Star guard emerging as National Player of the Year threat to Darius Acuff Jr.

As the college basketball season barrels toward its stretch run, the National Player of the Year conversation is beginning to sharpen. One name has felt almost cemented near the top for weeks now: Darius Acuff Jr. But quietly, and now not so quietly, another point guard is making a serious case to be mentioned in the same breath.

That guard is Bennett Stirtz of Iowa.

Bennett Stirtz Leads a Surging Iowa Hawkeyes Team

Stirtz officially announced himself to the national audience with a blistering performance against Northwestern, pouring in 36 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals while shooting an ultra-efficient 12-of-20 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. Elite production, elite efficiency, the kind of night that flips narratives and forces voters to take a second look.

What made the performance even more impressive was how controlled it felt. Stirtz didn’t hunt shots recklessly or dominate possessions just to pad numbers. He picked his spots, punished defensive mistakes, and maximized nearly every touch. That efficiency-first approach is one of the biggest parallels between Stirtz and Acuff, two guards who understand that great offense isn’t just about volume, it’s about value.

That Northwestern eruption wasn’t a one-off either. Over his previous five games before the breakout, Stirtz has been on a sustained heater:

• 22 points, 5 assists, 1 steal
• 32 points, 7 assists, 2 steals
• 20 points, 2 assists, 3 steals
• 20 points, 5 assists, 2 steals
• 27 points, 5 assists

In Big Ten play specifically, his numbers jump off the page: 22.9 points, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, while shooting 51.4% from the field and 40.5% from three. For a lead guard seeing the defense’s best effort every night, that level of efficiency is rare.

The backstory matters too. Stirtz transferred from Drake after following his head coach to Iowa, and the early adjustment period was real. New teammates, a higher level of competition, and increased defensive attention took some time to navigate. But now? He looks like lightning in a bottle, fully comfortable, fully confident, and fully capable of carrying the Hawkeyes as the second half of the season unfolds.

Arkansas’ Star Is Still Playing at an All-American Pace

Of course, the reason this comparison exists at all is because Acuff’s résumé remains absurdly strong.

In his last five games, the freshman phenom has posted:

• 24 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds
• 22 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
• 21 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds
• 31 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds
• 17 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds

Perhaps most impressively, Acuff has totaled just seven turnovers across those five games, all while serving as the primary engine for a ranked Arkansas team. That level of ball security, paired with scoring punch and playmaking responsibility, is exactly why he remains at the forefront of the Player of the Year discussion.

Another fascinating layer to this debate is experience versus youth. Stirtz is a senior who has already logged three college seasons before this one, albeit at the mid-major level. That maturity shows in his pacing, decision-making, and shot selection. Acuff, on the other hand, is a true freshman, just 19 years old, entrusted with the keys to the offense by legendary head coach John Calipari. What he’s doing at his age, against top competition, is objectively rare.

At the end of the day, numbers are numbers, and wins are wins. That reality is in the Arkansas guards favor and why Acuff still likely holds a slight edge nationally, alongside other elite contenders. But with the same position, similar efficiency profiles, and increasingly comparable production, Stirtz has earned his place in the conversation.

If Iowa makes a serious run in Big Ten play and Stirtz continues to dominate the way he has over the past month, this race could tighten considerably. As the season hits its most important stretch, the Acuff–Stirtz comparison isn’t just fair, it’s necessary.

And it might be one of the most compelling player debates college basketball has to offer down the stretch.