The No. 9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes have been one of the largest surprises within the NCAA Tournament. Following wins over the No. 8 Clemson Tigers and No. 1 Florida Gators, they play the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in a Sweet 16 matchup. The Hawkeyes are searching for their first Elite 8 look because the 1986-1987 season.
Guard Bennett Stirtz has been a key piece to Iowa’s success to this point. Through 35 video games, he’s averaging 19.7 points (leads crew), 2.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists (leads crew) and 1.5 steals (leads crew). The senior additionally has a 47.8% area objective proportion and is capturing 35.9% from the three-point line.
Advertisement
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14).Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
As the second-lowest-seeded crew left within the NCAA Tournament, behind the No. 11 Texas Longhorns, the highlight continues to develop on the Hawkeyes. Stirtz is taking full benefit in the case of identify, picture, and likeness alternatives. Before enjoying Nebraska, he introduced a brand new NIL partnership with TurboTax.
“It takes the whole team to go on a run in March File with @TurboTax by April 15th so nothing slows your momentum. #TurboTaxPartner #MarchMadness #ad,” he wrote on Instagram.
Advertisement
While Iowa’s deep run could also be a shock, Stirtz cashing in on one other deal is not. His On3 NIL valuation is tied for the 25th highest in faculty basketball. It can be the highest for anybody on the Hawkeyes.
However, he’s enjoying out his ultimate 12 months of eligibility. That means time is operating out for him to take benefit of extra NIL offers whereas at Iowa. His basketball profession doubtless is not over, although. CBS Sports ranks him because the No. 16 participant within the 2026 NBA Draft.
Advertisement
With his new deal introduced with TurboTax, Stirtz is concentrated on Nebraska. Tipoff is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET on the Toyota Center. ESPN’s matchup predictor offers Iowa a 40.4% probability of successful.
Related: Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. Shares NIL Update Before Arizona Game
This story was initially printed by Athlon Sports on Mar 26, 2026, the place it first appeared within the College part. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
