It has been well-doucmented this season how durable Bennett Stirtz has been.
Not only has Stirtz done everything on the court for the Hawkeyes, but your best ability is your availability, and he rarely comes out of games.
There have been times this season when he has been in foul trouble and forced to sit, and in one game, he suffered a minor injury. Otherwise, he averages a team-leading 37.5 minutes per game.
Despite being an ironman for the Hawkeyes, Stirtz acknowledged that he has not gotten much sleep this week in preparation for a tough game against Clemson.
Stirtz stated that Iowa's practices have been extremely tough lately
Even though Stirtz has wanted to get some rest, he hasn't been able to, as the squad has been diligently preparing for their first-round matchup against Clemson.
Stirtz doesn't know the meaning of the word "rest," and that hasn't changed in the days leading up to the game.
Bennett Stirtz say he hasn’t been able to rest much this week, even without playing 40 minutes a night:
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) March 19, 2026
“I wish I could say that, but our practices have been pretty tough, our practices are tougher than games.”
This season, though, he’s picked up a new trick — cherry juice.… pic.twitter.com/ixLE7oKxc3
According to 247Sports Hawkeye insider Eliot Clough, Stirtz would like to say he's gotten some rest this week, but that hasn't been the case.
Iowa's practices have been so challenging that Stirtz said he believes they are "tougher than games."
If Stirtz is saying that, you know it's legit because he is as durable as they come.
This will be Stirtz and Ben McCollum's second trip to the Big Dance after guiding the Drake Bulldogs there last season, but the road this season is a lot tougher.
With a higher seed comes higher expectations, and Stirtz will attempt to guide Iowa to its first NCAA Tournament win since the 2021-2022 season.