey played it they would have won by 40