'Check back next year': ESPN shares preseason Iowa basketball tier

Fans can catch their first glimpse of Ben McCollum's bunch tonight as Iowa meets Illinois Springfield in an exhibition from Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

After a run to the Elite Eight, Hawkeye fans are hungry to see what McCollum and his staff can accomplish in year two in Iowa City.

But, not everyone is a believer in the Hawkeyes entering this season.

ESPN shared its preseason college basketball tiers, where it placed Iowa in the "check back next year" category.

According to KenPom, Bennett Stirtz played 94.1% of available minutes last season for Iowa, carrying the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight as one of the most important players for any team in the NCAA tournament field. It's impossible to replace that level of production, which is why Ben McCollum's group is here. - Jeff Borzello, Myron Medcalf, ESPN

There's no getting around it. The loss of Bennett Stirtz is a major one. Stirtz led Iowa in scoring, averaging 19.8 points per game on 47.7% shooting. Iowa isn't just replacing Stirtz either. The Hawkeyes' second- and third-leading scorers also departed (Tavion Banks, 10.2 ppg; Alvaro Folgueiras, 8.4 ppg).

But, Iowa added two difference-makers out of the transfer portal in former Illinois State guard Ty'Reek Coleman and in Saint Mary's center Andrew McKeever. That duo is expected to join a core that includes Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Tate Sage, Cooper Koch, and Cam Manyawu.

Joining Iowa in Tier IX were Saint Mary's, UCF, Santa Clara, South Florida, and Utah State.

ESPN tabbed Florida, Duke, and Illinois as its national title contenders, while Arizona, Texas, UConn, Michigan State, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Virginia were considered Final Four contenders.

Iowa opens its 2026-27 regular season against Lipscomb on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. CT.