Iowa Hawkeyes basketball enters a new era with Ben McCollum's explosive 101-69 debut victory. Can this coaching savant finally restore the program to national relevance?

Trent Condon breaks down the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team's dominant season opener against Robert Morris, highlighting the dramatic cultural shift under new head coach Ben McCollum. The discussion covers Bennett Stirtz's All-American caliber performance at point guard, Iowa's elite 1.53 points per possession offensive efficiency, and the defensive intensity that's been missing from Carver Hawkeye Arena for years. Key topics include surprising starting lineup decisions featuring four Drake transfers, the team's 21 assists on 29 made field goals, and how McCollum's coaching philosophy differs fundamentally from the previous regime.

McCollum became just the third Iowa coach to score 100+ points in his debut, joining Ralph Miller and Lute Olson. With upcoming tests against Western Illinois and Xavier on the horizon, the Hawkeyes' trajectory under their new leader takes center stage.

Discover why this isn't just another season opener—it's the beginning of Iowa basketball's transformation.

Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondon

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:

APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEo

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyes

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
DoorDash
With DoorDash Streaks, you save every Saturday you order — stack it up all season and you could save up to $250. Order this Saturday. Keep the streak alive. Fuel your gameday — only with DoorDash. Terms apply. Promo period through 11/18.

SupplyHouse
Join the free TradeMaster program today and score serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices, and a dedicated support line. Visit SupplyHouse.com to sign up for free and use promo code SHCOLLEGE5 for 5% off your first order.

Gametime
Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.