Video: Trey Thompson talks first season in Iowa basketball program
Iowa basketball forward Trey Thompson meets with media on Feb. 24, 2026.
IOWA CITY — As the calendar approaches March, there is no shortage of NCAA Tournament bracket projections making the rounds. But Iowa coach Ben McCollum says he doesn’t look into that.
“I will tell you this, I’m no Joe Lunardi,” McCollum said, referring to ESPN’s bracketologist, “But if we win the next game and then the next game and the next game and the next game, it’s going to give us a better chance to make the NCAA Tournament. I do know that.”
But McCollum is familiar with Lunardi.
“Well, I used to be a fan,” McCollum explained. “Now I’m a part of it, so I don’t pay attention at all. I used to pay attention.”
Iowa is trending toward earning its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2023. But it’s not a done deal just yet. Iowa’s next two games are extremely important to punching its March Madness ticket, not because they are marquee matchups, but because of what looms after them.
Iowa hosts Ohio State on Feb. 25 and then plays at Penn State on Feb. 28. Those are the most winnable games left on Iowa’s regular-season schedule.
Taking care of business is crucial because the final two games of the regular season are tall tasks. Iowa hosts two-loss Michigan and then goes on the road to play a Nebraska team that will be looking for revenge. Even managing to steal one of those two games would be a tough ask.
Beating Ohio State and Penn State would give Iowa some breathing room. But if the Hawkeyes stumble in one or both of those games, there’s a serious chance the Hawkeyes could be 1-4 or 0-5 over the last five games of the regular season, which is not the trajectory you want to be on heading into the Big Ten Tournament. It would also drop doubt into where the Hawkeyes stand in the NCAA Tournament picture.
There is a mental component as Iowa tries to cement its spot in March Madness. McCollum stated that when trying to make the NCAA Tournament, “you have to be careful to make sure that you don’t create a level of fear of failure.”
How does McCollum approach doing that?
“Well, you try to succeed,” McCollum said. “You put your focus on succeeding, not on ‘You can’t lose this.’ It’s, ‘You need to win this.’ Or ‘You need to perform at this level.’ And so, I think a lot of people say, ‘Don’t lose.’ It would be more, ‘Go win.’ There’s a big difference between the two. And so, making sure that you come in with a positive mindset is a big deal for us.”
Video: Ben McCollum previews Iowa basketball’s matchup with Ohio State
Iowa basketball coach Ben McCollum meets with media on Feb. 24, 2026.
The final four-game stretch of Iowa’s regular season starts with Ohio State.
Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament resume is in a less favorable spot than Iowa’s. The matchup with Iowa is the type of victory that Ohio State desperately needs to push toward the right side of the bubble.
Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton has been on a heater. Over the last three games, Thornton has averaged 29 points, six rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Iowa has struggled to limit playmaking guards on multiple occasions this season, most recently Wisconsin’s Nick Boyd, who was one rebound away from a triple-double against the Hawkeyes.
“With Boyd, it’s just a little more transition, get to his left, get downhill,” McCollum said. “Thornton plays with a level of patience, a poise and physicality. It’s hard to speed him up. He’s pretty good. Boyd’s obviously good, too. It’s just polar opposite type of players.”
Ohio State’s frontcourt also presents some challenges. 7-footer Christoph Tilly is averaging 11.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Devin Royal, who possesses a physical 6-foot-6 frame, averages 14 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Royal, however, didn’t play in Ohio State’s last game, so that’s worth monitoring. Iowa’s interior defense and rebounding are relevant storylines to track.
Update: Tilly has been ruled out vs. Iowa. Royal is available.
Iowa vs Ohio State prediction
The Buckeyes come in with an identical 9-7 Big Ten record to the Hawkeyes. Ohio State’s last three games leading up to the matchup with Iowa are as follows: Loss to Virginia by four, win over Wisconsin by 17 and loss to Michigan State by six.
This is to say, even though KenPom gives the Hawkeyes a 66% chance of victory, the Buckeyes are not a bad team, and this is no guaranteed win.
It would be nice to see Iowa finally click on both ends of the floor and clear this hurdle without much drama. But life in the Big Ten is rarely that easy.
An energetic Carver-Hawkeye Arena can play a factor in this game. The Buckeyes are a combined 5-7 in true road and neutral-site games this season.
Iowa 76, Ohio State 71
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at [email protected]
