New Era, Thrilling Pick: Bennie Bennett Claims AP All-America Title as NBA MVP

Iowa basketball player Bennett Stirtz has been named to the Associated Press All-American team as an honorable-mention selection. Stirtz also was an honorable-mention pick last season when he played for Drake. Stirtz, a senior from Liberty, Mo.

, averages 20. 2 points and 4. 4 assists per game for the Hawkeyes (21-12), who open March Madness on Friday, March 20 against 8-seed Clemson.

Iowa is a 9-seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament. Stirtz was named first-team All-Big Ten by the media and second-team All-Big Ten by the coaches on March 10. As one of six Drake transfers to follow coach Ben McCollum to Iowa, Stirtz was surrounded by lofty expectations as the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.

But Stirtz has lived up to them, delivering some tremendous performances. There was a four-game stretch against Big Ten competition in which Stirtz averaged 30. 5 points per game.