Ben McCollum on Iowa's Elite Eight Run & Building a Big Ten Contender

Ben McCollum joins Jon Rothstein after leading Iowa to an Elite Eight in his first season as head coach. McCollum reflects on the jump from the mid-major level at Drake to the Big Ten Conference, what surprised him most, and the defining moments from Iowa's remarkable tournament run.The two also discuss building and retaining a roster in today's college basketball landscape, expectations for the Hawkeyes' 2026-27 roster, a challenging non-conference schedule, and what it will take to sustain success in Year 2.(0:00) Ben McCollum(0:50) Talent Difference(1:45) Lack of Momentum(2:45) Florida Upset(3:46) Best Moments(4:46) 2026 NCAA Tournament(6:50) Bennett Stirtz(7:20) Incoming Roster(11:30) Upcoming Schedule(13:25) Job Search(14:30) Toughest Win/Loss(15:55) Reflecting(18:40) Developing a Program(22:30) Keys to 2026-27(23:03) Movie Character🎥 WATCH• Subscribe to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CBSSportsCBB• Watch CBS Sports HQ: https://cbssports.com/live• Watch CBS Sports Network on your TV or the CBS Sports App with your cable provider🎧 LISTEN• Stream and follow Eye on College Basketball & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vk8wq9lunf3agEif1kM8T?si=b4e091007c2545c6• Download and follow Eye on College Basketball & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-college-basketball/id268800565• Stream and follow Inside College Basketball Now with Jon Rothstein & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3t03SRmmslKzdQ5AtGlXiM?si=9443b63851324a18• Download and follow Inside College Basketball Now & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-college-basketball-now/id1823022867📱FOLLOW• Twitter: https://twitter.com/EyeOnCBBPodcast• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbssportscbb/• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cbssportscbb?lang=en