April 8, 2026, 7:01 a.m. CT
The 2025-26 men’s basketball season will not be soon forgotten by Iowa fans.
The Hawkeyes entered the season with modest expectations, under a new head coach with an almost entirely new roster to boot. Many had questions about the ability of this roster to compete at the highest levels of college basketball. While there were certainly some hiccups along the way, this group answered those questions with a resounding yes.
Iowa won 24 games this past season, its most in a season since 2021-22. They made the Sweet 16 for the first time in 27 years, and continued their NCAA Tournament run into the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987. For many fans, this was the farthest they had ever seen the Hawkeyes go in the postseason. With all that being said, there were so many memorable moments sprinkled throughout the season. Which ones rise above the rest?
Here’s a look at the top five moments from the 2025-26 Iowa men’s basketball season:
Honorable mention: Hiring Ben McCollum
This is an honorable mention, because it technically didn’t happen during the season, but make no doubt: nothing that happened this past season is possible without Ben McCollum. He proved to everyone that he’s a winner, no matter where he goes or who he has on the roster. He coached up a ragtag group of transfers into an elite team that was a few plays away from a Final Four. His hiring was instrumental to last season’s success.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!5. Acrisure Series sweep
This was the moment that Iowa passed its first test. They went over to California and beat a pair of quality teams in Ole Miss and Grand Canyon. Fans got their first glimpse of Bennett Stirtz taking over games, Cooper Koch hitting big shots, and Iowa playing great defense. The floor of this team was set at the Acrisure Series, and these two wins showed the blueprint that they would follow for success in March.
4. Washington comeback victory
Iowa showed a ton of guts in this game, and McCollum proved just how smart of a coach he is. After giving up 48 points in the first half and trailing by seven, the Hawkeyes stormed back on the road. They outscored the Huskies 43-26 in the second half to claim an important conference win. This game showed everyone that Iowa was never truly out of a game and that McCollum is elite at making adjustments.
3. Court-storm against the Huskers
This was the first signature win for the Hawkeyes under McCollum. At home against a top-10 Nebraska squad, Iowa’s defense clamped down to claim a 57-52 win, inciting a court-storm at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Fan apathy around the program was gone. There was a true belief that this team was heading in the right direction. Little did everyone know at the time, but this wouldn’t even be the biggest victory of the season against Nebraska.
2. A very sweet win
This game was for all the bragging rights. Iowa vs. Nebraska for a spot in the Elite Eight. And it lived up to the hype. Both teams exchanged blows all game long. The Hawkeyes never led until a massive Bennett Stirtz three put them ahead with two minutes to play. Alvaro Folguerias emphatically closed the game with a poster dunk. Tate Sage was nails all game. And Iowa picked up one of the sweetest wins in program history.
1. Alvaro Folgueiras enters Hawkeye history
There was no other moment this season, or even this century, that deserved the No. 1 spot over this. Down by two with just seconds to play against top-seeded Florida, Alvaro Folgueiras hit one of the biggest shots in program history, a 3-pointer to give Iowa the lead. That shot clinched the Hawkeyes’ first Sweet 16 appearance in 27 years and will be shown on highlight reels for years to come. No matter what happens in the future, Folgueiras will always be an Iowa legend for this moment.
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