16. Iowa (9-seed)
Tavion Banks (Senior – Guard)
You’ll quickly notice a similar trend on this Iowa roster and Banks is a player who’s followed Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake and now here with the Hawkeyes. After great work off the bench with the Bulldogs last year he’s putting up 10.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a starting guard with Iowa. Banks is an efficient scorer and a great defensive player and just had 20 points in that shocking win over top-seed Florida.
Kael Combs (Junior – Guard)
Combs is another Drake transfer who’s settled into a significant role now in his third collegiate season. He’s averaging 6.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and while those numbers don’t exactly stand out he does play his role well on this team. Combs is a scoring threat who had 15 points against Clemson in Iowa’s first Tourney game and also brings energy and athleticism on both ends of the court. He’s clearly coming into his own as an upperclassman even after previous work at the mid-major level.
Cooper Koch (Sophomore – Forward)
The one major returning face from last season, Koch is back as a sophomore under McCollum’s new leadership and has really stepped into a bigger role in year two. Koch’s numbers have improved to 7.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while making just over 40% of his long-range attempts. He’s already had three games with four or more 3-pointers since the calendar flipped to March, including 12 points in that win over Florida, and continues to be an underrated threat for the Hawkeyes.
Cam Manyawu (Junior – Forward)
Yet another former Bulldog, Manyawu excelled in the starting lineup for McCollum back at Drake and has done more of the same here in the Big Ten. He’s averaging 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while making 64% of his field goal attempts. The production is consistent across his career though it’s hard to imagine Manyawu getting this type of run on other Big Ten frontcourts. Still, he grabbed 10 rebounds against Clemson and is an important piece going forward.
Bennett Stirtz (Senior – Guard)
Stirtz exploded onto the scene as MVC Player of the Year last season but once again followed McCollum to Iowa, much like he had previously from Northwest Missouri State. The results have been exceptional, as Stirtz averages 19.7 points and 4.5 assists per game as one of the Big Ten’s most productive offensive players. Some of his raw shooting numbers are down but nobody’s on the court more often than Stirtz, who also boasts really nice steals numbers. Despite massive struggles from outside the arc during the NCAA Tournament, Iowa has found a way and he’s provided a combined 29 points in those two big wins.