Takeaways as Iowa basketball hangs on vs. UCLA Bruins

Not all Big Ten conference wins are built the same.

Some wins just feel different. They feel like the start of something special. That’s how a lot of people would describe Iowa‘s 74-61 win over UCLA on Saturday.

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In front of a packed and raucous Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeyes built a huge first-half lead and survived a late Bruin push to walk away with their 12th win of the season. It moves Iowa to 12-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. More importantly, it was a big confidence boost for Ben McCollum’s bunch. They found a way to close out the game late against a good UCLA squad, which is a great sign of things to come for this team.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ thrilling home win over UCLA.

Bennett Stirtz is big time

Bennett Stirtz has passed every single test so far during his short tenure in Iowa City, and his performance in Saturday’s win over UCLA may end up being his highest grade yet. The former Drake Bulldog finished with a game-high 27 points on an extremely efficient 8-10 shooting from the field and 4-6 from behind the arc. The senior guard also added four rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

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Despite dealing with some foul trouble in the second half, Stirtz had an answer for the Hawkeyes whenever the Bruins got it close. He finished floaters at the rim, was automatic at the free-throw line, and officially closed things out with a deep three to ignite the crowd. This is the kind of game that you’ll be seeing on Stirtz’s NBA Draft highlights package. He was outstanding.

Iowa basketball showed some real resolve

The Hawkeyes had a 23-point lead with 47 seconds left in the first half. It looked like they were going to cruise to an easy conference win. However, slowly but surely, the Bruins kept chipping into the lead until it was a four-point game with 2:44 to play. Iowa’s momentum and big lead had evaporated, and it looked like UCLA might steal one on the road. It was at that point in the game that the Hawkeyes showed the world exactly who they are.

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Iowa would end the game on a 13-4 run, with Tavion Banks and Stirtz combining to go a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line, and that duo scored all 13 of those points in that late run. Iowa basketball teams in the past would’ve folded and found a way to lose that game. Not this team. Not under Ben McCollum. Iowa’s resolve was tested, and the Hawkeyes passed with flying colors on Saturday. This was a culture win in the first season under McCollum.

Carver-Hawkeye Arena is back

The atmosphere at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for men’s basketball games has long been a problem. Fans showed up and sold out the women’s basketball games, but the men’s games never found that same success. When McCollum was hired, he made it a goal to make Carver a powerhouse again. He wanted to make it one of the toughest road venues in the Big Ten conference. There were signs of that happening earlier this season. Saturday’s win over UCLA solidified it: Carver-Hawkeye Arena is back for men’s basketball games.

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The fans brought the energy all game long, and the Hawkeyes fed on it. It was loud when the Hawks were rolling early, but the best part of the night for the crowd was their performance when things got tense. Carver never gave up on the Hawkeyes, even when the Bruins kept cutting into the lead. And when Iowa needed the crowd to be at its loudest in crunch time, the fans delivered to help get the team over the finish line. Carver deserves a lot of credit for showing up and showing out on Saturday.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways as Iowa basketball hangs on vs. UCLA Bruins