EUGENE, Ore. — During Iowa basketball’s 84-66 win over Oregon on Feb. 1, Bennett Stirtz notched a new career-high. For the first time in his college career, he scored more than 30 points in a game.
Conventional logic would tell you that when Stirtz’s time in college was all said and done, his career-high would have come at the Division II level or at Drake, not against a Big Ten opponent.
Yes, Stirtz got better with experience, but the competition also ramped up significantly. So it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the best scoring performance of Stirtz’s college career had come before arriving at Iowa.
But that is no longer the case after Stirtz’s 32-point outburst against Oregon.
What made it even more impressive was Stirtz’s efficiency. He finished the contest 12-of-15 from the field, 4-of-6 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Making 12-of-15 shots from the field would be an outstanding line for a big man who does most of his damage near the rim. The fact that Stirtz accomplished that as a guard makes it even more eye-popping.
Stirtz’s performance against Oregon capped off a two-game stretch that earned him Big Ten Co-Player of the Week honors. In wins over USC and Oregon, he averaged 26 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 66.7% from the field and 60% from deep.
It’s yet another indication of just how good the senior has been for Iowa.
Stirtz might not be getting enough credit for how easy he has made this transition look. Making a successful jump from Northwest Missouri State to Drake is one thing. But the Big Ten is a different animal.
“(Opponents) were a little bigger from D-II to mid-major,” Stirtz said. “But I think it’s a lot different from mid-major to here. Just more athletic guys. People who can guard you. I’m seeing more drop (coverage) and a bunch of different coverages. So bigger athletes, things like that. So, yeah, it’s definitely more physical.”
And yet, Stirtz, literally and figuratively, has hardly broken stride in that move.
The lack of drop-off is staggering. Sure, Stirtz is averaging about two fewer rebounds per game. But the fact that his efficiency shooting the ball has almost remained identical to his season with Drake is remarkable. So is the fact that his turnovers are a carbon copy, given how much he has the ball in his hands against stout defenders.
With all due respect to the Missouri Valley Conference, Stirtz’s numbers this season have come against much better competition. Last season, Stirtz played five games against power-conference opponents, two of which came in the NCAA Tournament. He has already played against 13 so far this season.
And remember, this is also coming with a lot at stake. There is more external pressure at this level, and high expectations surrounded Stirtz entering the season. Stirtz’s NBA Draft stock is on the line. He is far and away Iowa’s best player, meaning he is constantly facing opponents who are game-planning to contain him.
“Night in and night out, it’s never easy to be the first guy on the scouting report,” teammate Brendan Hausen said. “Good or bad, it’s always going to kind of go back to Bennett. He’s done an amazing job being level-headed, showing up every single day and being our leader. Ultimately, it’s just a reflection of who he is as a person, as well.”
Being a star at the mid-major level is no guarantee that it will be the case at the power-conference level. Take UCLA’s Donovan Dent, for example. Like Stirtz, Dent was a prized point guard coming from a mid-major program to the Big Ten.
Dent hasn’t been bad, but there have been some growing pains.
While Dent has improved his play in some categories, his shooting numbers have bottomed out, which is in stark contrast to Stirtz’s trends and further exemplifies the pitfalls he has been able to avoid.
“I think it’s my faith in Christ,” Stirtz said of how he has been able to successfully make the jump in levels twice in his college career. “Knowing my identity is not in basketball. I think that’s huge for me. Because it’s bigger than basketball. We’re here to glorify God, and that’s the main thing for me.”
Not to be lost in the shuffle: Stirtz hit another milestone against Oregon. He surpassed the 2,000-point mark in his college career.
“Pretty crazy,” Stirtz said. “Coming from D-II and then mid-major to now. It’s pretty crazy. I’m sure I’ll reflect on it back when the season’s over, but still got a long ways to go this season.”
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Putting excellence of Iowa basketball’s Bennett Stirtz into perspective
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
