Ben McCollum continues to show he has March figured out.
It hasn’t mattered whether he’s been at Northwest Missouri State, Drake, or now Iowa, McCollum wins when it matters most. His postseason record over the past seven seasons sits at an incredible 25–3, and he’s now taken Iowa to its first Elite Eight in nearly 40 years.
What stands out just as much is how the Hawkeyes have done it. They’ve dictated tempo against three straight opponents, gradually wearing teams down and forcing them out of rhythm. Nebraska looked ready to run Iowa off the floor early, but the Hawkeyes stayed committed to their approach and eventually disrupted the Huskers’ offense.
Their toughest test awaits in Illinois, but getting to this point is impressive in its own right.
Here’s a look back at Thursday’s action.
Arizona Hits the Gas
Tommy Lloyd is finally through the Sweet 16, and Arizona got him there by playing to its biggest strength, talent. From top to bottom, the Wildcats might be the most loaded roster in the country, and it showed in a 109-88 win over Arkansas.
The Razorbacks knew they needed to win a shootout, because they weren’t going to slow Arizona down. The Wildcats answered that challenge immediately, pushing the floor and separating early in what was expected to be a tight game. Instead, it turned into a runaway.
It’s a clear reminder of what Arizona can be at its peak. If the Wildcats play to that level, they’re capable of winning it all.
Illinois Turns the Tables on Houston
Houston is used to squeezing the life out of its opposition. Illinois flipped that script and, in the process, showed it can absolutely win a national title. The Illini held the Cougars to 55 points and just 34% shooting from the floor.
Also of note, this was essentially a road game. Houston was playing two miles from campus, and it didn’t matter. Illinois opened the second half with a run and never gave the lead back.
That spells trouble for Iowa. Illinois has already proven it can win at a slow pace and come out on top. The Hawkeyes lost by six in the first meeting, but trying to grind Illinois down is not a winning formula. The Illini can control this game on the defensive end.
Seniors Help Purdue Survive
Purdue’s experience has been its superpower. The Boilermakers have leaned on a different player in each of their past two games, with Fletcher Loyer carrying them past Miami and Trey Kaufman-Renn doing the heavy lifting against Texas. Down the stretch, Purdue made the plays it needed and did just enough to survive the Longhorns.
Does that mean this matchup with Arizona becomes Braden Smith’s game? It probably will have to if the Boilers are going to get back to the Final Four. Arizona has the edge defensively, and Purdue has not been quite as sharp on that end as the Wildcats.
If the Boilermakers are going to survive this test, their seniors will need the best performance of their accomplished careers.
Does Iowa Have Anything Left?
The Hawkeyes rallied from behind against Nebraska, but there’s a concern moving forward. They now face an opponent that is comfortable playing at their pace, and Iowa is likely to be dealing with tired legs. That comeback took a lot out of them, and there is not much time to recover before facing the Illini.
Iowa has been a great story, and McCollum has done an excellent job. But the Hawkeyes will need everything to break their way to avoid running out of gas against a more talented opponent.
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