The No. 9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes have been one of the biggest surprises in the NCAA Tournament. Following wins over the No. 8 Clemson Tigers and No. 1 Florida Gators, they play the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in a Sweet 16 matchup. The Hawkeyes are seeking their first Elite 8 appearance since the 1986-1987 season.
Guard Bennett Stirtz has been a key piece to Iowa's success so far. Through 35 games, he is averaging 19.7 points (leads team), 2.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists (leads team) and 1.5 steals (leads team). The senior also has a 47.8% field goal percentage and is shooting 35.9% from the three-point line.
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As the second-lowest-seeded team left in the NCAA Tournament, behind the No. 11 Texas Longhorns, the spotlight continues to grow on the Hawkeyes. Stirtz is taking full advantage when it comes to name, image, and likeness opportunities. Before playing Nebraska, he announced a new NIL partnership with TurboTax.
"It takes the whole team to go on a run in March ⛹🏼♂️ File with @TurboTax by April 15th so nothing slows your momentum. #TurboTaxPartner #MarchMadness #ad," he wrote on Instagram.
While Iowa's deep run may be a surprise, Stirtz cashing in on another deal isn't. His On3 NIL valuation is tied for the 25th highest in college basketball. It is also the highest for anyone on the Hawkeyes.
However, he is playing out his final year of eligibility. That means time is running out for him to take advantage of more NIL deals while at Iowa. His basketball career likely isn't over, though. CBS Sports ranks him as the No. 16 player in the 2026 NBA Draft.
With his new deal announced with TurboTax, Stirtz is focused on Nebraska. Tipoff is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center. ESPN's matchup predictor gives Iowa a 40.4% chance of winning.
