This is a victory that's going to be remembered for a long, long time.
Iowa continues to post incredible upsets, this time doing so against a hated rival in Nebraska. Ben McCollum and his players are jacked up, as a trip to the Elite Eight is coming later this week. So, the celebration has already ended?
Ben McCollum's reaction to Fred Hoiberg's blunder was gold for Iowa fans
That's what standout playmaker Bennett Stirtz made quite clear in a postgame interview. Was the sharpshooter jacked up over the win? Absolutely. However, he knows there's still a goal in mind and he wants to make sure the Hawkeyes are focused on getting to the Final Four. That's his top priority right now:
NEW: @GoodmanHoops talks with @IowaHoops' Bennett Stirtz as their incredible run continues with a win over Nebraska 🔥
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 27, 2026
"I really believed we could make a run in this tournament... But we're done celebrating already. We'll get ready for the next one"
🎥: https://t.co/tKX5P58GeJ pic.twitter.com/IWCIFOjGhg
Iowa star Bennett Stirtz has the Hawkeyes one win away from the Final Four
"We were so close in so many games and it really made me believe we could make a run in the NCAA Tournament," Stirtz said. "Honestly in the locker room, I think we're done celebrating already. We'll watch this game (Illinois vs. Houston) going on right now in the hotel and then we'll get ready.
Those are the words of a young man who is excited about taking down Nebraska, but who also knows the hard work has just begun. The fact that Iowa beat Florida and followed that up taking care of business against Nebraska is mind-blowing.
Next up is a dance with Illinois, which shocked No. 2 Houston to set up quite the Elite Eight dance. Both of these teams were not expected to get to this point, but they could care less about that. Stirtz, a former D-II player, knows all about being counted out too.
Time and time again, however, he comes up big for the Hawkeyes and he's ready for more of the same to be showcased against the Fighting Illini. In the win over Nebraska, the 6-4 guard scored a team-high 20 points off 7-of-15 shooting.
He was feeling it at times and the Iowa fans in the stands were loving it when a shot would find the bottom of the cotton. It goes without saying, but if the Hawkeyes want to keep this dream run going, Stirtz will need to be on fire vs. Illinois. He's got the right mindset already, as he's ready to answer the call for McCollum and his staff.