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IOWA CITY — Just like the majority of Iowa men’s basketball’s 2025-26 roster, Tate Sage knew early on he’d follow head coach Ben McCollum to Iowa.

He just did it as a high school senior.

“I was going to go to Drake and then he came here,” Sage said. “And I was, like, ‘Well, bigger stage. Absolutely, I’m up for it.’”

Sage has come off the Hawkeye bench in all nine games this season, helping to facilitate some defensive prowess in Iowa’s 8-1 (0-1 Big Ten) start. He’s also one of four freshman McCollum brought in.

Heading into Iowa’s nonconference matchup against No. 4 Iowa State, Sage has played at least 11 minutes in all but two games. McCollum said during the preseason he’d been impressed w

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