Purdue’s Matt Painter gives Bennett Stirtz first-round grade after Iowa clash
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Purdue moves to 16-1 on Wednesday with a 79-72 win over Iowa. The Hawkeyes kept the game close with the help of Bennett Stirtz. Stirtz has been an issue for teams all year. After the game, Purdue coach Matt Painter spoke about the Iowa star.
“He’s a good player. Bennett Stirtz, he’s real, and that kind of just shows everybody that the rankings and all the different stuff [is overblown]. This guy went to a Division II school out of high school; it’s amazing. He’s going to be a first-round pick in the NBA, but if you’re good, you’re good,” Painter said following the victory over Iowa, according to Fox Sports.
Stirtz began his career at Northwest Missouri State, a Division II school. He was named the conference play of the year and a second-team all-conference player in both 2023 and 2024. He would then transfer to Drake. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year in 2025. He would then transfer to Iowa. The entire time, he followed his head coach, current Iowa coach Ben McCollum.
In the game against Purdue, Stirtz had a game-high 19 points, while also adding three rebounds and four assists. He has been stellar this year as well. On the season, he is averaging 17.7 points per game, with 2.4 rebounds, five assists, and 1.9 steals per game. This will be his final year of eligibility, and will hope to be playing in the NBA next season.
Iowa is 12-5 on the campaign, and 2-4 in Big Ten play. They return to the court on Saturday, hoping to break a three-game skid while visiting Indiana. Meanwhile, Purdue is 16-1 and 6-0 in conference play. They return to action on Saturday as well, visiting USC.
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