Feb 11, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (#14) shoots for three points in the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Iowa’s Quad 3 Loss to Maryland Changes Everything

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 12:00 PM ET

While there's still a strong chance this Iowa Hawkeyes team ends their NCAA Tournament drought, losing to a Quad 3 team certainly didn't help their case.

It's not like Iowa lost to Maryland at home, but losing to them on the road isn't much better. Knowing this team just went to the west coast and took down Oregon and Washington, there's no excuse to fall to Maryland.

Their 77-70 loss will be remembered for quite some time, and it's not like their schedule gets any easier.

From here, Iowa hosts No. 13 Purdue and No. 7 Nebraska, then heads to Wisconsin, a team that handed No. 2 Michigan their lone loss and just took down No. 8 Illinois. Clearly, Iowa has their work cut out for them.

Iowa's Schedule Didn't Allow Room For Quad 3 Loss

Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

It took long enough for this team to get a Quad 1 win so them dropping a game to the Terrapins is a huge hit to their resume. Iowa hasn't been able to beat a ranked team this year, but at least most of their losses were to quality opponents.

Now, they have road losses to Minnesota and Maryland that stand out like a sore thumb. As of February 14, things heat up in a big way and Iowa must be on their A-Game.

Iowa allowed Maryland to pick up their first two-game win streak since November 19-24, 2025. After starting the year 5-1, these Terrapins dropped 13 of their next 18. If Iowa ends up being a bubble team, this loss is going to haunt them in a big way.

Iowa's Path To The Tournament

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There's a very real chance this Maryland loss turns into a four-game skid. With a pair of Top 13 opponents on the horizon, Iowa's chances of knocking off either are slim to none, at this point. Granted, both games are at home, so that gives their chances a sizable boost.

Playing at Madison is no easy feat either, so Iowa's games against Ohio State and Penn State are crucial. Knowing they end the season against a pair of Top 7 teams, Iowa didn't have a lot of room for error down the stretch.

Assuming Iowa only beats the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions, they'd end the year 20-11 (10-10). Playing in an extremely tough conference would help them stand out, but who knows if they would have done enough to enter the tournament. In order to nearly guarantee their spot in the tournament, Iowa must win at least one of their four ranked games.

This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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