After winning their first NCAA Tournament game since the 2020-2021 season, the Hawkeyes go for another milestone against Florida on March 22.
Iowa has not advanced to the Sweet 16 since 1999, and the one-seed Florida Gators are not going to make it easy to get back there.
Florida is the defending champion and they are a one seed for a reason.
Todd Golden has his guys rolling on offense, but he knows the Hawkeyes present a unique challenge for his defense. Star guard Bennett Stirtz is the straw that stirs Iowa's drink on offense, and Golden had a straightforward response about their strategy to take him out of the game.
Golden plans to wear down Stirtz on both ends of the court
When Golden was asked how they were going to handle Stirtz and everything he brings to the table, Golden gave a unique response.
Todd Golden on facing Iowa's Bennett Stirtz:
— Jeffrey Serber (@JeffreySerber) March 21, 2026
“We've got to use our quickness tomorrow to bother him, to get in his hip and not leave his side, and we've got to wear him down. That doesn't mean solely on his offensive side of the floor, guarding him in ball screens but also when…
According to Alligator Sports basketball beat reporter Jeffery Serber, Golden stated they will try to use their quickness to frustrate Stirtz and "not leave his side."
Golden wants not only to wear Stirtz down on offense but also to prevent him from resting on defense by running him through multiple ball screens.
Golden has an interesting strategy to slow Stirtz down, given Stirtz's ability to play every minute of every game, but he is hoping that constantly hounding him on offense and not letting him rest on defense will be the key to victory.
Florida has a lot of speed and length on the defensive end, especially in the paint, and if they can frustrate Stirtz and force Iowa to take contested perimeter shots, they have a solid chance of moving on to the Sweet 16.
Iowa's success hinges on its ability to defend at a high level, but if they have a similar offensive game to the one against Clemson, it could get ugly quickly.