As Iowa men’s basketball appears in March Madness predictions, Ben McCollum stays focused on final four game stretch

IOWA CITY — March is inching closer. Bracket predictions are regularly updated, and Iowa men’s basketball is in the mix to be one of the 64 teams in March Madness.

As a college basketball fan, Iowa head men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum followed bracket predictions closely. As a coach, he hasn’t paid much attention to it.

McCollum already knows what it takes to see the Hawkeye logo appear during Selection Sunday.

“I’m no Joe Lunardi,” McCollum said jokingly, “but if we win the next game, and then the next game and the next game and the next, it’s going to give us a better chance to make the NCAA Tournament.”

The Hawkeyes have to prove they’re worthy to make the NCAA Tournament, and so far, different predictions have Iowa making the dance as one of 10 Big Ten teams that could receive a bid.

ESPN’s projections list Iowa at as a team that “should be” in the tournament. The predictions say that even though the Hawkeyes have lost three of their last four games, the team’s six-game win streak in January is cementing their tournament chances.

Iowa’s schedule for the final four games is one of the hardest in the country, according to BPI. It ranked 14th nationally, and the third-hardest stretch in the Big Ten. That stretch begins against Ohio State on Wednesday night.

The Hawkeyes and Buckeyes are tied in the Big Ten standings, making the Wednesday matchup a key game before the conference tournament in Chicago. The two teams are fighting for the final double-bye, which is given to teams seeded 5-8.

It’s Iowa’s second-to-last home game this year, with the home final set against No. 3 Michigan on March 3.

“Every Big Ten game is a big game, because every team is so good,” McCollum said.

Ohio State has four players averaging double figures, with Bruce Thornton leading the Buckeyes scoring 20.4 points per game. Thornton also leads his team in rebounds per game (5.4 per game), assists (3.9) and steals (1.3). In addition, he is second to Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz in minutes, playing just over 36 minutes per game.

“He's comfortable in his own skin, which means he doesn't just take random shots,” McCollum said. “He’s a good player, and he presents a lot of problems for everybody.”

The Buckeyes have been without John Mobley Jr., who averages 15.1 points per game, for the last three games with an injury.

This final four game stretch provides Iowa a chance to boost its resume once again, and potentially secure a conference double bye. Sure, McCollum doesn’t scour all the March Madness predictions for whatever a potential matchup could be.

He doesn’t want potential matchups. He’s focused on the absolutes — whatever Iowa’s next game will be. That’s Ohio State.

“The line Nick Saban uses, ‘results are a distraction,’ they are,” McCollum said. “It’s a distraction to what you actually need to do, which is continue to do better and to make sure there’s no fear of failure.”

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